I’ve attended a few colleges… but it wasn’t a straight line.
After high school, I didn’t really graduate the normal way. I had a year of making up classes—seven Fs. Not even real night school. It was basically a building where you go to make up credits so you can get the diploma. LOL.
After that I went to Pasadena City College. I’d walk into class, get bored, and walk out. Walk in, walk out. I made a friend who was a girl—her brother worked for Lowrider Magazine. We talked and hung out, but I lost touch. I think she liked me. She even said something like that. But I wasn’t really in that world yet. I was young and dumb.
I failed Spanish… and I’m Mexican. I speak Spanish at home all the time. Still got an F. I kept stacking Fs.
Eventually I got put on probation at Pasadena. I worked for a bit, then tried to go back—and they told me, nah, you’re not getting financial aid. No FAFSA money. You have to pay out of pocket now.
So I said, fuck that.
I found a loophole and went to Santa Monica College thinking it would be better. It wasn’t better. I did great in my art classes, but everything else was Fs and Ds. Any time I had to read, write, do reports, study—it was like… nah. Eventually I got probation there too.
And I’m not gonna lie: I’ve always called myself a fuck up. But the journey taught me something: I was only that because I believed it. I don’t believe it now — so I’m not that.
For a while I really thought: school might not be for me.
Then later I found myself back in school as an older dude at Cerritos College, and that’s where I tried my ass off. I forced myself. I started proving I could actually stay consistent.
From there, I eventually got into Cal State Long Beach.
But it took a fuck load of Fs to get there. Another seven Fs I had to make up, plus taking a bunch of classes just to show I could maintain a high GPA.
So yeah… it’s been a fucking journey.
Question: What’s something you used to believe about yourself that you don’t believe anymore?
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