If someone were to ask me about my educational journey, I would have to say that it has been a winding road. I started out in a small town high school and then transferred to a larger school for my junior and senior years. I took a break from schooling after graduation and then returned to college a few years later. I’ve had some ups and downs along the way, but overall I’m glad that I stuck with it and earned my degree.
My high school experience was pretty typical, I think. I made some friends and had some good times, but I also had my share of struggles. Academically, I was never the best student, but I managed to get by. After graduation, I took a year off to work and save money. I had always planned on going to college, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study.
A few years later, I decided to give college a try. I started out taking some general education classes, but eventually I settled on a major in business. I enjoyed my coursework and did well in most of my classes. However, there were also a few challenging classes along the way. But overall, I’m glad that I stuck with it and earned my degree.
A lot of people believe that education is only something you acquire in school, but in reality it comes from a variety of sources and individuals, not just schools and teachers. My parents, for example, taught me how to eat, act properly, use the restroom, communicate effectively before I started school.
Also, once I started school I was educated by my friends, they would show me different things like how to pass the time during recess or where the good hiding spots were during tag. Basically, anyone that has influenced my life in some way has helped educate me in one way or another.
As for schooling, I have had a lot of ups and downs. In elementary school, I was never really a top student but I always tried my best and got good grades. However, in junior high is when my academic career started to slip. My grades started to drop and I began to get into more trouble both inside and outside of school. It wasn’t until high school that I finally turned things around. Once I entered high school I made a decision that I was going to do whatever it took to graduate.
I started working hard and studying more, and eventually my grades started to improve. Not only that, but I also got involved in extracurricular activities and made new friends. Overall, high school has been a great experience for me and has taught me a lot of valuable lessons. For example, I’ve learned how to budget my time, study effectively, and work well with others.
Even though my schooling years have been tough at times, I’m grateful for everything I’ve learned both inside and outside of the classroom. Each and every experience has helped shape me into the person I am today.
I began my education career at John F. Kennedy Elementary, where I attended kindergarten and first grade before moving to Sepulveda Elementary. I don’t recall much about my years there since I only went for Kindergarten and first grade. After that, I attended Sepulveda Elementary School. That was a valuable learning experience because as a new kid in class, I had to essentially be on my own for a few days, but returning to what my parents taught me about being polite, I quickly made friends.
Most of my friends were either in my neighborhood or at my church. For a majority of my childhood, I went to the same church as my friends and our parents were close, so we hung out a lot outside of school. Going to Sepulveda Elementary was pretty uneventful until 4th grade when I had this teacher who was really mean.
She would always yell at me and make me feel like I was stupid. I don’t even remember what I did wrong, but she would always single me out and it made me not want to go to school. My mom ended up talking to the principal and they moved me to another class, but that experience definitely made me not want to be in school.
In 5th grade, I went to Millikan Middle School. That was a big adjustment because it was a lot bigger than Sepulveda Elementary and I didn’t know anyone. I made friends pretty quickly though because I joined the soccer team. Soccer has always been a big part of my life and it was a good way to meet people and have something in common with them.
I loved playing soccer and I was pretty good at it, so I continued to play all through high school. In high school, I went to El Camino Real Charter High School. It was a charter school, so it was a little different from your typical high school experience, but I liked it.
I believe that third grade was the year when I truly began to appreciate education. I recall my teacher, Ms. Gupta, who was really nice and a very bright individual. She was the first teacher to really discuss college with us and instill in us the idea that college is almost a must for everyone. The next two years in primary school were fine, but Ms. Gupta really opened my eyes to the world beyond school.
In 5th grade, I had a really great teacher named Ms. Smith. She was really funny and made learning fun. She would do things like give us candy if we answered a question correctly or put us in “time out” if we didn’t do our homework. Even though she made learning fun, she also stressed the importance of getting good grades and doing well in school.
The following year, I transferred to a different school for 6th grade. This is where I met one of my best friends till this day, Sarah. Sarah and I bonded over our love for learning and homework (I know it sounds weird but we actually used to enjoy doing homework together). We would always help each other out and make sure we both understood the material.
High school was a big change for me, especially academically. I was no longer at the top of my class like I was in elementary and junior high. I had to work a lot harder to maintain good grades and it wasn’t always easy. There were times when I would get really stressed out and overwhelmed but Sarah was always there to help me through it.
Looking back, I’m really grateful for my educational journey. It’s been filled with ups and downs but it’s made me into the person I am today. Education is important to me because it gives me the knowledge and skills I need to succeed in life. It also allows me to pursue my passions and make a difference in the world.