Overcoming Challenges-Early Graduation

Today, I’d like to write about my early graduation.

As some of you may know already, I graduated high school in New York at the age of 16. I then experienced a gap term in Japan for about 7 months, and after that, I entered Waseda University at the age of 17. 

私はニューヨークの高校を16で卒業し、約7か月のギャップタームを経て、17歳で早稲田大学に入学しました。

Graduating high school earlier than planned was an interesting but tough experience for me. When hearing the word ‘Early graduation,’ most imagine it as being a somewhat lucky experience; but before anything, let me tell you this: as much as it sounds ‘terrific,’ there is always both sides to something out of the ordinary. And if I may say, had I a choice to relive my life, I’d have to say that I’d never want to do it over again.

飛び級した、高校を早く卒業した、などと話すと「すごいね！羨ましい！」と返されることが多い。でも私としては、自分で選択したことではないし、飛び級をして良かったと思う機会が今までほとんどなかったので、その反応をされることに少なからず違和感を感じています。今日は、私の経験した【飛び級】について話したいと思います。

Many think that early graduation is for those who feel that his/her intelligence does not match their designated school grade, but this is not necessarily true. I believe there are a variety of reasons as to why one decides to do early graduation. Here is my story.