Joshua Garza: Class of 2014

As a 2014 graduate, Joshua Garza currently works an an Account Specialist at Cohn and Gregory, an industrial supply company in Lavon. 

What five words describe you in high school? 

Scattered, Easygoing, Procrastination, Reserved, and Contradictory. 

What activities were you involved in in high school?

I was in the Honor Society, Business Professionals of America, and Wylie East Solar Car team. 

What do you wish you would have done differently in high school?

To be perfectly honest, I wish I would have tried a little harder. I don’t mean to say stress out over every test and strive for perfection but I somewhat coasted through a decent amount of high school. This left me without the study habits that I would later have to develop in college. 

Fave high school memory?

My favorite high school memory would be the BPA trip to Houston I took. A lot of that trip was just hanging out with friends and walking around  the downtown Houston tunnels and watching movies in the hotel room. 

What did you do after high school? 

After high school I went to Texas Tech for Petroleum Engineering. This lasted two years, after which I realized two things. One, I am not an engineer. Two, it didn’t make sense to stay in Lubbock considering the loans required and distance it put on my then (and still current) relationship. So, I transferred to UNT Dallas and finished my bachelors with a Finance Major. 

What’s a lesson you learned in college that you wish you knew in high school?

You need to learn how to study. I don’t mean cram; I mean some type of structured and scheduled means of studying. 

Advice for current high school students?

I’ll avoid restating my emphasis on studying habits in full, and instead say be mindful of the people you surround yourself with. I’d advise keeping an open mind with regards to people’s hobbies or interests, and focus more on the attitude the people around you have. It may sound cliché but your mindset is going to be affected by the support system you grow.

If you could do something over again? What would it be and why?

I sometimes say I’d go to community college to get my basics done in order to avoid the majority of my loans, but in truth I’m not convinced I would. It’s definitely the logical/financially responsible option, but I wouldn’t be where I am without the memories and experiences I gained going to Texas Tech. If anything, I’d have simply picked a different major and not just followed a paycheck with regards to picking a degree. 

What are you doing now?

I’m currently an Account Specialist at Cohn and Gregory, which is an industrial supply company in Lavon. 

What’s next for you?

I’m currently moving closer to Westlake as I got a job with Goose Head Insurance which is where their corporate office is located. 

What will you be doing 10 years from now?

In 10 years, I’ll be married, working higher up in the finance department of my new employer, and hopefully getting ready for another vacation to a country I have yet to visit for the holidays. 

What reaction would your high school self have if you could tell him what you are up to now? 

My high school self would certainly be surprised. I am nowhere near the person I was in high school, at least in my opinion. It’s not to say I’m a different person altogether, I’ve just spent enough time working on myself to look back and realize some habits or personality traits were not reflective of the person I want to end up as. 

Just for the fun of it questions:

Last Netflix show you binged?

Living With Yourself

Do you have Disney plus?

Of course.

Pineapple on pizza?

Yes

A song you know every single word to:

Any song from Hamilton, Be More Chill, or the freecreditreport.com commercials. 

Fave song in high school:

There’s no one song that I loved, but the first to come to mind I haven’t listened to since high school is This is Gospel by Panic! At the Disco.