blog #2

As we move into the new year I just mostly want us juniors to enjoy our penultimate year in high school. Some goals I would like for us to reach is to become closer as a junior family. So when our senior year approaches it'll be nothing but memories with people who are like family to us. I would like us to do more activities with our junior peers so everyone can feel as one.

Another goal I would like for our junior class is to fund-raise like  crazy. Reason why is so when our senior year comes we won't have any money problems when it comes to activities that we would like to do to make our senior year the best. Also  we should  plan for our activities earlier in advanceso we won't give false hopes for any activities.

My goals for us is to just prepare for  future things and be together as one and to make the best memories that we can through high school!

I Just Wanna Graduate Already..

College Apps can either make or break your senior year. DON'T PROCRASTINATE!

It's really something that a lot of students really under estimate when they go into their senior year. Looking back, I honestly regret some of the course and extra curricular decisions I decided to make because all of that really just overloaded me and had me spread out to thin, almost to the point where I was doing everything at the very last minute. For you upcoming seniors- keep in mind that college apps are more than what people underestimate them to be! Organize your course load wisely and be smart about what extra curricular things you wanna do or continue during your senior year. If you're the over achieving, time managing, scholar that you are, feel free to go for the stars! Otherwise, be mindful of the classes and activities you choose.

Out of all the college application processes that I went through, I'd say that the service academy application was the most stressful and is the most stressful of all college applications. It's a butt ton of running around (literally and figuratively) and getting things done. Not only will the academies assess your academic perspective but they also seek to assess your leadership and personal profile. I had to go through a whole lot of interviews that focused on parts of my character and my leadership experiences. The Air Force Academy also took a look at my medical qualifications as I had to undergo the DoDMERB (Department of Defense Medical Review Board) physical where they had me do a number of weird exercises to see if I had any issues physically. Aside from that, I was also required to send an unbelievable amount of paperwork that made myself more transparent to the admissions board (shout out out to all the teachers who did my student evals). And aside from all the things the Air Force Academy needed, I also had to apply for my congressional nomination as well. In order to even be eligible for an appointment to a service academy, each candidate must have a nomination from a congressman or senator, or if qualified, the president and vice president of the United States. In a sense, I basically had to do two applications, one to the Air Force Academy itself and to the office of Mark DeSaulnier to request a nomination. The nomination process itself was fairly easy; all that they required were SAT scores, an essay, three letters of rec, academic transcript, and a resume of extracurricular activities. The final thing I had to do was my interview with DeSaulnier's office, and finally, thank God, it's all over! So if anyone of y'all are dedicating yourselves to applying to a service academy, brace yourselves for a load of "fun" for the academy admissions process!

Looking back, please (to you upcoming seniors) start thinking about your personal statements already and start to reflect on the activities that have built you up to the wonderful student you are now! I'd suggest maybe build a resume with a whole list of the things you've done and you're accomplishments in whatever you've devoted yourself in. Colleges ask for these things and a resume makes things soooooooo much bearable. 

Good luck next year class of 2018! You'll need it..

With all the juggling I had to do this year, and all the sleepless nights, a high school diploma sounds really delicious right now.. 

College Applications

Now that college applications are over, senior year has felt a little less stressful. Many thoughts and emotions were happening throughout the process, such as will I turn it in on time? will I even get accepted to this college? or are my personal insight questions good enough? Applying to colleges was an easy process for me. I had my college adviser Ms. Jessica help me when I was filling out my application which made it easy, otherwise without her I would be lost on what to do. I recommend for future students applying to college to most definitely ask questions and have someone like a college advisor to review their application(s) to make sure they filled out everything correctly.

The day I submitted was the day it was due. I was really stressed about whether or not I was going to submit on time. At the end I submitted on time and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. If you want to avoid that stress, I recommend that you submit before the actual due date. One thing I wish I would have done was started my applications during the Summer. During the Summer, I did start my personal insight questions but I didn't work on them much. That caused me to work on them while going to school which was overwhelming because I had that and school work. Once finished with your personal insight questions you should have at least three people review them before submitting them so that they can be at their full potential.

Filling out college applications can be long and tedious but at the end it'll be worth it. One thing I learned throughout the process is how much I've been successful throughout school and how involved I am in my community. It made me feel good to know this. For any Juniors and under class men I recommend that you always put your best effort in to school work and to be involved within your community. I wish anyone who has applied and will apply in the future good luck! :-)

Need help with college apps? Go to the college center!!

    When  people say that Senior year will be easy, they are lying! One thing that is for sure is that college applications will be stressful. However,  I will give you some tips on how to make your life easier during what I like to call "college app season."

    Let's start off even before senior year. I recommend to start looking for extracurricular activities from the beginning of High School. Just like everything in life, you need to find a balance. So, don't sign up to every single club and program because you think it'll look good on a college application. Make sure to find clubs that you are interested in and genuinely think you will commit to. Also, don't start signing up to clubs your last year of high school, when you finally realize you never got involved in school. It is important to find things you are interested in, but don't stress yourself out and be involved in too many things.

    Now, I was luckily enough to be apart of two programs that helped me out so much throughout high school and college app season. The first program I found was EAOP. This program gave me the opportunity to take SAT prep classes for free at UC Berkeley! So it is very important to look for resources at school. I promise they are there. The second program I found was Summer Search, where I had mentor who helped me with my academic and personal problems. I also got my personal college advisor that guided me through the college process. I found both of these programs at De Anza and I am very grateful that I did. We are also very lucky because we have our college center where Ms. Jessica dedicates time to teaching you how to apply and is available to answer many questions. She also helped me save a ton of money with fee waivers for the SAT and college application fees. So go ask for help!! I can't stress this enough.

    Like I mentioned, yes, college applications will be stressful, whether you started 4 months in advance or 4 days before the deadline. Which you should really not start the application the week of, or else you will be extremely stressed out. Personally, I started writing my insight questions for my UC apps in August when the questions were first released. My essays were very rough and over the word limit but that is okay. Starting early gives you so much time to perfect your essays and shorten it to get straight to the point. However,  don't forget about the application itself. I was so focused on the essays that I didn't realize how long and time consuming the application is. Finish 1 or 2 sections per day! CSU's are fairly easy to fill out and once you fill out one, all the information transfers to the other schools you are applying to. So make sure to submit to one school first and don't start multiple applications at once.

Finally, the most important tip I can give you, is to take care of yourself. You will get through this process and you will be happy with where you decided to apply and how your essays turned out. Don't ever doubt your worth and it doesn't hurt to apply to competitive schools. You can do it! I did it and I'm still alive, barely... but alive!

Done with college apps, stress free.... SIKE.

       Do you remember all the quotes you heard when you were freshmen, sophomore or junior? Those quotes when they said "it only gets easier as you get older" I don't really think those were true. It gets harder as you get older, and the classes that you need to take are a challenge, but the classes aren't impossible.

       As your senior comes closer and closer every year, you should start to think about what colleges you want to apply to. It's something that takes a lot of thinking but you will know your top colleges that you want to apply to. A good key point to keep in mind if you're still young is to document all the extracurricular activities that you do during school, after, or even before. That way when your senior year is here, you have something to look back at and have a reference to any activities, sports, clubs, or volunteer service that you have done. a good way to keep track of it is starting it on a google document, then write the date of the activity, the name, and where it took place. Then when you start your college applications, you can just glance over the document to see what you have done over the past couple of years.

       As supposed to your classes, a good key point to keep in mind that although the classes may seem impossible, they truly aren't, all it is is just a challenge. The only way you can pass that class is through doing your work and studying for an upcoming test. Pace yourself as well, with all your classes. If you have homework one night, just finish it up. Instead of spending that wasted hour looking through people's snapchat stories, take that time to incorporate it into your homework. It's no hassle and your grade will be at higher percentage, so why wait until the end when the quarter is almost over?

WHAT I LEARNED FROM COLLEGE APPS IS...

WHAT I LEARNED FROM COLLEGE APPS IS BLANKETY BLANKETY BLANK...just kidding.

Going into senior year doing college applications is something you should expect and prepare yourself to do. It is something that can seem very daunting and overwhelming for something that is actually quite simple. The only thing that complicates it is yourself, knowing that what you put on these applications can determine what you do for the rest of your life. The best way to cope with this pressure is to be as self-assured as possible in managing your time, knowing what you're going to write about, and being open to letting others help you.

Doing college applications isn't always as hard as people make it seem. Yes, it's a big deal because it's a big part in determining your future but it's simply just talking about yourself and what you've done. No one knows you better than you know yourself. However, if you dig deep enough its all there, all the information you will need to complete you application because it's no more than just talking about yourself.

The main piece of advice I would give to anyone in the college application process is to be confident in themselves and what they've done. If you believe in yourself in what you say in you applications not only does that boost your own self esteem but I'm sure that it reflects in your writing as well. You have to be proud of what you've done because, so far, everything for us high schoolers has been leading up to this moment in our lives. We should all be excited and proud more than anything.

Future goals

                      Having one year in leadership has caused me to gain many goals for myself ,and my class. One of the goals I have for my class would be for everyone to be more comfortable during rallies, so we have a chance of winning some! Leadership is known for dealing with homecoming and float, who wouldn't be after pouring so much time and dedication into the two. With such dedication the result is always grand! Float causes each class to gain new memories ,and laughs. Plus the final product is usually a beauty. Joining leadership will always come with a ton of responsibility, and eventually you come to love the responsibility you own.

                     Another goals for all my fellow sophomores in leadership, is for us all to become pros at fundraising. It is a dream for us to have a lot of money so we can have unlimited opportunities when we're seniors. Dreams such as: a beautiful prom venue, nice rally supplies, a successful Grad night, etc. Plus, when becoming an expert at fundraising a lot of more leadership things become easier. Also, for us to become liked for selling good food whenever first Fridays happening.

                        For the rest of this year, I hope everybody at De Anza gets to accomplish their own goals, no matter how big or small they are. Also to enjoy the new year, make good memories, and over all have lots fun.