Page 260 - Keys to College Success

People, Resources, and

Opportunities

HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE MOST OF COLLEGE LIFE?

What Would You Risk? Georgina Arreola

THINK ABOUT THIS SITUATION AS YOU READ, AND CONSIDER WHAT ACTION YOU WOULD TAKE.
THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE GOES BEYOND COURSEWORK. THIS CHAPTER GIVES YOU A “TASTING MENU”
OF THE SOURCES OF HELP AND OPPORTUNITY THAT AWAIT YOUR INITIATIVE THROUGHOUT COLLEGE.

After settling in the inland valleys of California, the Arreolas She struggled too with the com-
enjoyed a close-knit Mexican-American family life. Georgina petition on campus. In high school,
and her two sisters aimed to be the first of their family to earn she was an elite academic performer.
college diplomas. Growing up, Georgina’s parents demanded At San Diego State, everybody had
that she succeed in school, and with hard work she lived up been at the top of the class in high
to their expectations. “I was very studious as a high school school, and they were ambitious—per-
kid,” she remembers. “My parents were very protective of us. haps more ambitious than someone
Studying was the only thing that we absolutely had to do.” enjoying her newfound freedoms. Just one quarter into
Georgina excelled in high school, earning a ticket to her college adventure, Georgina was placed on academic
San Diego State University. Her older sister had enrolled probation for poor grades. She cringed when she got the
in a college close to home. But Georgina took the risk to letter, and had to break the news to her parents. “If I didn’t
study six hours away from her parents—and from parental improve my grades in the next quarter, I could potentially
restrictions. “I found myself with a lot of freedom, and be out of college,” Georgina recalls. It was time to focus
there were a lot of things I wanted to do besides study,” on what she wanted out of school and what she was will-
she says. “I spent so much time enjoying my freedom and ing to do to get it.
not managing my time very well.” To be continued . . .

LIKE MANY COLLEGE
FRESHMEN, GEORGINA
EXPECTED THE TRANSITION
TO COLLEGE TO BE SEAM-
LESS. BUT THE COURSE-
WORK WAS A MAJOR STEP
UP, THE STUDY LOAD WAS
HEAVY, AND THE LIFESTYLE Working through this chapter will help you to:
OFFERED NUMEROUS
DISTRACTIONS. WHAT • Gather information about academic and other resources P. 224
COULD GET HER BACK ON
TRACK? YOU’LL LEARN • Connect with people who can inform and support you P. 225
MORE ABOUT GEORGINA, • Work effectively with groups in and out of class P. 232
AND THE REWARD RESULT- • Understand the value of extracurricular activities P. 238
ING FROM HER ACTIONS,
WITHIN THE CHAPTER. • Explore clubs, organizations, and opportunities at your school P. 238
• Understand how service learning works P. 240