Size 6 Please

I searched my pockets for the $55 dollars I knew was there. I broke out in a nervous sweat and gave a half smile to the cashier waiting for me to hand him the money for the biggest purchase of my 13 year old life, a pair of white K-Swiss.

This was a big deal. I was going to have a pair of name brand shoes and I was buying it with the extra money I earned from relinquishing my innocence to take care of my sister. Still searching, I had turned my pockets inside out. There was nothing there besides the residue of the tears that wouldn't flow from my eyes but seeped through my epidermis.

I was embarassed, confused, ashamed, and quite frankly, disppointed. How could I lose my $55. I purposely caught the bus to Northland instead of walking so I could keep a look at my monies folded into a symetrical bond. Lincoln held Hamilton as if they were brothers embracing after years separation.

Walking up to my yellow house I reached in my pocket again; the money was there all along. Somehow I just didn't feel it. Dashing back to Northland and with the change I was short I purchased my shoes and I rocked my size 6 K-Swiss.

In commeration of my first pair of shoes I taped $55 to a piece of paper. I kept the box, wrote precious memories on the outside, and I still have the box today. Inside that K-Swiss box are things I hope to never forget: an obituary from my brother's funeral, a copy of my orignal birth certificate, the first poem I wrote and a lot of other things that seem meaningless.

Last week I was cleaning my room and feeling the frustrations of not having the monies to apply for all the grad schools I so desperately needed to. I stumbled across my precious memories box. There, is an oddly folded piece of paper was $55, the exact amount of the application fee for Clark Atlanta University.

Sometimes your destiny starts to pave streets for you before you even learn to drive.

College/Casino...Whatever same thing!

College is a casino.

You walk in the door and you put everything you have on black, journalism, or computer sciences. Whatever major you chose that’s where you placed your bet. You have four years to strengthen your bet maybe more if you decide you can afford to stay in the casino longer.

The casino comes equipped with a nice hotel you can stay at, with food, friendly people on every floor just waiting for you, help lounges, workshops and everything else you’re going to need to stay and keep gambling.

If your bet falls through and you lose all of your money, what do you do? You move to a different table.

You switch from the craps table to the slots. You come back and you change your major.

This is the practical view of what college is.

Today, many people are realizing they want or have to establish a different career because something fell through with the last career. They find themselves back in college classes or trade schools for a second time.

This time they are hoping to give themselves a more solid assurance that they are making the right choice.

While you’re in college, make sure you are making the right choice. Learn what your college degree can do for you before it won’t make due for you.

The real world is one tough craps table.

You get from the table what you put in.

Think big, bet big. But make sure your bet is going to play out for you.
You have a rare opportunity to peak at the cards of everyone else at your table. You know what it will take to win. Why not just go all in and do it.

While you’re here don’t put all of your quarters in one machine. Find all of the things you are good at and make them work for you. Make a solid bet on what you think will make you more competitive and stronger in the future.
I started college as an advertising major because I thought I would be good at it. Two years and $60,000 later, I realized I was wrong.