Expectations

     In high-school my teachers stressed highly the importance of getting good grades and getting into a good college. Though out the entire four years of my high-school career this expectation of attending college was drilled into my head. At first it seemed like a great idea. If I went to college I would be able to get a degree and get a 'big boy job' at the end of my four years. However, my teachers failed to mention the thousands of dollars of debt college would put me into. Though money wasn't a pressing issue at the time for my family, I still felt like there should be a way to get my education costs reduced. At this point in time I was a junior in high-school and I started looking into the military as a post secondary option. I played around with the idea for about a year before I swore my oath to the Constitution and was now a soldier in the Minnesota National Guard. Now the expectation level increased dramatically. Not only did I need to survive basic training and infantry school. I needed to attend college after and succeed in that, as well as going to my monthly drill. At one point in time this pressure proved to be too much at the time. My grades began to slip and I was eventually suspended from MSU. After a year I was allowed to resume my academics in pursuit of my major. Expectations, while some times helpful, can prove to be very stressful and can sometimes hinder the person who is expected to do so much.