College: A good thing wrapped in a small package

Ever heard the saying “good things come in small packages”? Well, when you’re talking about college, a small seven-lettered word, some don’t believe it’s a package worth opening. College may be a word that tends to cause both stress and nervous breakdowns for teenagers, but it will deeply impact, if not change, how you live the rest of your life. So you better get out those scissors and start unwrapping.

With seniors cramming to get their last minute applications submitted to the colleges of their choice, the rest of the students at CVHS wanted to know what they could do to better prepare themselves for what lies beyond high school. Well, students didn’t have to wonder any longer when CVHS held its annual College Awareness Week with the help of Student Activities Director Nick Whitaker and the Leadership class.

From Nov. 7 through Nov. 11, students were invited during lunch to the courtyard where a tent decorated with a variety of colorful college banners was set up. There, they asked Leadership students questions concerning college, browsed through tables lined with take-home brochures, and got additional information about what College Awareness Week had to offer.

“College Awareness Week is a good way for students to become aware of post-high school plans and options,” said ASB Secretary Brenda Liu about the event.

Sophomore class Treasurer Erin Cheung added, “We answer questions students might have about college and the process of applying.”

The Leadership students were also joined by teachers in their college alumni paraphernalia as they reminisced to interested students about their college experiences and memories. The students got a better glimpse of what college life is all about and how different it really is compared to CVHS.

The week-long event was beneficial and it showed how valuable college is to a student’s life after high school.

“This event really helps students plan out their future,” Cheung said.

Even though many students are considering going to college upon graduation, they feel they have plenty of time to plan before their senior year rolls around. The time comes quicker than they think, though, so it’s never really too early to start thinking about the future.

College Awareness Week is the first layer of wrapping paper that prepares you for a successful transition from high school to college. Don’t wait until a few months before the deadline to start unraveling the ribbon and unwrapping the present when you are able to start years in advance. Get a head start and maybe you can see that college isn’t as bad as you imagined it would be. It’s coming in a small package, so you know it ought to be good.