I’d have to say my ‘Unrealistic’ dreams would be to own and manage my own type of business on the Navajo Reservation, I haven’t thought it through all the way but I was thinking of a bakery, a tutor place, or perhaps a café. I wouldn’t say I have necessarily stopped working at  my dream, but I am just beginning and this class seems like the start for me!

One of my ‘dreams’ that I have been working on for the past four years and that I am proud to say I accomplished is getting my Associates Degree before graduating from High school. I recently graduated in April from CGCC then from High school in May. I knew I wanted this since freshman year after getting accepted into this program called hoop of learning which you may or may not have heard about around campus at CGCC. Just a quick side note, hoop of learning is for Native Americans who want to get ahead on some college credits before graduating. Anyways, going back to the video that we were supposed to watch, the 5 step process of my ‘dream’ goes along these lines:

1. The first meeting that I had with the the coordinator of the program was to talk about what I wanted to get out of this program when I graduated from high school so I said the only obvious response possible, which was to graduate from high school with some college credits. However, she then continued to give me more options and said I could possibly graduate with my Associates degree, I honestly thought that I was not capable of doing that because I didn’t have much confidence. Yet, after discussing it with her and going home to talk to my parents I then decided that, that was what I was going to do so after another meeting with the coordinator she handed me the checksheet that was for the AA degree and I started planning from there, I wrote down what classes I would take each semester and year of high school. I also wrote it out that “I would graduate high school with my AA degree” many times throughout the year with any assignment that involved goals along with writing it in a binder that I kept with all my important papers for college.

2. Now for this step, I wouldn’t say it was easy because there were just some people in my life that didn’t believe I could actually achieve my goal. I told many of my close friends about the idea and although most were very supportive and encouraging, a lot just pretended to be, of course I learned that over the years but that’s what motivated me more. A few of my friends thought that I wouldn’t be able to juggle sports, clubs, 6 classes(some being dual enrollment), and the 1-2 college classes that I took a semester. Yet, the negativity that my friends gave off just motivated me to prove them wrong I didn’t listen to them because like Marie said ask yourself those three questions (an important one for me) “Do you admire who they are, how they live and what they contribute?”. I would constantly tell myself that they weren’t trying to do what I was doing nor were they trying to better themselves in their own way, I was the one doing that. So I fed off of that negativity by reassuring myself that I could do this and that I was going to accomplish my dream and prove them wrong.

3. I flooded myself with positive examples by first, getting rid of those friends who didn’t believe I could do it. Then I started talking to my advisors, teachers, and administrators more about what I planned to do, and they were very helpful. However, the main positive example in my life was my older sister. She was what kept me going throughout the years because like her I wanted to get a head start on my college credits from the hoop of learning program. She joined the program her junior year of high school and she also did sports and honors classes and just seeing her accomplish so many things that I didn’t think were possible to accomplish at a young age, really motivated me to do the things she was doing. 

4. So for this one, I am not quite sure how to answer this because my mom was the main reason why I joined HOOP because she wanted me to get ahead on my college credits, which I am thankful for but I didn’t come up with the idea. What I do know is that once I figured out I could graduate with my AA degree I didn’t let anyone tell me differently. It was something that I truly wanted and something that I pushed myself for each and every day. So yes my mom may have made me apply for the program, but I am glad she did because if she didn’t then I wouldn’t have got to experience the glimpse of college life or see how much potential I really have and I wouldn’t have got to prove myself and others wrong. 

5. I would say I did a pretty good job on this step because I was very determined to achieve my goal. So it first started with the two classes in the summer, then one class for spring and fall, then as I became more comfortable with my schedule, I continued to add more classes. Right about junior year I had 6 classes(2 being dual enrollment) and about 2-3 college classes per semester. Then senior year came and It was 4 high school classes and I believe 3-4 college classes. I was so focused and committed to achieving my goal that I would take classes on campus at night, on Saturdays and weekdays. I committed myself to my goal so much that my weekends were filled with college homework and that right after my early release schedule for high school I spent that few hours studying in the library and then I would head to my evening class. Like I said it was difficult and there were days that I was so stressed out and wanted to give up, but I didn’t, because I surrounded myself with people who kept encouraging me and who knew I could push through it and that's what I did.