The words college and pressure go hand in hand. As a freshman in college you do not know what to expect. There are so many things are going on that we end up looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. I am eager to learn but just not sure where to start.
             My first real pressure came before school started. I had my first deadline for The Forum, I was intimidated by the other writers on the staff. The pressure to show them that I was a good writer was very strong. I told myself to relax and go with the flow.
             When I walked on the campus of Florissant Valley 4 weeks ago I was excited as well as a little scared. After being out of high school for over a year I was at a lose of where I stood. This is where the pressure to fit in reared its ugly head. For a minute I was worried about being accepted by my peers, but then it dawned on me that I was at school to get an education, not to worry about what other people thought about me.
             Self induced pressure is something everyone goes through. I put pressure on myself to do well. I want to be proud of myself and I want those close to me to be proud of me. I think sometimes I push myself to a point of exhaustion.
             When my mom died earlier this year I made her a promise that I would go to school and make her very proud of me. She is the reason that I can say, "I am a college freshman." She is my inspiration in life. She is also my biggest source of pressure. The pressure to make her proud of me. The pressure to be better than she was. My mom always told me, "Do not be me, be better than me." That is exactly what I plan to do, no matter how hard it may be. I will make her proud to call me her daughter.
             Pressure is expected in college. We all handle it differently. Pressure comes in different forms, whether it be from your school work, your peers or from yourself. Pressure and stress are just a part of the college experience. It is a learnin...