“Freshmen with no credits, get out of the hallways” my math teacher said.  It was the start of freshman year.  Unbeknownst to me, I was at the bottom of the food chain, being a freshman!  During my first year I wished I had someone to shadow, someone to mentor me. My first year at PHS I was stuck in my middle school attitude and ways of thinking.  I was always an honor student in middle school without even trying.

However High School smacked me in the face. It wasn’t hard work but I wasn’t prepared.  I didn’t flunk my freshman year, but I only had a 72 GPA. That crushed me! It wasn’t up to my standards and I knew I needed to work harder.

By my sophomore year I was accustomed to the ways of PHS. I picked up my grades and became the honor student I knew I was. I joined clubs; I became the 2014 class Vice President. I was blossoming socially and academically.

Junior year was very interesting and challenging for me. I knew almost everybody in the school, the teachers, the assistant principals and many of the students. My GPA went back to where I wanted it. I received a scholar’s pin for my academic achievements of making honor roll between 4 quarters in a row.  I was in an extremely great place.

By the middle of junior year it was personally a hard time for me. Cancer was slowly eating away my grandfather’s body away like maggots, he was decaying quickly. When he passed away in March, I just crashed! My grades were affected tremendously. However near the end of the year I remembered what he told me. He said, “When I’m gone, keep going forward. I didn’t leave you without a fight! Make it! Take care of your siblings for me, make a new path…always remember that I love you Jaylyn”. Remembering my grandfather’s wise words and moving forward in his honor, I left junior year more confident than I had ever been in my life. I had one year left, I was college bound, and I was leaving Peekskill. I was almost finished.

Boy o Boy! SENIOR YEAR! All I have to say to you underclassmen SENIORITIS IS REAL!! Senior year has been my most difficult year since. The workload isn’t hard but it’s the college process–that is difficult! A wise man once said, “It doesn’t matter where you come from. All that matters is where you are going”

As I reflect on my high school life coming to an end, my wise words of wisdom are to start the college process in junior year, and keep your grades up! High school isn’t hard, but it’s not a piece of cake. Prioritize your life. You can be a social butterfly with a high GPA. But whatever you do don’t flunk because of your friends. EVERY grade counts. Make the best of high school.

I look forward to attending college. What college? I’m still undecided. I’ve been accepted to Mercy College, Dominican College, University of Tampa, Iona and Manhattanville. I plan on double majoring in psychology and criminal justice with a minor in Spanish. I hope to obtain my PhD within the next ten years. I want, no, I WILL be a child psychologist in juvenile facilities. I would like to thank all the teachers who pushed me and the people who said and thought I would never amount to anything. I thank my loving family for support and all my amazing grandparents who raised me. I wouldn’t be the strong young lady I am today without them. Grandpa, I know you’re smiling watching me, I did it! I made it! I’m going to keep striving, pushing forward. I will not let society define me. I define myself! I will be successful!