Within the past few months, graduates of 2015 have enrolled in colleges and begun their separate paths to become independent. Current students might be curious as to what exactly some of the graduated seniors had to say about college so far.
Most graduates we spoke with are absolutely loving college and all the benefits that come with it. People start to give them more respect and freedom, leaving them to make all their decision on their own.
“College is great. People treat you like adults, and I really like that a lot,” class of 2015 graduate and current North West Vista student Cassandra Gonzalez said.
Going from high school to college is a huge transition. Long gone are the days of sitting in a desk for eight hours, for five days a week. Instead, college students have full responsibility for their education.
“I only go to school for a few hours a week! You don’t have to ask to go places. No one gets mad at you if you don’t do your homework or if you don’t come to class. You make your own decisions, but you have to deal with them, good or bad,” Gonzalez said.
Some people say to enjoy high school while you’re here, because once you leave you’ll miss it. For most of our recent graduates, that is the case.
“I definitely miss football season. I miss going to games and pep rallies and stuff like that. I miss a few teachers like Alonso, Purnell, Bridges, and Singleton,” Gonzalez said.
After college, graduates are faced with a lot of their friends moving around. Everyone takes their own path, so there is a chance that graduates may not keep in contact with friends. It’s special when friendships last even after graduation.
“I only talk to just a handful [of friends], I only talk to like three or four that are still in school and maybe like five that I graduated with. It’s hard to keep in contact with people you graduate with because you all go your separate ways,” Gonzalez said.
There are a lot of fears that come with starting college. High schooler students tend to imagine that college is this big unknown place, and that they will be up to their neck in schoolwork.
“I expected boring professors, and hard work, but I actually got some cool professors and the work isn’t as bad as I thought,” class of 2015 graduate and current North West Vista student Eric Galan said.
Some of our graduates are attending college hours away from their families. For most, this is a huge step to becoming an independent adult.
“I have to be an adult, and do my own laundry, and eat all my meals. There’s no one to tell me anything. Don’t be afraid to be away from home; your parents will still love you. It’s definitely an experience,” class of 2015 graduate and current University of North Texas student Allie Reyna said.
There is a lot of work that goes into attending college. Current seniors are going to be faced with the decision to whether or not they are even going to college and apply for scholarships and the difficulties that go along with that process.
“Go to college. Apply for financial aid early. Try to get scholarships because I had to pay for college with my own money and it sucks. And have fun during your last years in high school,” Galan said.