Letter to my high-school self: There's no coasting in college

By Angelica Birch

I regret to inform you that despite what you think, you do not have it all figured out.

Sure, you’re a good writer. And your 3.5 GPA isn’t too shabby. Sure, you’re going to graduate high school with honors and get a full-tuition scholarship.

But I’m sorry, honey, college won’t be a breeze. See, right now you’re coasting. You turn in your work on time, attend most of your classes most of the time and are getting by.

I mean, how many people do you know who can get an “A” on a paper about “Othello” without actually reading the play?

But think about it: When’s the last time you truly learned something or studied for a test? Stop and ask yourself, “Is coasting enough?”

Three years later, I’ll answer for you: No! Coasting is not enough.

Who would’ve imagined that three months after walking across the stage at my high school wearing honors tassels I’d be walking across the quad at St. Thomas wearing shame.

I was no longer the girl who turned in assignments a week before they were due and received “As” without trying. I had turned into the girl who never turned in assignments and got “Ds” on exams because she didn’t know how to study.

I stopped going to class because I was too embarrassed to admit I needed help. I allowed my pride to bring me down, waiting until it was almost too late.

I don’t think I should carry all the blame. When your high school teachers are constantly saying you’ll be fine, you believe them. Teachers commended me for my writing skills and GPA. And none of them were surprised when I announced I had earned a full scholarship to the University of St. Thomas.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from an intelligent girl such as you,” they said.

Of course, I appreciated the praise. But looking back, it wasn’t what I needed. What I needed was to be pushed harder. Teachers mentioned that college would be tough, but they never bothered going into detail. Maybe, like me, they didn’t see it coming.

The worst moment came after the first semester when my grades were so low that I was put on academic probation. I sat in my living room at home with tears in my eyes, reading to my mom the academic suspension appeal letter I had written.

“I think it’s well thought out and sincere,” she said. “All you can do is pray the school feels the same. You shouldn’t beat yourself up about the situation. I think you’ve learned from your mistakes.”

Fortunately, the university accepted my appeal and gave me a chance to prove that college was something I could succeed at, something I wanted to succeed at.

My mom was right. I did learn from my mistakes. I’ve learned to skip parties when I have work to do and have found good mentors. I’ve learned how to study and ask for help.

As my sophomore year ends, I realize that I still have much to learn. My time management and study skills need improvement but every day they’re getting better. Though I’m working hard I feel I haven’t reached my full academic potential.

But it’s all part of the journey. And despite what I was encouraged to believe, the journey wasn’t meant to be easy.