I have a short attention span. It's not that I'm A.D.D. or anything like that, I just wander in my mind sometimes.

College is a tough place to focus, but luckily I go to community college and not a huge party college. If I were going to ASU, then there would be so many distractions that I would be oblivious most of the time.

My lack of one-topic focus gives me the benefit of multitasking. I work on one assignment at a time, but for some reason, I begin thinking of my next assignment before I finish the one I'm doing. I am very creative, therefore, I usually use my imagination which is my main distraction.

My first year at AWC was great. I focused on my school work and had spare time. By the second year, I was trying to focus on school while having a social life -- a huge mistake. You either have a school life or a social life. It's very hard to balance both; I tried.

Many students leave Yuma in search of a better future by going to ASU or other schools. Only those who enter with determination make it. Those who become lost in the midst of the crowd are sucked back into the Black Hole. (All right, Yuma isn't that bad).

With time, I learned that it's easy to focus on anything if it's really what you're after. Quite a few friends have dropped out of classes or even college because they lacked the needed focus and determination. College life isn't only about socializing, finding awesome parties or even learning; it's a place where you shape yourself into the person you will become.

College is an opportunity for a better future, and those who take it for granted live to regret it. I'm glad I've learned from my mistakes and finally cleared my head enough to focus on what I really want. Friends can come and go, but the knowledge acquired for a diploma will last forever -- at least until the onset of Alzheimer's.

Focusing in college can be difficult if you don't have the love and passion for the future you desire. As for me, I'm ready for a bigger campus and all those hallways filled with knowledge, opportunities, experiences -- and beautiful women.

Take my advice: think twice before you procrastinate or try to celebrate a little too early. Shaping the person you will become