At an early age, children are told they can be anything they want to be. My parents were always supportive of me when I was growing up. They let me make my own decisions and guided me with advice. Normally when told what to do, you realize you want to make all your own decisions; but when given the option to decide everything on your own, you come to find that you have no idea what you really want.

Getting an education was one of the top things on my to-do list. My mother always said my only job was school and I should always put it first. I was very independent with my schoolwork. I made sure I always did my homework and projects. My parents never nagged me to make sure I was on top of everything — they kind of just assumed I was — plus my report card gave them enough proof that I didn’t need to do anything differently. My parents have always been supportive and they congratulate me when I do well.

Unfortunately, during my freshman year, I got distracted socially. My grades were slowly going down when I started putting off my homework and not studying for tests. My parents didn’t know how distracted I was until they saw my report card. I reassured them that I wouldn’t slack off anymore; but as my social life grew, my academic life was no longer at the top of my priority list.

When my mom realized that I wasn’t progressing, she decided to switch me to a different high school, a place known for being more academically prestigious. Parents always want what’s best for their children, and my parents made the right decision in switching me to another school. My grades have improved and I’m back to feeling like I’m on my way to college.

Everyone has the opportunity to go to college. If you don’t think you can afford it, talk to your counselor; you’ll be surprised at how many different scholarships there are, and student loans are always an option. In Florida, by maintaining a specific GPA and by taking the ACT and achieving a certain score, you can apply for one of three Bright Futures scholarships that pay 60% of tuition!

Everyone should know they have the potential to go to college and gain a quality education, an education that opens many doors for their future. I have a senior friend, Jayson, who didn’t think he could go to college. But the other day I ran into him and he said, “Hey, I’m going to college.” When I asked him what had changed, he said he’d handed in service hours to our school’s college advisor and she sat down with him to work out a college plan. Now my friend Jayson is enrolled at Broward College. You too can go to college! You can have as much opportunity as the next person, regardless of income or top grades. All you need is to believe in yourself and study hard. Go talk to your counselor and get started on your future today.