Vicheko shifted uncomfortably in her plastic-molded seat under hear. She crossed her legs and placed her hands in her lap in a poor effort to look 'proper', or at least interested.

"So if anyone is interested in either of these two projects, please do sign your name on the paper that is going around the room and take an application," the guidance counselor announced. Although she hadn't met the counselor in all my three years at high school, it was as if the words coming out of her slightly overweight, pale, and ginger-haired body was going to establish the future before Vicheko.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find the pile of applications and a small four-by-four piece of paper that had a dozen names scrawled on it, along with their homeroom numbers.

She furtively glanced at her competition and wrote her own name down before handing the cluster of papers to the person in front of her.

Her heart raced ever-so-slightly as she thought about what her senior year would hold for her.

Would it be filled with as much hardship and disappointment as the current year? Or would it be exciting and nerve-racking like her freshman year?

She would just have to wait and find out.

I am currently in my junior year of high school and am completely drained of the energy that I had harbored in the beginning on the year. Throughout my school career, I had been an A average student; however, I can't say that this year is the same. I have.. dun dun dun.. B's.

Now, for the select few of you who are asian (this is sarcasm), I know that you understand how different your standards are compared to the friends you have at school. A "B+" is equivalent to getting sent to juvi,  and an "A-" gets you a stare down from your parents. "Why didn't you get an A+?" they would ask, scrutinizing your report card.

Yesterday, a guidance counselor came in and talked to us about the Allied Health and Biotechnology courses that we could take senior year. The Allied health program allows for three students to enter per school, while the Biotech course allows for five. They're important to me because of what I want to be in the future (you can probably guess what that is).

This year has definitely been different to say the least. Through my wrestling match with the SATs (still ongoing- le sigh), and my battle with my classes, I have forgotten the reason I'm trying hard.

I'm trying hard, staying up late, and exploding with stress because I have a dream- a dream that I wish to accomplish in order to be someone.

People may give you lectures about how you are someone regardless of what you do. You are unique and special whatever happens.

Yeah, that's complete, utter bull. Compare the average druggie, to the AP student. Who's more special and unique now?

Will they be saying the same thing if you end up working at Burger King until your sixty, a woman divorced with her spouse, and harboring a child who hates her and ran off to marry their high school romance? Okay, that's an exaggeration- but you know what I mean.

If you have read my previous chapters, I have definitely claimed that people are unique. And I still stick with my statement. People are unique in a sense that they are different. However, people are the same in the aspect that what you decide, will ultimately change what happens to you in the future. They are the same because everyone has the capability to decide how you live your life. Just like how those sci-fi movies show people who come from the future, and how they have to be cautious and not change anything to alter the future: your life is the same.

The small details and a twist in your ideals and mentality can change who you are in the future.

You can't blame your parents for not pushing you, or pushing you too hard, because whatever happens to you is ultimately because of the choices you made.

My parents yell at me if I don't get good grades, you say? Well who says you have to listen to them?

My parents don't motivate me enough, you complain? Well, why are you so weak that you need someone to motivate you? Shouldn't your own goals be enough motivation for you?

Everything, and I mean everything, is in your own hands. Maybe this wasn't the case when you couldn't think for youself as a baby, but if you can read this you're no longer a child and can decide things for yourself.

Maybe you don't care about school. Well, I would rethink that.

In this society, education is key to getting a good-paying job, and then living a comfortable life. You may argue that some people have done well without studying and going to college. Okay, if that's the case, I'll restate my argument.

99% of the population needs to study and get an education in order to get a good income. The other 1% will get lucky and become millionaires.

If you have stayed with me until now, you know that I have a tendency to digress (I can't help it. Whatever I think shoots out of my fingers and onto the keyboard). So, I'll break it down for you.

1. You decide your future. Don't blame your parents, your friends, or the bull they call peer-pressure. In the end, you make the decision.
2. Don't listen to other people when it comes to what you want to do. Your parents want you to become a doctor? What do you want to do.
3. Regardless of what you want to do, however, get an education. You want to be a manga artist? Well what happens if you get rejected and can't get a job. If you have an education, you have a safety net. Hey, I never said that your dreams will always come true.
4. Following that: Dreams don't always come true. That's only in fairy tales. Face reality. Because dreams don't always come true, you might as well work your off so that you don't regret it if you fail. You don't want to look back and think, "Geez, I should have really studied more and cracked that damn book open."
5. Lastly, get your ing priorities straight. You're not a teenager forever and tumblr and asianfanfics won't be as important to you when you need to find a job and make some money.

Ta-dah.

I apologize if you think that that was too harsh, but hey, was I ever soft and kind?

This is the truth from my own point of view. People may argue that I'm being narrow-minded, and maybe I am. But if that's the case, don't listen to me.

Listen to your friends and follow what's "cool". Don't get an education and study. Become a teen-mom and live with your high school boyfriend.

But please, don't tell me that I told you so.

So there you have it.

Woo, I feel like all my cynical thoughts have been released.

- u -...

If you guys really do disagree with me, feel free to comment and I'll reply to you using the reply function.

If you guys read this and have anything in your life you need to talk to me about, go to the forward and send me a message.

I really hope that this may have opened your eyes a little.

I wrote this because the whole Allied health and Biotech thing kinda' freaked me out a little.

You're future isn't that far away. Think of yourself like you're in a bubble. As time passes and your childhood dwindles, that bubble is getting smaller and one day,

it'll pop and you'll have to face reality.

- Deep words from Vicheko lawll.- Arios guys. Have a good weekend and party hardy with them books ' ;u;