Drop Out

I get it. Life can be hard. "It's hard to make the right choice when you're sixteen and know everything," a parent told me once. She was obviously joking, but how much truth is within that? When you are my age, you think you know everything. The world is your oyster and you can choose what you want with it! That's what I have been told at least. Unfortunately, many people at sixteen years of age don't realize how much is resting on their shoulders. Every little move effects the outcome of their future.

The steps are quite simple: kindergarten, elementary, middle school, high school. It is no wonder that by the time people hit high school they want out. Some people even decide to drop out before they even graduate. But, do they realize what they are doing with their lives when they do this?

 

This picture is one of my favorites. You never know how close you are to your goals, so never give up. When you are in High School, you don't realize how close you are to the end. You think "man, I have been in school forever," not "man, I'm almost done with school forever!"

A friend recently informed me she wants to drop out of High School. Seeing as I play a big role in her life, she wanted to know what I would do/ think if she decided to drop out. I honestly answered that I would be upset. I informed her how hard it is to get a well paying job without a diploma. Her and I had discussed in the past the fact she didn't want to go to college. After a long conversation, I accepted the fact. I knew she would have less job options, but I didn't lose hope in her. It was hard to see her go through this after years of depression. I knew the lack of motivation was definitely not helping the cause. 

Dropping out of High School is not something I can be persuaded into being okay with. It is a touchy subject with me seeing as I am a devoted child to school. But, as I have said before, It is hard to make the right choice when you're sixteen and know everything. I suggested a mentor to her; she shot me down with a shrug of her shoulders. I stated, "Do you realize how close you are to being done?!" It broke my heart when she said, "I'm not even close to being done." The words burned through my mind like hot coals on smooth skin. I began to tear up. 

The world is a hard place, but it only gets harder when you give up. The dreams you started working so hard for become nothing but wasted memories. Working eleven years toward graduating with it right at the tip of your fingers and then letting it slip away is probably the biggest waste of time ever. The thing you worked so hard for, so you could create a better life for yourself and your future family, you are letting fly away in the breeze like it meant nothing.

Honestly? I need advice. I need to keep my friend in school. If anyone out there has a few words of wisdom, please let me know. Keep the education flowing!