Work now; play later.

Quite frankly, this saying has been floating around my house for years now. Whenever my sister or I would complain about an upcoming test or a stressful class, my mom and dad would find it funny to throw this piece of advice around. I never really took it into much consideration, but when I read this week's prompt, it was the first thing that came to mind. So I guess it really has stuck with me.

Fortunately, I feel that I do follow this motto. Yeah, I like to unwind after school and check my social media sites while lying around eating food or whatever. But after about an hour or so, I get straight to business. I usually start off with a couple hours of practicing the piano and then doing all my homework in one giant time block. By the time I'm finished, I'm usually too exhausted to even think about doing anything else but sleeping, so that's basically how my life is right now.
But at least I get my work done, right?

I constantly have to remind myself that that lazy kid who doesnt seem to give a crap proooobably won't get into the best college, or any college at all. What's next? Less options for a career. What follows that? Less income and success in general. And while money doesn't buy happiness, I haven't heard of many cases where one was truly happy without at least a semi-solid form of sustenance. 
If putting in a little extra effort in high school means that I'll probably go farther in life than that kid, then I'm willing to do it. I'd rather work for it now and have an easier life in the future. I don't want to have to rely on my parents or work double jobs or not be able to go on a luxurious vacation or two because I didn't care enough in my youth.

I know it's an absolute pain in the butt when I can't do this or that because "oh, i have the ACT tomorrow" or "I have to study for that ACT...yeah the one in two months," but I know that in the end it will all pay off. I understand that with hard work and dedication I'll end up in the college of my dreams *fingers crossed* and end up with the career of my dreams and just have the LIFE of my dreams. 
And when the going gets tough, yes, the tough DO go to starbucks (Caroline Hoertz), but with that caffeine buzzing through the veins, the tough get their homework done, grades set, tests studied for, and life stamped with success. 
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