It Just Got Real

I've only been in college for a month and a couple of weeks. I started attending UCLA late September and the quarter started off fine. My classes were pretty chill and my professors seemed okay. I thought this first quarter was going to be a breeze, until I had my first exam. Two weeks ago, I had my first Precalculus midterm, which is worth 20 percent of my grade. And you know what happened? I failed it!!! Yes FAILED! Fifty five out of 100. It was the first time I've failed a test in my academic career. It was a major slap in the face and a major slap into reality. College is NO joke. It's so easy to get side tracked and distracted that you need to be able to distinguish work and fun. I haven't quite got the hang of it yet, but I know that I've just started so next quarter I know what to do. I'm lucky enough to have older friends at the university to help me get by and figure out what I want and need to do. I just know that I can't keep doing the things I'm doing. I advise all high school students, their parents, and college freshman, to understand the importance of their education and to not take it for granted. Your education is important and to fail classes because you aren't trying is just wasting your time. What is the point of being there if you're just going to fail? These are the questions I ask myself. I have to take responsibility for my life. My life just got real.