Latoya Carter:  

Life I GRADUATED FROM HIGHSCHOOL IN 2000 AND I STARTED COLLEGE IN 2001. I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE BY STAYING IN HOUSTON. I KIND OF SEPERATED MYSELF FROM THOSE THAT I ONCE HUNG AROUND, AND I STARTED TO GET FOCUSED ON MY GOALS. MY #1 GOAL THAT I HAD SINCE I WAS IN HIGHSCHOOL WAS FOR ME TO BE TRUE TO MYSELF AND MY FEELINGS. I FEEL LIKE IF YOU HAVE TO ACT LIKE YOU ARE SOMEONE ELSE TO BE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, THAN YOU SHOULDN'T BE THERE. I HAVE HAD SOME ROUGH TIMES OVER THE LAST FIVE YRS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 DEATHS IN MY FAMILY, I HAVE SURVIVED TROPICAL STORM ALLISON IN 2001 AND I HAVE FOUND LOVE. NOW AT 23, I AM TRULY BLESSED. I HAVE A GREAT JOB, MY COLLEGE CAREER IS RAPIDLY MOVING FORWARD. MY PERSONAL LIFE IS WONDERFUL. I HAVE LEARNED TO HELP OTHERS MORE BUT TO LOVE MYSELF AND PUT GOD FIRST. NO, I AM NOT A SAINT. I AM THE SAME GIRL WHO MADE SILLY JOKES, AND LOVED TO HAVE FUN, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN GREAT CHANGES LIKE MY FINANACES, ATTITUDE, GOALS,AND APPEARANCE.I STILL THINK ABOUT THE PAST AND MY FRIENDSHIPS. THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL IN MY LIFE LIKE MY BESTFIEND LORENA, WHO IS MY SISTER, AND CAN NOT BE REPLACED. THOSE WHO ARE NOT HERE, AREN'T MEANT TO BE, BUT I DON'T HARBOR ANY NEGATIVITY, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE, AND I KNOW THAT WITHOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE THE CHANGES THAT I MADE FOR MYSELF "TODAY". School SCHOOL TURNS OUT TO BE WHAT YOU EXPECT AND A LITTLE UNEXPECTED. I HAVE HAD MY UPS AND DOWNS IN SCHOOL, AND IT WASN'T BECAUSE THE COURSE ...Expand for more