Not going to lie… I did not go to the commencement ceremony. (However- you all should come to mine :D)!
My plane leaves for Florida in less than 24 hours and I am mega-excited. I am going to spend a week in the amazing Sunshine State with their sparkling oceans and historical treasures. In fact, I am even going to be touring my 4 year school (the one I oh-so-desperately) would love to get accepted into and transfer to. It appears to be the perfect blend of everything Florida is known for.
I was packing just an hour ago and began to assemble my best “accept me Florida” information packet. It has all the things I am involved in at Iowa Western. (Proof of blogging, of being an ambassador, of Leadership Academy, Presidential Honor Roll, and eligibility into Phi Theta Kappa; along with 2 recommendation letters.)
Here is the ironic twist. I have a …friend…who chose a different college path than I did. This friend isn’t dumb by any standards in fact, he is a bright kid.
However, he chose an alternative to the 4 year schools or community colleges after high school. He graduates this year from his choice of school. I have been watching him slowly struggle the past week as he gets denied from one college to another. His credits won’t transfer, his grades aren’t what he thought they were, he doesn’t have too many awards or committees under his belt…basically just a kid who accidentally made a wrong decision and is trapped in his life. He can’t get a job because his “qualifications” have not met with the standards of the dozens of companies he applied to. Unfortunately, unless he wants to start his college experience completely over- he may not have a lot of options open to him. The point of this blog, is to let you, my devoted reader, know that there are so many options awaiting you as you graduate.
From high school you can choose to go to a community college, a four-year, a technical school, or not pursue education. From college, you can continue to grad school or pursue a career. Essentially, every spring, there is some mark of a graduation in our lives. The past academic year preps us for the dreams that are there after the ceremony.
How do we know we made the right decision? How do we as scholars recognize and seize opportunities? How do we prevent the feared trapped box of nowhere to go but backwards like my friend? It depends largely on the individual…yes… There are college grads with 4.0’s who made it through college after a life in poverty. There are students out there just begging for one chance to grasp- and they find it!
My best advice? If you aren’t sure- start here. Seriously. Start at Iowa Western Community College. To graduate or not to graduate is your next step. Decide. I never imagined the doors that would open to me- while my friend never imagined the doors that would rapidly close for him.
If you are in high school or maybe already have a degree but can’t make it work in today’s complex society, or if you’re a mom/dad raising kids- we are the perfect blend of everything Iowa has to offer. (Fields of Opportunities).
May my own future be full of sunshine, ocean, (and the Federal Reserve). May your future be full of opportunities. May we graduate this year of our lives to pursue the next.
May we let it start in a community college nestled on 250 acres of farm land, acres of opportunity.
