It's not about how you look by Javante Risper

Dear Future Students,
I would like to say welcome to cedar shoals. I know you have heard about how bad cedar shoals is, but to tell you the truth it’s not all that bad. I thought it was going to be a nightmare when I stepped a foot into the shoals. As a senior I wouldn’t want to lead you all in the wrong direction so I am going to keep it real with you.
It’s not all about what you wear and how you look. It’s all about the crowd you hang with and what you do. To me fitting in wasn’t a major thing that I had in mind. I moved from another school that messed up my credits, so the only thing that was on my mind was how am I going to graduate?” I played around my freshman and sophomore year by going to sleep in class, skipping class, disrespecting the teacher, not paying attention, and I was doing it all because I wanted to fit in with the older guys who could afford to do those things, I wanted to be inside the box instead of outside the box, and I wanted people to like me and see me for somebody who I wasn’t instead of a brilliant intelligent teacher’s pet. There’s a consequence behind every choice of action that you take. My consequences were failing my classes and watching everybody else say they passed that same class that I had with them. And the bad part about it was that they were doing the same thing but still passed. Please do not try to fit in to be what people call popular because popularity comes and goes. If you do work your first three years of school then your last year of school will be smooth sailing. You will be able to play all you want instead of working your butt off and missing all the fun.
High school isn’t tough at all unless you make it tough. Only you can make it tough by trying to fit in and not do what you got to do. Getting suspended is a good example of making high school tough. I’m not talking about getting ISS either I’m talking about getting suspended to where you’re out of school for a couple of days. That means that you’re missing work that you can’t make up because you got suspended. The people you hang around could want to see you be like them or be lesser than them. You don’t want to feel like you’re under or over nobody because the two or all of you can make the grades and do what you want to do if you put your mind to it.
It’s best to start thinking about life after school when you reach your junior year because you only have one year left. Credit recovery isn’t cool even though it’s nice depending on your teacher. Credit recovery is when you failed a class that you need in the ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade. You have to take it on the computer. It’s like your own virtual classroom because your teacher don’t really help you and you have to still take notes during your lecture if you fail a quiz on the first try, then you have to reach 100% by the time the semester over or you’re going to have to fit it into your schedule the next semester or the next school year. On credit recovery you will be able to see your grade and see if you’re falling behind. Red means you’re falling behind the target that you have, green means that you’re ahead of the target and blue means that you’re on point. Credit recovery is a class that you have to take serious and you have to grind harder in there than you do in a regular class. Don’t be a fool do what you have to do because hard work really does pay off and trust me I know these things.
I know that you want to be one of those graduates that walk across the stage on time. Not a year after or two years after because if you wait that long it makes you look dumb and reflect on your teacher, you, & your race. I know you want to graduate on time so my advice to you is to work hard, respect your teacher, stand outside of the box, and do what you have to do. It’s not as hard as people make it seems, it’s really what you make of it. Let the ones who want to help you help you because it’s not a problem with getting help. It don’t make you look dumb because you’re curious and don’t understand your assignment your teachers are here to help you not hurt you so raise your hand and do what it takes to have a place in that graduation ceremony.