by Gloria Cueva | staff writer
While the countdown to graduation continues full steam ahead on campus, current JHS alum already in college have some words of wisdom for those about to tread the same path.
“Ehh, I mean college it’s getting by, but don’t let anyone tell you that college is the best four years of your life though,” former Johnson student Cameron Williams said.
College is full of negatives and positive it just depends how you look at it according to Williams.
“The good thing about college is no one will be there that knows what you did in the high school,” Williams said. “Unless you go to the college everyone goes to.”
The most negative thing about college is actually the most obvious one you can think of.
The workload is a bit tough,” Williams said. “Actually a lot tough. It’s a bunch of late nights and hard work. I mean if you stay on top of it you’ll be fine, but it’s still really hard, not gonna lie.”
Advice to be prepared for college varies upon the different people’s experience.
“The reason I do so well in college is I’m not a party animal, and never will be. Like don’t go crazy, because you have all this freedom, or it’ll really mess you up,” Williams said.
If you’re going to an out if state college like Williams who is currently attending Boston University, it might be smart to get a job as well.
“I work at UPS. It’s like lifting boxes, moving boxes in or out of houses. It’s a lot of physical labor, but since I need the money, it’s whatever,” Williams said. “I mean I don’t live with my parents. They help, but financial I gotta do it on my own for like things I want.”
Living far from home, and even living at home can be expensive.
“I think it’s important to have a job, because by college you’re somewhat of an adult, and you need to start being able to support yourself a little bit,” Williams said. “Although juggling a job and an education is difficult, it’s all about time management.”
College is a new sense of freedom, but you must always remember college is designed to help you with your future career not just for fun.
“I think the only reason I’ve done so well in college is because I don’t go to all the parties. I stay focused on my school work,” Williams said. “ I mean I have fun, but college is hard. You really need to stay focused and not get dragged into the wrong crowd.”
Renita Watzel is also a former Johnson student who now attends Texas Tech University.
“I really like college. I like the freedom, and feeling like an adult and a kid at the same time,” Watzel said. “You have freedom, but not enough to go to crazy.”
Most people believe that the massive amounts of work is what makes college such a challenge, but that isn’t always true.
“The hardest part for me isn’t not seeing my family. It’s not getting to see my family as often,” Watzel said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to do things that I want, but I do get homesick at times.”
Most of the time when students decide to go out of state or farther away they either choose not to visit family often or do not have the luxury to.
“When I first started college I was really excited, because it was kind of like yeah I can do whatever I want. No rules, no plans made by parents. It’s all me,” Watzel said. “But now I’m like I want my mom’s home cooking, I wanna hear my dad’s bad jokes, and see my sister.”
Parents always tell their kids when you leave for college you’re going to miss us, but teens always says that will never happen.
“I use to say that all the time, but like always parents are always right I do miss them,” Watzel said. “Parents are their for you a 100 percent. They make life a little easier. Never take that for granted.”
Dominic Espinoza-Vargas, senior here at Johnson high is set to graduate this year, and began adulthood.
“I have mixed feelings about college. I’m excited…freedom, adulthood, but at the same time it’s scary. Really scary,” Espinoza-Vargas said.
Being an independent person early on in life helps prepare you for college, but that doesn’t mean that moving into a new chapter of life.
“I mean my mom and dad don’t hold my hand all the way through life, but they definitely make it easier,” Espinoza-Vargas said.
People say when you you go to college it’s the beginning of your adult life. It’s a new beginning.
“I mean I’m just a kid, and a lot of us seniors tend to think we’re ” big girls and boys but we’re not. We still have a ton of learning, maturing, and growing up to do,” Epinoza-Vargas said. “But I guess it’s kind of like a ‘strap in and hold on’ for the ride kind of thing.”
