High school drop outs; do you really want to be one?

High school dropouts; why would you want to be one?
~Kimberly Kay~

I’m a high school drop out. If you are wondering, I am currently 23, without a diploma, and looking for a job in a bad economy. It’s not a good situation to be in with nothing to aid me without an education or real job experience—of course that is a given.

I want to warn the youth of America that the decisions one makes every day are the one’s that makeup ones future. Every person should make every day count. It may not seem like it now but that math assignment, paper, whatever is due that you do not want to do, is very much worth the effort! It pays off to get an education, and continue it throughout your life.

I have been enrolled in an online high school called Insight School of Washington. It is one branch of many schools throughout the United States, but it does not mean I do not regret not going and finishing school the traditional way; I have missed out on a lot of interactions with other students, and I have never gone to a real formal dance. I have a hard time admitting this because it’s so insanely strange, but I have spent so much time begging God to send me back and fix my education from kinder garden on upwards. It’s sad really, I see now that I should have paid attention. In the moment though, when I was there physically, my mind was not present. At a young age it is very difficult to see past the now and what is happening, if it does not hold ones interest.

I understand that school seems like it sucks now, but really later, if you do well now you will do well later in life, you can have that hot car, and all of the spiffy stuff you want; if you can get a job better than flipping burgers, or working at a grocery store all your life. Flipping burgers is not enough to get by! But if you really want to be successful, get school done and over with and move on later to all those good things in life!

According to cha cha answers, 1.2 MILLION kids drop out every year -- approximately. WOW! Too many! That is 1.2 million kids screwing themselves over each year. It adds up too over the years that is far too many more people trying to find work without an education. It also affects the economy. Now do you really want to be a thirty year old person who can’t find a job or feed their family? I doubt it. I bet you really want a good life and the opportunity to have nice things for yourself, and your family. Why take such big risks with the rest of your life? Why really? Tell me I would like to know! I have done so myself, and honestly I’m lucky to have a supportive family and not have any kids. I have royally screwed myself until I complete my education! Do you want to be in my position? I highly doubt it. Trust me it’s not fun going from being able to buy whatever I wanted before I was 18 and going to buying just what I need to get by ( I was a spoiled brat and still am in some ways). My parents are great to have me still living with them…all I have to do is continue to do school work they pay for my insurance, and all of that, but still, I feel very restricted. I want the freedom of being able to work and have my own money. But I can’t because I can’t find myself a job. McDonalds won’t hire me! I’m serious! It’s that bad right now! So I sit at home all day fiddling with my online high school stuff trying to get it all done in time to get my high school diploma. I will not get a G.E.D. unless I absolutely have to. A G.E.D. is not as good as a high school diploma; you can’t go to a real university on a G.E.D., just a technical college.

By not getting an education and continuing it you would miss out on a great life experience…I’ve always wanted to go to more than a community college; at one time, I was foolish enough to think I would make it to Malibu, California and go to Pepperdine University and Sever College. But I don’t think I could make it now. I’m too far behind. I’m too old, and not finished with high school. My dreams of all that I could have been are down the drain, and unattainable now because I messed up my future. Once upon a time I had no respect for my teachers, I had no respect for education, and I didn’t whatsoever $5 think I ever would have cared about it. But ever since I quit school and tried to find a job, it’s different. I wish I had all of those things that my sisters have, a good place to live on their own independently, and I want my own money to learn how to deal with and use for things – wisely, I might add. I would love to learn how to own stock and buy savings bonds. I would…if only I had the money. But anyway, that is it. I don’t see anywhere I can go from here until I finish school.

I just have a couple of questions for you: do you really want to join the 1.2 million high school drop outs fighting for a job in this country – in a bad economy – when there are plenty more eligible high school kids with more education than a high school drop out, that any job would rather hire? Any job will pick some 16 year old kid in school before they would pick a high school drop out. Especially if that person does not have any consistent work experience; two weeks working for one fast food place and applying at another does not look good for anyone. So now…work hard and get r’ done, or drop out and feel like you are a failure constantly – which would you chose?

If you have already dropped out, there are programs to get you back on your feet. Do some research and find one of the programs that best fits your needs. Insight schools are great! They are in select places throughout the United States, and they are online; so if you do have a job or a child, it is easy to do all of those other tings you need to do besides school. And also a few community colleges have programs for young people who need to finish high school as well. Sometimes for free because if you are the right age, the school district will pay for it. Before insight schools I was in a program called Fresh Start here in Washington. I was in it for three years and got many of my credits out of the way before I became an insight student. But be warned about college courses; they are fast paced. You go through one year to semester’s worth of work in a single quarter and you have to do a LOT of reading and homework. You should expect two hours of work for every hour you are in class and sometimes more depending on how well you understand the course (but if you know what you are doing it’s not always that bad). But anyway, if you have already dropped out, finish your education! If you are thinking about it, don’t do it without thinking about alternatives or how much it would affect your education if you don’t finish your education at all.

Thank you for reading my article, I hope it helps you in some way.

~Kimberly Kay~