Planning

I just told my daughter that while she should want to do well in high school, she shouldn't freak out about it.

Going to the best colleges isn't a guarantee of success. Going to college right out of high school isn't, either. I've told her that I graduated from high school at pretty close to the bottom of my class, and after four years in the Air Force, I went to college, then back into the Air Force for four more. I'm happy how things turned out. I also told her that the military isn't bad, and can be great, if you keep a sense of what you want and what's possible. I showed her a book I have which was written by an Army general who directed the logistics of the first Gulf War. The military's not just about fighting, I said. It's a whole society. So be aware, think, and strive, but don't freak out.

Hope it helped.