College and Beyond
This is the twelfth post in a series by former FLVS student Makaila, a model, author, and student advocate.
Hey FLVS teens! As you look ahead to your final year(s) of high school, the next couple of years may seem challenging. You may spend most of your time focusing on studying or on making straight As. It can be a challenge, and some days it can seem impossible.
I can assure you – it’s possible and you can do it (and if worse comes to worst, then a few Bs or even Cs may not be the end of the world).
So, what’s the next step? College.
It may seem so far away, and that’s what I thought in high school too. But it’s not. It is way closer than you think.
Before you know it, you’ll be going on college tours (try to schedule a few this summer!) and getting merchandise from schools you may not even attend in the end. I know I did. I only went on one college tour, and that was to Florida State. Turns out I wouldn’t get into Florida State, so here I am to this very day with shirts, hats, and mugs that I refuse to use.
I was upset for quite some time that I didn’t get into my dream school; I thought I would. I shouldn’t have put all my eggs in one basket with that, but I learned from my mistake. Instead of going to Florida State, I ended up going to the University of Central Florida (UCF). It wasn’t my first choice, but it was a happy second, and it was close to home.
The point I am trying to get at here is simple: Everything happens for a reason. Sure, you may be upset for a little while, but I love my school and everything worked out. If I could do it over again, I wouldn’t want to go to Florida State; not because it isn’t a great school, but because of the friends I’ve made at UCF.
Now, don’t start worrying about where you’ll end up or the school you want to go to. I can assure you, you will end up where you’re supposed to be. Enjoy the years leading up to college, because it is closer than you think.
College flies by too. I am finishing my first year, and I now see how quickly school goes by. Work hard, push yourself, and do whatever you can to end up where you are suppose to be.
Rejection happens, embrace it.
The future is something that we have almost no control over, so just go with it – and go Knights!
Mak Nichols is a model, author, actress, and student advocate on a mission to inspire and support her peers through philanthropic initiatives including the Great American No Bull Challenge and the release of her first book, Blatantly Honest: Normal Teen, Abnormal Life, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indie Bound. After taking FLVS courses in high school, she is now studying business, entrepreneurship, and writing at the University of Central Florida. Learn more at makailanichols.com.