Last Essay, don't give up in college!!!

            Do you know some strategies that can help you not to give up in college? Well, first of all the most recommendable thing, is that you need to study for career of your passion. But in these present times, there are many reasons that will make a student break in college. In other words, there are many issues that students face and make it a really difficult job to study in College. But, to guarantee a better future for this nation, we need prepared people, especially the teens and kids that are the future generations. We need a government that works for society; that gives better opportunities, and to our students to obtain with less obstacles in a College Education. Also we need to take into account that we can find our success through a College Education, that is why it is very important that we, the students make an extra effort in finishing our College Education so we can finish what we started.  

            In the book, “Into The Wild” by Jon Krakauer, the author relates the history of a young man called Christopher Johnson McCandless that wanted to go to Alaska. He wanted to live in nature, but without being prepared to have the chance to survive. He didn't have any kind of preparation for this journey, he was overconfident and this did not allow him to see the limits. Chris left everything behind, his family, his studies, his money, his car, etc. motivated by the wish to live this risky adventure. Chris was a child of the second marriage of his father. He lived a childhood full of screaming and arguments from his parents and he always had to follow the orders of his father. Until Chris grew and discovered that his father in a time had to divide his life between two households. From that moment, Chris was full of resentment toward his parents and began to move away from them. Motivated by frustration, he could not understand the mistakes of his father and started a journey that led him to his death.  

            In this paper I wrote, some of the obstacles that students have to get their Education in College like, financial issues, because they don't have a legal status in our country and because some students have emotional issues. Also, I mentioned some of the reason why it is important that students critique Education: because students are the future of this nation, because the System of Education works for students and because the government should be always interested about to know the opinion of the students. I also wrote some strategies that can help to students to not give up in College like, persistency, keeping focus and to make an extra effort, because it is not an easy job. And the last topic that I addressed in this essay was, some ways that how students can find success through Education like, to change our mentality, to take our chances and to study the career of our passion.

            One obstacle that students have, to get their College Education is that they have financial issues. Personally, I think that the government should put more effort on the population's education. Specially in issues like financial Aid, because some students need to pay for their own Education, or some students don't qualify for financial Aid, because their parents make a bit more than required to qualify for the aid, whether this amount is not enough to pay for the education of their children. In the case of Chris this wasn't a problem like the author says, "In truth McCandless had been raised in the comfortable upper-middle-class environs of Annandale, Virginia. His father, Walt, is an eminent aerospace engineer" p.19 Really, the parents of Chris had the resources to send him to college without any problem. Technically I'm a foreigner, but this country received me with open arms, with a lot of opportunities, that I don't want to waste. It certainly is a double challenge for me, because English is my second language, but I don't want it to be a deal breaker. I would like to get my degree in the University Of San Jose, just like Christopher McCandless did, "In May 1990, Chris graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, where he'd been a columnist for, and editor of, the student newspaper, The Emory Wheel" p.20 I need to pay for my education and I would like to have some help when I start the University. I want to continue with my education because I already finished college in Mexico. What I'm trying to do is to get an equivalent degree to the degree that I got in my country, which is Informatics Systems. I want to go to San Jose State University, because they have the degree in Concentration in Management Information Systems, and they sent me here to this Community College to complete only four transfer units, which are A1, A2, A3, and B4, before they can make my evaluation.
            Another obstacle that students have to get their College Education is, because they don't have a legal status in this country. I have a lot of Latino friends that they were brought to this country when they were only babies. They have been struggling with their education, because they didn't have a legal status to live in this country. Therefore, they did not have the same opportunities like others students. Thom Hartmann argues in the book The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight, "Political parties can bring about such transformation only if we, in massive numbers, join them, embrace them, and ultimately gain a powerful and decisive voice in their policy-making and selection of candidates" p.343 What this quote tries to tell us is that if we want some changes in the policies of the law of this country, we need to fight for it. Now, with the Dream Act signed by president Obama, the possibilities of students without legal status changed, because they were making many campaigns to get this privilege. The other day, I found my friend Carlos Torres in the gym. He was very excited because he was just approved for the Dream Act. He showed me his driver's license with such happiness. I want to let you guys know that my friend Carlos is studying at UC Berkeley. No matter the legal situation of the people out there, there are pretty intelligent people, including the children brought to this country when they were only babies. Thom Hartmann says, "Kennedy challenged us to think of our children's future before own, to create change that could be lasting, to build a new world that could sustain itself and yet protect its valuable resources" p.139 Personally, I didn't have this problem, because I had my legal status in order since I came to this country. But of course, that situations like these, motivate me to take advantage of my situation, because I am pretty sure that many people that still live in this country without this benefit.

            And the last obstacle that students have to get their College Education is, that some students have emotional issues. The importance of this topic is because the formation of personality of every human being starts in his or her family. In my opinion, parents can be responsible of emotional problems in their children, and this is one cause why young people want to run away from their family looking for some freedom and don't have any interest in their education. Chris used to take refuge with her sister, like Jon Krakauer mentions in the book Into the Wild, "I think it was one of the reasons Chris and I were so close. We learned to count on each other when Mom and Dad weren't getting along" p.107 This can be one of the emotional responses of a person with some psychological trauma may have, some children feel that their parents do not understand them. In my case, I lived a difficult childhood. I needed to pay for the inexperience of my parents. They were always more understanding of my younger brother; with him they were more patient when he made a mistake. Instead with me, my parents were very demanding and that was one of the some reasons that motivated me to come to this country. On page 61 of the book the author says, "It is also true that, in some instances, trauma, in the shape of early separation or bereavement, has steered the potentially creative person toward developing aspects of his personality which can find fulfillment in comparative isolation." That is why, is very important that if we want a better future to our societies around of the world and specially in this country, we need to start to have love in our closest core that it is the family, in order to have better societies and of course better students.

            One reason why it is important that students express their thoughts about Education is, because students are the future of this nation. I strongly would agree and will argue, in how important a student should express his or her critique towards a whole world of obstacles, that is our Education. Just the word by itself Education gives some students Goosebumps that brings awareness of physical sensation. In the embedded video to my blog and it's called The Most Motivating Video for Success, Will Smith says, "Just decide, What's gonna be, who you are gonna be, how you are gonna do it. Just decide, and then from that point, the universe is gonna get up your way." Any student who is involved in a class setting and putting their whole focus and full tank of energy can accomplish just about anything. Anything can result that comes out naturally. A student is capable to give and show little of passion and effort, even if that is not their favorite subject. Why? Because for most students and as for myself, I don't like to waste my time, it just leaves me a bad feeling. It's like missing a chapter in my life that I couldn't remember, but then again wanting to remember, so I wouldn't have that regret. Jeff Bliss told to his teacher, "students are the future of this nation," He was absolutely right, when he referred to the education like the future of this nation and that the teacher has to touch student's heart. No doubt, this action of him was a valuable lesson. Some adults don't realize that they can learn from teens and even from kids, because they are more transparent in their feelings, and of course, most of the time they say what they feel without something to stop them.
            Another reason why it is important that students express their thoughts about Education is, because the System of Education works for students. Student's who have their mindset, and have a real clear picture in their mind and have a really solid frame around that picture. Therefore, they continue to have goals for themselves. As for most, the System of Education should lead to students to finish their college. Of course, those students have the right to critique Education. In the embedded video mentioned in the previous paragraph, somebody says, "You meet your must, you rarely do what you should, you always do what you must, make success a fucking must." I relate this feeling, because growing up I always had an attraction for computers. When I first stepped into a library and had to find a book my thoughts were like a further in the air, because at that time I didn't have a set interest of passion of education. A Librarian took me to a computer and told me that I could find any book there, by simply typing in, the title of the book. Once I did that, I said to myself how amazing technology is. In the book The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight Thom Hartmann express his point of viewing about technology, "Similarly, our technological culture has found a technological drug to maintain docility" p.129 But personally, with this effect towards computers, I precisely came to the United States to buy an HP computer and return to my country to continue my education in computer science. I'm talking about a master degree. But that didn't happen, because my eyes opened at the right time. I reflected on how wonderful this country has been to help me, to follow my dreams and the passion that I have been carrying for such a long and continue to stay stronger than ever, and giving me the tools to stay focus in the most difficult times. And in this country, I realized that the System of Education has a place for me, a form where a can make valid my studies from my country. 
            And the third reason why it is important that students express their thoughts about Education is, because the government should be always interested about to know the opinion of the students. In these times, where the opportunities are really hard to get an Education in any University for many reasons, and some were previously mentioned. This is supposedly government's job, like Annie Leonard argues in the video The Story of Stuff, "It's the governments job to watch out for us, to take care of us. That's their job." In my case, I do wonder how I made it to this extent and questions occur upon me, but I'm only human and can only tell myself with words of comfort, "I am doing alright, keep going forward".  As I mentioned, education can create the path of your passion, which creates your set goal. That creates a lot of emotions, attractions, intelligence for solving problems. Although it, might be hard and the mind of a student may break down. But in a matter of no time, if a student reacts and has that deep sensation of Passion within Education, he or she can accomplish to fight the battle of setbacks. That's why it's important that students express their inconveniences toward Education, and these inconveniences are taken into account by the government of this country to work on them.

            One strategy that can help to students to don't give up in College is, persistency. Students need to keep a hard constant work in college in order to get a degree in a future. In my case sometimes it is really hard, to go to school and have a regular job, but I think that this is the best inversion of effort that I can make. In the book, Into the Wild Hathaway talks about Chris, "He didn't get into trouble, he was a high achiever, he did what he was supposed to" p.114 If I want a better future for me, I supposed to do this effort, because I'm pretty sure that in the future, I will be thankful for all those nights without any sleep, because I was making my homework after a long day in my job. At times I get discouraged, because I doubt my ability to continue in San Jose State University. But I don't want to continue working in a regular job, because I know that I had the ability to finish college in my country. That is why; I am still here with persistency trying to get my equivalency.   Chris McCandless was a very firm person in his actions, as Westerberg describes on the page 17 of the book, "he never quit in the middle of something. If he started a job, he'd finish it. It was almost like a moral thing for him. He was what you'd call extremely ethical." In my opinion Chris directed his persistence erroneously, but this was his decision and I respect it. He wasn't limited, but the consequence of this was that led to his death. People are not as we would like, people are as they want to be, as they think they must be or like they were educated, and we must adapt to them. We can't change the way of think of people around the world, but we can change ours.           

            Another strategy that can help students to not give up in College is, keeping us focus. If we know where we want to go, we don't need to have any distractions. I have known some friends that after finish High School, they leave the possibility to get in college for later and they want to find a job. But once they begin to work, they lose their interest in their studies, because they feel that it is more important to have money. In the Passion Project Emily says, "We still have that mindset where we need money to survive. Oh, I have money I can buy plasma T.V. I can buy a uh a king size bed, a water bed." In this point of view, I understand them, because when you are young, you want to have money to buy a car, you want to invite your girlfriend to the movies, etc. But after this happen, they find out that it is more difficult to return to school, because they get into a cycle where money is more necessary. Therefore, if we are here already, enrolled in school, we have to overcome all obstacles in order to finish college, later for sure we will have a better job. Chris always was focused about his idea to go to Alaska, in the book Chris's dad explains, "He didn't think the odds applied to him. We were always trying to pull him back from the edge" p.109 Chris was very intelligent person, he finished college, he was a hard worker, but he ran many risks on his journey. He abandoned his car, left his clothes, burned his money and continued focused with his travel to Alaska. Personally, I would not do something like this, I would like to reach my dreams but without putting my life in danger. I am not the kind of person that likes to risk my life in the wild to discover the wonderful things that there are in the Earth.

            And the last strategy that can help to students to not give up in College is, to make extra effort. Sometimes, I feel like my thoughts begin to fade, but at the same time I remember my boss that is sometimes screaming at me, because he is under pressure. And of course, I do not want to spend the rest of my life in my current job; I want to do something to have a different future. In the book Into the Wild the author argues, "To symbolize the complete severance from his previous life, he even adopted a new name. No longer would he answer to Chris McCandless; he was now Alexander Supertramp, master of his own destiny" p.23 If we have a dream in our lives, we must do everything possible to reach it and sometimes do the impossible. Currently, in my own life I have obstacles that may prevent me from reaching my dream right now, but they keep me motivated to pursue my dream. One day I want get a degree from San Jose State and if possible, maybe even a master degree. Therefore, it is important to do everything that I can to be here at school, despite some moments I feel that this is too much, but also it is too much to be listening to my boss all the time screaming. Chris McCandless finished his Education without any problem; I really have respect for him, because I know that being a student is not an easy job. On page 20 of the book the author mentions, "had distinguished himself as a history and anthropology major with 3.72 grade-point average. He was offered membership in Phi Beta Kappa but declined, insisting that titles and honors are irrelevant" Honestly, sometimes I think that I have some limitations, because as I mentioned before, English is my second language. This is one of the reasons I always try to do my maximum effort and therefore, I try to not miss any classes as possible, because I don't want to feel lost when I come back to the class.

            One of the ways that students can find success through education can be, to change our mentality. Success can be defined in many ways, taking into account that reality can be interpreted differently for every human being. Also, all depend of the thoughts, ideas, goals, feelings, etc. But I think the two most important things are, culture and the way of growing up of each person. That is why, I really like the quote in the book The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight that says, " Our minds and our cultures created our situation." In my case, a person from a country of the third world, success primordially is related with having money. If you don't have economic problems and have a lot of money, you can be considerate like a successful person. But in this country I have seen that success to many people is different, basically success is related to what you do in your life and to do what you love to do. For example in The Passion Project several of the students say that their passion is to help people or work with people, in my point of viewing this is a kind of success for them. In the case of Chris, he had a different point of viewing; he didn't want to be tied to the system of the society. He wanted to go to Alaska and live into the nature, like if this was a type of success for him. But if we talk about school, he had success as written in the book on page 109, "Chris was a high achiever in almost everything that caught his fancy. Academically he brought home A's with little effort." Personally, if I don't change my mind and I continue thinking negatively, I will create my own barriers in my mind, or if I think that I can't finish the school because I am very busy at my work, and it is hard for me because English is my second language. I will be creating obstacles to my studies; it is necessary for me to change my mentality.  It is true that I'm not going to get only A's in my studies, but my goal it is to finish what I started.

            Another way that students can find success through education can be, to take our chances. Finding success in my own life was difficult, because the way I grew up wasn't easy. Yes, I have my parents who gave me the needed supplies to continue through college, but for some reason I was missing something. I felt like a present without a bow and a blank card. That's why in some point; I feel identified with the phrase of Romeo, "Society is like not doing its job because it has a high expectation for people to follow what other people are doing" (The Passion Project). In order for me to find the sensation of success, I had to take one big decision, and that was, to leave my country. Growing up in a Latin atmosphere, where everyone thought and opined with a old school mentality, that is not motivating at all. I could not be me, without the criticism and negative feedback. I could never find someone to talk and understand my ideas or someone who thought outside of the box. That's why leaving Mexico gave me many reasons and motivations to find my true passion, in what I love doing and of course I have found some success in the United States, but all this happened because I took my chances. Chris McCandless took his chance to go to Alaska, but unfortunately his decision led to his death. He needed humility to observe his lack of preparation, as it says in the book on page 72, "just another case of underprepared, overconfident men bumbling around out there and screwing up because they lacked the requisite humility." We are not prepared to live in nature like our ancestors. Humanity already forgot this form of living. In these present societies we have everything at hand. We need to take our chances, but also we need to be realistic and have a little of humility, this way we can avoid events like what happened to Chris McCandless.

            And the last way that students can find success through education can be, to study the career of your passion. In my last years, I try that success is always like a part of the task in my daily routine. Success is being true to your own self, without anybody tell you "well done." In my point of view, regardless success comes with humanity, with thoughts of honesty and less deception. Of course, problems never end; they are part of the life. Romeo argues, "Problems there's always problems we face. We can learn from it and rebuild our life and make better choices" (The Passion Project). Trying to include these thoughts in my daily life, trust me it's not an easy task. When you do incorrect things, the word success goes out of you, and you need to struggle again in order to find it. Therefore, it is a good idea, to have paradigms or admire someone as you would like to be, because that is a good motivation, but I think is better to be yourself trying to reach your own success and of course, doing what is your passion. In the book Into The Wild the author says, "more than twenty-four thousand dollars remained at the time of Chris's graduation, money his parents thought he intended to use for law school. We misread him, his father admits" p.20 Chris McCandless was submitted all his childhood to the orders of his father, but once he went out of his house to go to study, he always avoided contact with his parents again. He wanted them out of his life, to not know more about him. I believe that his attitude was a consequence for the kind of childhood that he had, from living within a dysfunctional family, full of discussions and shouting. Chris wanted to please his parents, studying in University, but we are not sure if this was really what he wanted to study or if to go to University was a part of his passion.