College is a necessary evil. As a high school student approaching the end of my Junior year, this truth is dawning on me. I of course have always wanted to go, and have been planning for it for a while. But as it approaches it gets increasingly daunting. Even if you know, as I did, that you were going to attend college, nothing quite illustrates the requirements until you are there. I would be naive to say that I am not scared, but I would also be naive not to say that I am eager. I am excited to finally study about what I love, rather than the requirements. For these same reasons I am grateful for my work here at the newspaper, and for my parents who have always encouraged my writing and reading, for filling our home with books. I am scared of college, and I am scared to go. I however also understand that in order to succeed, I of course am speaking only for myself and my own situation, that it is necessary. And that it’s necessity does not change with my fear.
I think of myself as independent. I also think of myself as someone dependent on my mother. College has been on my mind a lot lately. The other day I asked my mother to open my window, because I was afraid that I would smash my fingers. I had interrupted what she was doing, and had gotten a small attitude. While I was waiting I decided to just do it myself. When I told her, I said, “I opened my window, because I was rude, and I figure that if I am going to go to college I need to be able to open a window.” My mother smiled and agreed. That is also why I am so sure of it. Past my parents' encouragement, they have also taught me to approach things with more realism than hope, but also to stay hopeful. Which evidently is how I feel about my impending departure. I recognize that it will be expensive and hard, and that it will take years of hard work to pay off. Nonetheless I am hopeful.
I believe that everything in life that is good will be scary. I was scared before I wrote my first piece for this newspaper. I was scared when I performed on stage for the first time. I was scared when I started high school. I was scared entirely during every one of these things, and they all went well. They were not without their challenges, but they were fruitful and joyous. So that is how I will look at college, I think it is how I have to.