My Citrus Story- Jenny Taing
As if they are now, and later they shall be.
I know I could’ve done better during high school. I was disappointed as I watched my friends graduate and leave for well-known universities while I was stuck at home. Teachers and counselors told me I was a bright student, but my grades didn't reflect it. Looking back, it’s apparent that my academic struggles were more about a lack of confidence than my ability to learn. Moreover, my over-riding ambitions to be a musician might have interfered with getting serious about studying. Even though I wanted to be a well-rounded person, I just couldn't imagine finding a place where I could enjoy a creative outlet and still develop better study habits.
The first time I stepped onto the Citrus College campus I felt intimidated. While I wasn’t thrilled about attending basic skills courses in English and math, I feared I wouldn’t live up to my expectations. At the same time I was convinced I was beyond all the beginning courses, but as it turned out, I was mistaken. After receiving a low grade on my first English essay, I became furious. I was sure the essay warranted a better grade. What could have easily escalated into a contest of wills was resolved. My professor saw through my anger – and confusion, and patiently showed me how to improve my writing. By the end of the semester I was writing at a more proficient level. The same escalation in proficiency also happened in my math course. What I thought was a placement error that deprecated my abilities proved to be the very thing I had needed. Those first few courses not only provided a solid foundation for the more advanced coursework that followed, but it also helped me mature as an adult.
I shudder to think of all of the difficulties I would have encountered had I not attended Citrus first. It was more than the place where I made the transition from high school to university-level studies; it was where I was transformed as a person. At Citrus I came to understand I would always be learning. That lesson has served me well now that I’m attending the University of California at San Diego. My academic and personal life is well-balanced and successful, and I have acquired the type of confidence to take on anything in life.
Citrus made a lasting difference in my life –Tell us your story at www.mycitrusstory.edu/MyCitrusStory