While I wish it wasn’t always the case, my education comes before everything. Whether it’s friends, romance, work, or just my day to day life, I am always going to focus on my schoolwork first.

I personally do not feel like wasting my time on romantic relationships more than my education. Too many times I have seen people do poorly in their classes because they spent so much time pursuing a relationship or being in a relationship. I try to never lose sight of why I'm here and why my education is so important. Relationships are never guaranteed to last, but my education will always be there at the end of the day.

My version of “hanging out” is studying. I will never be truly “free” either. I have to read. I have to study the material. I have to type up my notes. I have to write essays on a weekly basis. I have multiple projects and exams to prepare for.

Of course, it would be easier for me to not do all the readings, and to skip class when I want to have free time. But that is not how I want my education to go. Yes, C’s get degrees, but I don’t want to operate that way. If other people want to, by all means, do that, but I can’t let myself slide by in school.

The reason I am able to go to college at a lower tuition rate than out-of-state is because I kept my grades up and prepared for the ACT. If I slack, or if I decide I want to take a break, I will not succeed. There is never a day that I do not push myself because I am reminded that my family absolutely could not afford out-of-state tuition. I have to keep my GPA at a 3.0 or higher, which is not difficult, but it still requires a fair amount of effort.

By putting pressure on myself to get A’s in my class, I don’t just maintain my GPA, but I create connections with my professors too.

Professors are going to know the student who always attends class, goes to office hours, emails them, asks questions, and does well with assignments and exams. If you start struggling, you know where to find help and it is much easier to get the extra help when you need it if your professors knows who you are.

I want to put in effort in my work because there were times in high school that I did not care if I succeeded or failed. But, now that I have finished my first semester of college and have begun the second one, have fallen in love with my education. This doesn’t mean that I don’t go out and spend time with friends. It doesn’t mean I’m holed away in my room all day. If I don’t have some sort of balance in my life, I won’t do well in my classes.

School was never a great place for me growing up, but it has become just that with college. I have found myself surrounded by amazing friends, professors, and advisors. The school I was accepted to was the only school I applied to, and it was the best decision of my life. Now, this is not to say that it is always easy and carefree. There are many times that life here is stressful and difficult, but I know that I will always be able to find help and support when I need it.