13 Things You Need To Own

As a young adult, you are transitioning into taking responsibility for many areas of your life that others have taken care of for you. Below are items for you to take ownership of immediately to become the very best version of you as you.

Your Academic Achievement. You are the initiator. You decide to show up for school ready to learn. You choose to do your homework well, turn it in, and follow due dates. Balance is required. Work hard to make something great, but also know when to let it go - you may have to listen to someone trusted to know this, This is your education and smart practices in high school translate to a smoother transition into college.

How You Spend Your Time Outside of Class - constructively, with passion & integrity, demonstrating leadership when possible, keeping your ability to have fun and goof around

A financial understanding of your family’s ability to contribute to your education. Not what the financial aid forms say, but how many dollars your family can actually support you with each school year. Zero is an OK number. There is more than one way to pay for college. These are adult type of conversations you need to initiate with your family. This is your education. You can make it happen.

Your College List- It will contain schools well researched where you will flourish. Know your numbers and objectively assess your chances of admission to each school you put on your list. Keep your ego at bay. Ask yourself smart questions. You are not the name of your college. Your list is not where others think you should go. Your list is not just an Ivy League School. You will become the product of a college you select where you are well matched and able to thrive. Stand out. Optimize your talents, skills, and personality.

Your College Applications- honest, thoughtful, unhurried, and complete. Carefully written and reviewed, people see right through non-authentic work on applications. Due dates are followed.

Your Scholarship Applications- genuine representations of who you are and what is important to you

Your Integrity- your honesty, your real self, your real passions, your earnest desires to solve the questions that keep you awake at night. How will your future make the world a better place through your nimble thinking, high standards, and courage?

Your Path to a bachelor's degree- though not always straight, will be achieved with flexibility, determination, smarts

Curiosity- Be a self starter, straight forward, real and rooted in truth, authenticity genuine, initiative, do your homework, candidness, energy

Your mistakes- act accountable, take responsibility and make it right. Own up to it with your peers, supervisor or teacher. learn from them, make them a confidence building opportunity. Your next success may not have happened if it were not for the mis-calculation or previous poor judgment.

Communication Skills - email, written, verbal, know how to address an envelope. EVERY college and employer expects you to read your email and respond to it. They will expect you to know how to write complete sentences, paragraphs, and use basic grammar.

Your own money- earn it, save it, give some of it away, spend responsibly, manage it.

How you take care of yourself - Attitude is a choice. Optimism does not necessarily need to be idealistic, but choosing your emotional response is your decision and not anyone else’s. How you eat impacts your health, and very importantly, your brain. How you are active has a substantial impact on your current and future health. The amount of sleep you get improves or compromises your ability to learn, think, and problem solve. To be your very best self, please take care of you.

– Ann Voorhees is founder of Ann Voorhees College Consulting

ann@annvoorhees.com