A Better Tomorrow Congratulations! You finished High School; Now What?

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

For those who do not know, alongside being the Chief Reporter and Operations Manager at the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, I am also the founder of an organization called Hear 2 Help. At face value, we offer high quality tutoring services at affordable prices. Our primary focus is in areas that are considered “high risk,” and we target these areas for a reason; many of the families that we work with are frustrated with the quality of education that their children receive, so what we do is fill in the gaps using Afrocentric proponents in our sessions. This comes from our dedication to bring our community together, and strengthen them by offering them what the government can’t, a connection to their ancestral roots.

Some of our families have students who are graduating high school this year. With the recent cuts to post secondary school funding, many of my students are feverishly working on securing scholarships and grants, and many have not taken the time to think, how does life look after high school. This week, I want to aid in the transition from high school to post secondary school by offering some words of wisdom that I hope will help you as you move into your promising future.

Be open to learning from others

“Get over yourself!” I know you have established your little cliques in high school, but you are more likely to learn from people who are different from you then from those who are similar to you.

In the face of uncertainty, engage in exploration

“I don’t know what I want to be, and I have to pick a major!” Don’t stress out too much about this, even if everyone is asking you, “What do you want to do with your life?” To be honest, there are a lot of adults who don’t know what they want to do with their lives. Life is a winding path, and it is okay to investigate your interests and passions before you decide on anything.

Be kind to yourself by taking care of your body!

Have you heard of the freshman forty? This is the supposed forty pounds that many new college/university students put on in their first year of post secondary school. It can happen, because instead of eating a home cooked meal, you are quickly scarfing down the choice of fast food options on campus. Do your best to keep your body in peak condition by getting plenty of rest, and exercising.

Invest your time in building relationships

It is important to stay connected to your support systems. Stay in touch with family and friends. Make new connections and friendships wherever you go, but maintain those original ties. Do know that you will lose people along the way, but this is just another part of life.

Achieve your goals by working hard

Learn to delay your gratification. What is good will not come easy, so be prepared to put in long, gruelling hours to achieve your goals. Slacking off won’t get you anywhere in the adult world. To truly be successful, you have to work very hard and hold yourself accountable.

See as much of the world as you can

Get out there and see the world. If you are lucky enough to request a graduation present, choose a destination and go. Traveling will make you more independent and broaden your understanding about the world, especially if you have lived in Toronto your entire life. Not only does traveling provide you with world knowledge, it also grants perspective.

If you are interested in sitting down and speaking with someone about post graduate life, feel free to visit our website at www.hear-2-help.ca, or email me directly at hear2help@hotmail.ca.  Congratulations, and walk in positivity.