Since the beginning of elementary school, my parents spent time emphasizing the importance of college and told my sisters and me that we must attend a university and attain a degree. This was not an issue for me because in only first grade I had decided that I would be a teacher, which required a college degree. For the next several years into high school, I began searching for scholarships and researching schools. I wanted to be prepared by the time college came, already knowing that I wanted to be a teacher. Finding the career path I wanted to follow at such a young age comforted me because I knew the direction my life was headed.

As I am now in my senior year of high school, busy applying to colleges and scholarship programs, I try to figure out my career path once again. I expect that college will be an enlightening experience, overflowing my mind with new knowledge. Studying hard, I will do well in the rigorous college courses and I will graduate with an English degree. This will help me develop a strong work ethic and dedication to stay in college. Although finances may be tight, I will work and apply for scholarships, making college even more worthwhile because I earned the money required to pay for it.

College is simply another step in life’s journey. Each person has a different pathway to take in life, some following the road of education, and some not. To me, education is not an optional experience, so next year I will meander down university road.