My name is Julianne Therese Perez-Adamos. I am the youngest child of three in my family of five. I am also the youngest grandchild on both sides of my family, as well as my dad’s step-family’s  side. I belong to a very tight knit family and I absolutely love it. Growing up, my best friends from when I started preschool until the time I graduated were my older siblings and cousins. We were together all of the time. If I did have friends that were not related to me at all, they were considered close family-friends to my family and me. Even throughout school, I had five cousins that were the same age as me, in the same grade, attending the same school. I had eight older cousins who were only 1-3 years older than me, which means we still got to spend time together at every school we attended. It was so much fun; our parent’s say it was a little too much fun. We considered ourselves the pacific islander version of Cheaper by the Dozen. There are so many people in my family and most of the adults in the family are a well known family in the school district. I was known by many faculty and staff members at the schools I attended. This is when I realized at a young age that there are some people who would love to be my friend just because of who I am and who I know. Growing up in Bixby Knolls (a small neighborhood in Long Beach) was extremely fortunate. I went to the top three schools in the city (Longfellow Elementary School, Hughes Middle School, and Long Beach Polytechnic High School) that parents only wish to send their children to. They were remarkable schools and I can honestly say that I enjoyed and fell in love with the programs they had, the staff, and the kids that attended the school too. From a young age, my parents placed me in multiple athletic team sports. It wasn’t until the age of five when I fell in love with the game of softball. I’ve always played on a competitive team throughout the years. Nothing made it more easy and fun knowing that I had a cousin playing with me on my team.

Fast forward to November of 2016. I am now a high school graduate and halfway through my freshman year of college attending El Camino Community College in Torrance, CA. Ideas might be running through your head of, “Community college? That sucks.” or “She must be stupid.” Neither of these options are true. I am an intelligent and talented local student who is trying to continue my education on an extremely affordable financial plan for right now. I plan on getting my AA degree and transferring out to a university on a softball scholarship. Attending a community college is probably the best decision I have ever made in my life. As an elite athlete, of course I had the dreams and ambitions of attending a 4-year university on a scholarship, but things happen. Life kicks in and plans change, but it doesn’t mean I was going to sit on my butt and discontinue my education and feel sorry for myself. It was a pride thing. Once I put my pride aside and realized that a community college was a better decision for me, my eyes opened to see so many new opportunities. With the support from my parents, I am living at home for free. And if you know anything about a student, especially a college student, one of your favorite words to hear is “free.” I am getting the same education, maybe even better, close to home for a significantly cheaper price. Finally, I am enjoying my life and figuring out what I want to do without being rushed.

One of the few strategies that I’ve learned from our textbook, “Ten Skills You Really Need To Succeed In School” by John Langan is time management. Just like many other college students, my schedule is hectic. Between school, softball, work, family, friends, etc. it’s not easy to make time for everything off the top of my head. Outlining and planning have been my best friend since I started reading this book. I can honestly say that it has saved me from so much procrastination, last minute surprises, stress and anxiety. What I never thought writing in a planner and outlining would do for me is be enjoyable. I like sitting down and writing what my plans are, upcoming assignments that are due soon, and what I have to look forward to because I’m thinking ahead. It’s made me a better student, and I would recommend this method to anybody. It makes everything so much more easier.

What is kidness to me?