<p>I went into high school with too many dreams for my own good; Ivy League, 4.0, great ACT scores, high amount of AP's, getting ahead with online classes, maybe even having a life. As I look back, my high school career is one of a lot of compromises. Let's see, I'm planning on attending college at the 97% acceptance in-state school because it's the only one I know I can pay for, and at this point I'm near guaranteed acceptance to. Over the past three years, come to find out recently, I have been battling depression and anxiety. I really wish I had seen a therapist a lot earlier in the game instead of only several months before my senior year. My grades dropped substantially every year. I was overly exhausted to the point I couldn't hardly get off the couch from a nap, let alone do my homework or put forth some effort. I think I'm a semi-extreme case, but has anyone else fallen back from some of their dreams more then they intended? I still think I'm smart enough to achieve those things I wanted, what seems like forever ago, but I'm not sure I was ever capable, given my home situation and my mental struggles that lay ignored until late junior year. Anyone else go through something similar?</p>
<p>Yes!!! I know EXACTLY where you are coming from.</p>
<p>I started HS here as a freshman as an overseas transfer…so my work ethic and study habits were quite good–plus I wanted to be the best of the best and prove to my teachers and peers what I have to offer. As a freshman my hopes was to get a very high gpa 3.8+ but I ended the year w/ a 3.6 gpa (almost a 3.7) but that was me taking an honors schedule…I felt like a failure at the end of the year since my peers are extremely obxious and always boast about their gpas and my school only gives recognition to some students…not even the ones that work hard and actually deserve it.</p>
<p>After that I wanted to get a head start to college–wanting to be like my sister & other family members being very sucessful academically and going to the best schools out there. I entered sophomore year w/ a very heavy courseload–even doubling in the math so could get ahead.I had my expectations set unrealistically too high. But my grades kept on dropping after the 1st semester b/c I had major anxiety issues. It also got worse during my junior year b/ I still had anxiety and was unmotivated b/c I knew I had no shot at HYPSM anymore :(…but I seemed to be coping better this year.</p>
<p>So at the moment I’m going to have to say good-bye to my ivy league/ top 20 schools for now, getting a good scholarship/full ride hopes for having a high SAT score (only managed to get an 1820 :() and a high gpa. (Although my ECs are very good w/ a lot of leadersip and comm. service …).</p>
<p>EVERYDAY i regret being where I am right now and I wish I had listened to my counselor not to take on too much–b/c I obviously couldn’t handle that much stress. I wish I could go back and fix up the mess I made 
But there’s point in regretting what had happened–at least I learned many valuable lessons from my mistakes.</p>
<p>But I’m not going to lose hope now b/c I’m just going to go to a state school/CC/whereever and then transfer after 1-2 years wherever I’d be happy attending…and then perhaps go on to a an ivy league school later for graduate/law school :)</p>
<p>No, I’m exactly where I hoped to be and in fact a little better. Although I almost lost my way in the middle–stupid school.</p>
<p>Actually, I didn’t get to accomplish everything I wanted to. Turns out I’m a lot lazier than I thought I was. But the end result is good.</p>
<p>I make no compromises.</p>
<p>I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and a very mild form of OCD. I am also frequently depressed, though this is most likely due to a cocktail of medications I take for a few other conditions. </p>
<p>When I entered high school, my goals were to be respected by my peers and graduate in the top ten of my class. As high school went on, I managed to give more definition to my goals, but they certainly didn’t change throughout my years there. Now, I’ll be graduating in the top 10 (#3) and have earned enough respect points from my peers to give me some juice for a while. </p>
<p>If you’re having mental struggles, then it’s great that you’ve acknowledged that - I was in denial and refused to get help until a very short while ago. You can rebuild. A series of mistakes in high school will not ruin your future.</p>
<p>We all make compromises.</p>
<p>No, I don’t think so. I think that it’s simplistic to set high goals, but following through with them is a more difficult task. I’ve found that I tend to ponder a multitude of possibilities, some of which are unlikely to occur, thus leaving me disappointed. I believe that the main obstacle to overcome though, is surpassing a sense of unrealistic expectations, and focusing on likelihoods and probable occurrences. In doing so, one may be enabled to challenge oneself, just in moderation.</p>
<p>I’m fond of this quote:</p>
<p>“Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her; but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.” -Voltaire</p>
<p>i never really made any compromises. i never even thought about college until this year</p>
<p>
My pocket aces = success.</p>
<p>jersey you are so cocky. lol</p>
<p>^ word. 10 char</p>
<p>My narcissism is pretty obvious.</p>
<p>Your narcissism pales in comparison to my own.</p>
<p>It is somewhat excessive though.</p>
<p>PioneerJones, I see what you did there.</p>
<p>I guess I’m kind of where I thought I would be. I’m taking all of the classes that I wanted to (except for 1 which my entire grade got blocked out of).</p>
<p>The only thing is my grades are slipping since I have Irritable bowel Syndrome (IBS), so I miss a lot of school. My end goal is Brown, but at this rate, that doesn’t look very possible, even with good SAT and ACT scores.</p>
<p>
Most of the time I’m being facetious, although plenty of newer posters assume that I’m being serious all of the time.</p>
<p>There’s no room to joke here, Jersey. The internet is serious business.</p>
<p>
“Poker is a microcosm of all we admire and disdain about capitalism and democracy. It can be rough-hewn or polished, warm or cold, charitable and caring or hard and impersonal. It is fickle and elusive, but ultimately it is fair, and right, and just.”
- Lou Krieger</p>
<p>
“A witty saying proves nothing”
- Voltaire</p>
<p>jersey you don’t actually believe that quote.</p>