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We are all born with an innate desire to learn. Kids go from discovering their toes, gripping, kicking, crawling, and before you know it, it’s time to run. Children are like sponges for information–always anxious to learn new activities and how best to do them. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, we stop learning more than what is required of us. We begin to evade the challenges that don’t fit our current skill sets and instead focus on the ones that show off our strengths.

It doesn’t matter how intelligent a person is; there is always room to learn more. The moment a person assumes they already know enough, that’s the moment they stop growing. If you were to analyze the most successful people in the world today, the one thing that rings true for all of them is they are always learning—learning forms the core of most people’s success. Don’t fear it; embrace it.

Opportunities from a First-Gen Perspective – 05:05

We all love the word and the feelings that come with opportunities. For the most part, opportunities inspire hope as well as the prospect of a better future. But are you taking advantage of most, if not all, of the opportunities that come your way? If not, did you know that opportunities rarely strike twice? When an opportunity comes through for you, knowing that it may not come back helps you stay vigilant and aware. You need to continually be on the lookout for great opportunities that may potentially change your life. Regrettably, real opportunities are the ones we rarely see. 

According to April, from a first-gen perspective, opportunities are essentially doors that open to greater things on the other side. We already know that first-gens have to bear with limited opportunities in life. So, if you notice an open door, step inside and see what the world has in store for you. And if you see a closed door, that’s definitely not a door you need to waste time trying to break down. In life, all you need to do is take advantage of the doors that are opened for you and be thankful for the closed ones. 

Why It’s Okay Not  to Know What You Want To Do in Life – 11:50

We all stress over the fear of not knowing what we want to do in life. The lack of a clear path to a set endgame is undoubtedly one of the scariest and most frustrating experiences a person can have. But here’s the thing, sometimes, you just don’t know. And it’s okay. Believe it or not, the best answers come if you’re not tied down to anything at first. The mind can be a pit full of indecisiveness, but overthinking the whole situation will make the entire process harder. Remember, it’s better to explore than to pigeonhole yourself to something you’re not excited about. And before you get too stressed about not knowing what you want to pursue in life, consider how much worse it would be if you settled on something you’re not truly passionate about. 

Do You Ever Feel Like You’re Not Doing Enough? – 13:14

Do you ever feel like you’re not doing enough? Like you’re going above and beyond your limits, yet you’re still not seeing any progress? Maybe you thought you’d have accomplished great things in life, but it’s still not enough no matter what you do. According to April, seeing other people’s successes might trigger feelings of inadequacy. Setting unrealistic expectations for yourself can also make it seem like you’re not doing enough. If you ever feel like nothing you’re doing is enough, remember that even the most accomplished people can fall into this trap of feeling like a failure. The trick is in being mindful of our thoughts when these feelings come rushing through. Whenever you feel like nothing you do pushes you towards achieving a goal, just remind yourself of how much you’ve accomplished and keep moving. 

Prioritizing Self-Care – 18:40

Self-care is simply caring for yourself. It includes anything you do to keep yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. But the one thing most people forget when it comes to self-care is that self-care is personal. The things you do to take care of yourself don’t need external input. Unfortunately, throughout life, we’re taught to extend love outwards. Share with others, be kind to others, be empathetic, generous, and all these other stuff that makes us human. Yet, it’s a struggle when it comes to directing all the gifts mentioned above to yourself. You may feel like you don’t deserve or need these gifts, but your well-being depends on them.

So, start by prioritizing the things that make you whole and giving yourself the attention, compassion, time, and energy you deserve. Nevertheless, there is a line between self-care and selfishness that you should never cross. Being selfish is seeing that the world revolves around you, while self-care acknowledges that whatever happens in the world includes you. 

April is a first-generation college graduate from UT Austin in 2011 with a BA in Psychology and Minor in Education. April joined ScholarShot as Academic Manager in July 2016. She brings with her six years of experience in college admissions and financial aid processes after serving as a High School College Advisor & College Admissions Counselor. She completed her Masters in Social Work from UT Arlington in December 2016, where her concentration on administrative and community practice has helped her in additional responsibilities such as marketing and managing ScholarShot’s website. In 2018, she became Program Director and is responsible for cultivating relationships with community partners to aid in scholar recruitment and managing the mentor program. Connect with April through LinkedIn.