SUCCESS & FAILURES

As a first generation student to attend college in my family is a nerve-wracking experience.

Taking up 17.3 units during my first semester was also a difficult decision, but I decided to take
up this challenge and strive for the best outcome. I believe in hard work and perseverance, that
later comes with success. Im currently taking English 100, English 109, College 1, Math 131,
Health Education, and Human Nutrition. Although math is one of my weakest subjects, I was
able to score an 84% on my first exam which gave me an 87% for a class grade. To some people,
an 84% may not seem to be an outstanding grade, but for me, this B letter grade is a huge
accomplishment. For the first time in many years, Ive started you set up a goal and began to
work harder than ever. Studying for tests, managing my time, and finishing the homework at
least a day before its due is my aim. My goal is to score an average of 3.6 GPA throughout all
my semesters and graduating with an Associates degree then transferring to a UC within two
years frame. Another successful venture was that Ive finished my Human Nutrition class and
received an overall A for the class grade. It definitely isnt an easy task; it requires concentration
and the will to work on the assignments proficiently. One of my biggest failures was
oversleeping and missing my 7:30AM English class for the first time. It was not my intention;
my alarm was set for the wrong day and time because of my clumsiness. Fortunately, I arrived
right after the class had ended and apologized to my professor. Tardiness and absence is an
important principle behavior to me that shouldnt be occurring more than three times during a
semester. After this incident, I invested in two alarm clocks to make sure that I would be waking
up and not missing anymore classes in the future, unless for a special circumstance. What
primarily motivated me was my own decision, but what had inspired me was reading the book

A Place to Stand by Jimmy Baca and Spare Parts by Joshua Davis. These two stories
demonstrated to me that you would be able to achieve anything if you were able to put your mind
towards the goal. All of the characters had these distinctive traits of dedication and determination
which had ultimately reversed their unfortunate circumstances. From this, Ive formed
perseverance, ambition, and grit. Applying these traits into my education and lifestyle has made
me see the light and the many possibilities that could be accomplished.