By Nyesha Stone
Michelle Obama surprised 14 Milwaukee high school students earlier this week. (Picture by Nyesha Stone)
How would you react if Michelle Obama walked into your office right this second?
Fourteen high students from around the city got the chance to meet Michelle this prior Thursday, about eight hours before her show at the Miller High Life Theatre. As they were sitting in a circle discussing college, Michelle walked in and brightened every students’ day.
Currently, Michelle is on tour to promote her book “Becoming,” and at every stop she likes to meet with local students to discuss college and life.
Each visit is different, this one was a roundtable setup without the table. Also in attendance was TV Host Conan O’Brien, who was the moderator for Michelle’s event later that evening.
After the students caught their breaths, the real conversation begun: what are your plans after high school?
All of the students were juniors so Michelle suggested, that if they haven’t already, visit a few college campuses because it’s “easier to envision yourself somewhere once you see it,” she said.
Students were eager to tell Michelle Obama their stories. (Picture by Nyesha Stone
She then went on to tell her experience about her journey to Princeton University. It was actually her older brother who was accepted first and that gave her the idea that she could do it too. While Michelle was applying to colleges, she was told by a high school advisor that Princeton wasn’t reachable for her. Clearly, Michelle proved that lady wrong.
Michelle told this story to let the students know that their journey won’t be easy and most aren’t, but you have to keep going anyway.
“There are adults who will make wrong judgements about you,” said Michelle. “The world will do that to you.”
Students usually worry about their grades and test scores when it comes to being accepted into college, and that’s okay. But Michelle wanted the students to understand that test scores don’t mean everything, it’s about being true to yourself.
“I thought I’m so much more than my test scores,” Michelle said and that’s what’s pushed her forward in life. She knows what it’s like to be young, have dreams and not have many believe in you, which is why she tries to connect with the youth as much as she can.
Michelle stayed and spoke for about an hour with the students.
For Michelle Obama’s next book tour stop, visit https://becomingmichelleobama.com/.