How my guidance counselor changed my life.

I don’t know how to stop this post from sounding mundane by I just really want to write about a situation that happened when I was 16.

I was just your average girl going to school trying to make my way through high school. I excelled in school or at least I like to try to think I did.

Nah, who am I kidding? I got by. My aim was always the A, but I think I went too fast on some of my math quizzes and I always made at least one mistake, sometimes two, often perhaps three.

My sweet teacher caught onto this and would look me in the eye and smile while correcting me. I’d get mad at myself and I say sorry to him. He always said ‘no worries’, and tried to make sure my mistakes didn’t make me want to stop learning.

Thankful to him.

But I’ve already written a post about him because he was my favorite teacher. His name is Mr. McGreevy if you want to read more about him, I’ll find the post and link it.

Regardless, this little ditty has to do with how information on a casual day at school changed my life.

{Figure it out. Figure it out. If you can’t figure it out, well then I suggest you find a way to figure it out. }

Point A to Point B, Julie. Get there! I’m trying! Stick with me!

So the story is how my guidance counselor changed my life.

Set up to the story.

High School Junior, Swim Team, School President, Advanced Math classes, worked summers at Magic Mountain. Main Gate Girl. Hang out with friends in the quad, or lunch area, during out 10.15 fifteen minute break. Kept score at basketaball games.

When I get a call or a slip or someone who says I had an appointment with Mr. Crawthorne, who was the school guidance counselor. Immediately I’m thinking he’s a psychologist and I needed help. Or I was in trouble for something.

No, instead, he, nicest man across his scattered desk says to me, So have you thought about where you are going to go to university?

Um, no.

Well, you know, he tells me, that junior year is when you take your SAT tests and next year you are going to have to get your applications in. Have you got your applications?

I’m like, What?

He says, Well, have you thought about private or public?

I knew my parents weren’t going to pay for my university so that left if anything, public.

Then Mr. Crawthorne hands me two packets that were a California State University applications— he explained to me that there were two state school systems, the Cal State University schools and the University of California schools. Each had different schools in different cities.

He gave me the examples. And a map. And a packet.

But what changed my life about that conversation is that I was now empowered with information. Information that was life changing.

I read the packet front to back. I went back to class and asked my friend if he knew that it was time to take SAT tests and apply to university. Of course he knew.

Didn't everyone?

I took my SATS, it was difficult. I should have studied harder for them. That’s okay.

Then, came summertime, I decided to go visit some universities on my own. I did! I chose four, got in my car and off I went. I visited Humbolt, Berkley, San Louis Obispo, and one on the Northern coast. Gosh darn it if the name doesn’t escape me!

I chose San Jose State University mostly because I liked the feel and I loved the old Ivy Bell Tower. Also, there was a well known journalism and advertising program. Northern California is cool too.

So that’s my story today.

Not too big of one, just a little one. I’m not trying to tell you what to do. I’m just saying that today I’m grateful that I was called into a meeting with a counselor who gave me information that later handed me a future.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for stopping in.

You know I appreciate it.

Julie