Abigail's Advice for Transition

(gentle rhythmic music) - Hi, my name's Abigail Hertzberg. I just turned 19 years old. I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, I live in Cedar Park, Texas now. I moved here to Texas my junior year in high school. I graduated from high school in 2021. My art committee helped by figuring out like what I like to do, what's my strengths, what's my weaknesses. We all played a big part in where I am today. I wanted to go into education after I graduated, but then my goals changed after being exposed to the retail industry. After I graduated from high school, I'm starting to take courses in marketing, retailing, accounting, economics, and I also continue to work part-time. I'm getting a lot more independent now. I can drive, so I'm taking myself to and from class and to and from work. I am now paying for my own gas, and I'm starting to pay for most of my own clothes, sometimes, my own groceries, and I'm also going out with my friends by myself. As I approach my own independence, it makes me feel good about myself. When looking back, I would do more participation in the arts, students have the most focus in the arts. Get them included as young as like third grade. Have the student introduce a committee, have them introduce themselves, have them take part of like their core selections. And if I had an art committee that didn't include a student, I would tell them, "You gotta find ways to include that student, they are responsible for their own lives, they should be leading more and more." Everyone has something, there's a hidden challenge in everybody. If you like building Legos, engineering might be your thing. If you like playing video games, maybe you can design your own games, stay positive, and follow your dreams. Everything is possible. (gentle music)