When I moved to my hometown it was tiny. I was only four, but I can remember looking out the car window and watching the grass in the farming fields fly by as my parents drove. As I got older, the number of people who moved to my town grew, the empty fields disappeared, and eventually there were dozens of little kids just like me. I attended a public school while in elementary, and I remember feeling like every kid in town attended my school. It was Ironically very similar to how college is now, you almost feel like a number among thousands of students trying to achieve the same thing you are.
These experiences are very different from how my middle and high school experiences were. I switched schools to a much smaller charter school than the previous public school I was in. Yes, you heard it here, I ditched my everyday clothes for khaki pants and polo shirts but I was okay with it. I was so excited to make new friends, be in a new environment and experience school differently. I can honestly say that the difference between the two schools was black and white. The teachers at my new school really focused on helping you excel in your academics and I felt as though I was seen.
I can really boil down the positive impact of this small school to one program, which is the International Baccalaureate program. I could go on about how this program helped me for forever, but it really narrows down to two things.
The first was learning to use your support system. While taking classes that were as difficult as they were, it was strongly encouraged to use your peers as support. Make study groups, check your answers with your friends, stay after class and talk to the teacher about any questions, it was all encouraged. Not only has this helped me so much in college in regards to finding people in my classes to lean on, but it has also given me relationships that will last for the rest of my life. The kids that I leaned on in high school are still one of my biggest support systems to this day. This has made countless assignments in my college career so much easier because I know my resources and how to get help. A small community stays a close community.
The next thing that I took with me as I entered college was the idea that good things take time. The program at my high school was set up on a two-year timeline. You take classes for two years, take cumulative tests afterward, and wait to see if you earned the advanced diploma. This was something that was really hard for me to grasp in high school because it is so easy to feel like your hard work is going unrewarded. After receiving the diploma for my hard work, I was able to enter college knowing that while the grades I am receiving in my classes may not seem like something I am immediately being rewarded for, I will be in the far future, and I am comfortable with that.
In closing, I feel that all of our experiences shape our future, and I have never been so thankful for the small community that I was a part of during such a trivial time in a young adult’s life. Cherish the lessons that you learn young, they may take you far as you grow.
If you need a support system, here are some of my favorite resources offered here at the U. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
University of Utah Writing Center
University of Utah Learning Center
University of Utah Counseling Services
*Academic advising within your declared major is also super helpful!