How I Graduated College at 20: A Guide

My Story

As most might agree, graduating from college early is always appreciated and often sought out for many students. Between financial and mental stability being at an all-time low in college, graduating early is the center of our attention. I want to share my personal experience with graduating early as well as tips and tricks to succeed in college that go beyond the mainstream.

I Was Slightly Lucky

What I mean by “lucky” is that my birthday happens to be towards the end of April, therefore making my eighteenth birthday only about six weeks before my graduation. So, you might ask, ‘why does that matter?’ Well, it matters because it makes me young for my grade, therefore speeding up the graduation process compared to my age.  You see, most of those graduating high school at that time usually would have had their eighteenth birthday much before then, making nearly everyone older than me.

Running Start Gave me a Massive Advantage

Although I was fortunate in being young for my grade, I also had the opportunity to enter the Running Start program as a junior in high school.  Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to have been able to have the opportunity, but I did have to pass an entrance exam, which ended up being fine for me. This meant that I was able to begin college credits, usually in the form of general education classes and prerequisites. After my junior and senior year of high school, I had completed all the credits (plus a few more) that I needed to graduate with my Associate in Arts degree while also simultaneously graduating high school, so I did! On this same note, there is a huge misconception about the cost of this.

The In’s and Out’s of Running Start

On this same note, there is a huge misconception about the cost of this. Usually, I did not ever have to pay for any courses. I only paid for my books and, yes, I understand even that can be expensive, as it was for me at times. Some quarters I could get away with spending maybe fifty dollars, and other times a few hundred dollars. For me, my experience was extremely pleasant and I took all of my classes online. Math was a little hard, but when I applied myself and worked hard I was able to get through it. That extra time during my day gave me the chance to get a part-time job at a Veterinarians Hospital, and I loved it. In turn, I was able to save money for when I was ready to transfer to a university, Like Central Washington University. But the bigger picture point that I wish everyone knew about Running Start was how easy it was for me, how low cost it is, and how easily attainable it is. You CAN do it, too! You can also graduate early, even if your old for your grade!

Listen All You Want

As an English Major, you know I had to do a lot of reading. With that, I wanted to be able to keep up with the reading and understand the concepts. Something I discovered through an article I read changed my life.  Okay, maybe not actually, but it was pretty cool! I discovered that many books, especially mainstream style books that are often the mantra of freshman year, are available in an audiobook version! The fact that it opens up understanding for all types of learners or busy folks of all kinds really makes audiobooks even more awesome. I like them for the sense that they are really practical, and you can multitask (kind of) while doing other things. For example, walking a dog, cooking, the gym, doing laundry, the possibilities are endless! Trust me, Audible is worth it.

Write when it’s Right

Another tip I’ve learned throughout college was that for me, I couldn’t write a quality paper if I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I have been known to do some procrastinating, but I am not the queen of it. With that being said, sometimes there are multiple days with an impending deadline approaching where I just never quite feel like I’m in the right state of mind. I know that might sound crazy to some, but if you’re trying to force creativity, it doesn’t feel right to me. Sometimes when I am in a rush I have had some of my best work, and sometimes I got 2/3 of the way through a paper before I even realized what I really wanted to talk about, and that’s okay! So, I guess my best advice for this tip is to write when you feel like you could make the best quality work. I know maybe this doesn’t pertain to every single major out there, but I think a lot of us can relate to writing or thinking in our most coherent and true form is what is going to help us in the long run. On that same token, try your best to be productive!

Try to Be Passionate

Something I learned in my senior year was that it’s completely all right to put your school as a huge priority. As an equestrian, it’s a pretty time-consuming sport for me and I had to give up some of the days that I wanted to train. So, instead, I could use that time to focus on my school and give it my best effort. That was something I grappled with a lot, it left me with a lot of sad days when I wasn’t progressing the same way. If you’re in college, I think that without jeopardizing your overall well-being, it should be your number one focus. I think it is something you should care about if you’re going to commit to it.  College is a serious thing and anyone getting that kind of education should feel lucky to be able to do so. I feel like folks should try and respect their education as much as possible to give themselves the best shot at success. Just know that even if you mess up or have to change your major to be what you want to be, that’s also okay. I know this is going to sound corny, but take it from me, if that has any value, keep working hard, I promise it’s worth it. Being fortunate enough to succeed in some of the opportunities I have been given which have in turn allowed me to graduate at twenty has really opened my eyes to the possibilities for everybody else, you can do it, too!

You Matter 

My last “tip and trick” would be to: take care of yourself! That doesn’t just mean self-care, or mental health, which are equally as important. What I mean by take care of yourself is to be sure to eat a healthy diet, exercise if you can. Keep tabs on yourself, be careful with what you consume in all parts of your life. Understand that there is a balance to everything in life and put in as much work as you do play. Be happy, find yourself, learn who and what you want to be and what you want your life to be like. Flourish, y’all.

HCXO

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