If a student is serious about getting an education - it is not easy. Very worthwhile and an end result you can be proud of.  Good Luck - don't give up!!!!

Nice to see you back.  Merry Met.

I have a post in the works.

college is way worth all the work.  a lot of jumping through hoops, late night study sessions, countless days and nights in the stacks at the library..........all behind me now  thank god

i would do it over in a heartbeat though

The most important consideration for getting through college is, do you really want it. You sound like you do and I hope you hang in there.

Silver college is meant to challenge you and typically brings the best and brightest from around the state/nation/world to it's "hallowed halls" for a reason.  That said, when I first went off to college I was probably one of the top students in Bakersfield.  When you leave the confines of your school or hometown, though, things are a lot different.  Despite getting in on "economic hardships" and "low opportunities to learn" scores, students in college face a variety of adversaries whose parents (typically also college grads) have groomed them from birth to be excellent students.  It's difficult to compete with students who are children of professors and doctors and who have gone to some of the best high schools in California, been privately tutored by experts, who took college level classes in high school, and who have the economic support to devote all of their time to studying or extracurricular activity while many others struggle with 18 units or more and try to hold down part-time jobs and have lives on top of that.

That said,  you'll find the freshman year always the most difficult and it gets easier.  Once you get your general ed classes out of the way you'll encounter a few core requirement classes you hate, but if you've chosen the right major you'll love the subject you study.  Try to mix it up a bit - if you're taking a hard class get a "breadth" requirement out of your way and take Native American studies, and remember it's important to have a social life as well - that is part of the college experience, the almost bi-polar effects of mutual suffering and elated partying combined.  After not working my first quarter (and doing horribly in my classes), I realized I needed the structure of a job to help me manage my time better, so if this is your case you might look into working as well, or volunteering, taking extension courses, etc.  

Best of luck to you!

~E.