From Me, to You by Kaziah

From Me, to You by Kaziah - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

"Take college courses in high school." "Keep your grades up, it pays off in the end." That was the type of advice that I received on a daily basis from family and friends. My problem? I didn't listen to them. I wanted a simple senior year so I didn't take advantage of the college credits my school provided. I also stopped caring about what my grades were. As long as I was passing, I was happy. If I could give any advice to younger students, it would be to listen. Listen to your older peers and take their advice into consideration.
My brothers were constantly telling me to take the college equivalent of math and English my senior year. They told me about how if I passed those classes, I wouldn’t have to pay the $500 in college. My biggest regret? Not taking their advice seriously. I didn’t think about my future and how I would be having to pay for those classes on my own. Why would I want to take a difficult class in school, when I could just take the easier version? It made sense in my mind. Now, I’m living on my own and stressing every day about how I am going to need to come up with extra money to pay for my own education. I could’ve had those classes completed already, but I let my own stubbornness get in the way.
Growing up, I had pretty good grades. Sure, I was never a 4.0 student, but I averaged a 3.7 for the most part. Then one day, I stopped caring. I told myself I would never have all A’s, so what was the point of trying? Listen to me, it matters! Now that I am applying for scholarships, I realize how much of a difference it makes. Even if my average GPA barely went up, it’d make the largest difference in my life. Every class that you take matters. It may not seem like it now, but it will in the future.
Listen to your parents. Listen to your peers. They know exactly what you are going through, and they only want the best for your future. During your senior year, it may not make sense, but it will. Every decision that you are making right now, will impact your future education. Don’t let your own pride ruin your chances of making it into a good college.