Make plans for after high school
High school students are told their whole careers that this is their last free ticket. After high school, the real world starts and you'll be on your own. That some of us won't make it and will struggle to survive in the real world. Others, however, get nothing but praise, and everyone is certain that those people will succeed with minimal effort on their part.
But as students, we need to know that we can achieve whatever we put our minds to as long as we are willing to take the steps it takes to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves.
"I'm going to be a sheriff for Yuba County. I'm in the cadet program and going to Yuba College for training in education in law enforcement," said Jesse Bybee, Wheatland Union High School senior.
"I plan on going to Shady Creek to be a student naturalist for a year. It will help me build a background in nature and hopefully help me get a foot in the door to be a Fish and Game warden," Jesse added.
To be successful, it helps to know exactly what you want to do with your life. If you know what you want to do, then it is easy to set up steps to reach your goals and succeed like Jesse has. He knows what he wants to do, so he is studying and planning his life and future around his career choice. Anything can be achieved as long as you have the plan to reach for what you want.
"After high school ... I plan on getting my bachelor's degree in sports management. I'm doing this by going to AIB (American Institute of Business) and playing volleyball for them at the same time. Hopefully, I will get an internship at Iowa Energy D-League basketball team," said WUHS senior Kirstin Johnson.
Success is simple once you know what you want. I want to become a physical therapist. I have informed myself by looking into colleges that offer a good kinesiology course and looking into other majors that can put me into the career field that I would like to see myself in.
You can start to prepare yourself for what you want to do before you ever leave high school. I got involved with the Fremont-Rideout Teen Leadership Council, an organization that brings high school students together to learn about every aspect of the hospital and also is involved with philanthropy and community service.
Along with determination, knowing what you want to do and how you need to get there is really all you need to succeed in life. If you know what you need to do and are willing to do what it takes to get there, then nothing is impossible.
If you're someone who was told that you can't succeed, let that be your motivation: Prove everyone who doubted you wrong.
Rafe Smith is a senior at Wheatland Union High School. His column appears every six weeks in Education.
