Michael Testa

Journal 2 - Who Was I in High School

What I remember most about High school was how chaotic things were. Teachers and
advisors did not know what was going on or what was needed. They would lose paperwork
misfile things upload wrong documents. It made it very difficult for me and my family and I feel
gave me an overall bad experience with the education process. I’m glad I had a good support
system to keep me involved in school or I know I would have dropped out. I have high hopes
that my college experience will go much better.

John Green tells us about his high school experience as an underachiever who would hide in the
woods and smoke cigarettes. He wasn't taking things very seriously or trying very hard and his grades
reflected it with mostly C's and some generous at that. As an adult looking back he is embarrassed at
what a terrible student he was. Even saying that he felt lucky that his teaches never gave up on him even
though it was obvious he didn’t care. Looking back, he can see how much he has grown and changed
and realizes that the person you are in High School is not the person you will be for the rest of your life.
And even later on in life college or a career does not define you.

The ways I am able to connect to John's story is that I completely agree with his statement that
destiny doesn’t happen all at once. I feel we are in control of where we end up and even though outside
forces will have an effect and influence on you, that only you have the power to correct or change these
things. I had a very hard time in high school and it scared me away from even thinking about college. I
got the first job I could find at 16 and I never looked back. As I grew older I looked around at the people I
worked with and where they were at in life and though is that what I want for myself? I used to think
the answer was yes, and to just settle in and get ready for the next 40 years to just happen to me a day
at a time.

But the more I thought about it and the more I looked around I didn’t feel like it was where I
belonged. So, I took my future into my own hands and decided to enroll in college. I'm taking control of
my destiny every time I come to class and not letting who I was or what I went through in high school or
even work define who I will become.