November is known as a month of fall weather and watching movies while drinking hot cocoa, but not when you’re a Downey High senior student like Ariana Barrios, November, is a stressful process of college applications, because of fear of being rejected.

“I’m afraid of failing, so if I don’t try I don’t fail,” Barrios said. “I don’t want to deal with the stress and I’m afraid of getting rejection letters.”

Barrios wants to be a social worker; she wants to help kids in abusive households, by letting abused kids know they are not alone.

Much like Barrios, Carmen Tinsley hasn’t put much thought into college applications but does know she wants to major in psychology. Last year, when she was helped out in a case with her mother she really appreciated the help and became interested in the study.

“It seems like something I want to do,” Tinsley said. “To help someone else and their family like we were helped.”

Autumn Vasquez, 12, has not started her applications either but she has started to look into where she wants to apply. She wants to pursue art, although many of her peers have tried to drag her down or lead her down a different career path just because they don’t like it.

“Why set myself up to fail,” Vasquez said. “When I can do something I love.”

Barrios will work hard and apply to Cal State University Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, Cal Sate Dominguez and Cal Sate University Los Angeles to major in social work. If it doesn’t work out she will pursue psychology. Her long-term goal is to open a bakery. Tinsley will pursue psychology. Vasquez will pursue art while going to Cerritos College and do her general classes; she will then transfer into New York University Film.