Hi, my name is Ashley Alva. I am a class X student at Our Own English High School, UAE. During my winter vacations, I came across a book called “Wisdom for a High School Grad" which was written by 18 year old Douglas Barry. I being interested in fiction such as Harry Potter never really read books of this genre. But with ample time left, I thought of giving this book a try. With every turning page, I found the book more and more interesting. In this book, the author has confused feelings as to why must he go to college. He shares advice he received from more than 200 diverse respondents to the letter he sent out after his high school graduation. Those who wrote back to him—including George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, John F. Kerry, Regis Philbin, Ken Burns (documentarist), Harley Jane Kozak (author), the Dalai Lama, John Travolta, and more—offer  practical, and humorous wisdom about life in college. Bill Gates himself who is a dropout writes the necessity to go to college and the proud feeling one gets when he has a diploma in front of his name. 

This book also helps us to ponder over matters such as what it feels like to leave home for the first time, how necessary it is to work hard for laurels and achievements and to discover ones journey through life. Therefore I urge all those who are preparing for college and who are in college to read this book as it will surely help you through your ups and downs in college. This book can also prove to be a good read to those who have finished their college to help them recollect those golden days. Enjoy and have a good time!