Colquitt described his book as “a self-help, motivational guide on how to apply for scholarships and tips for studying and the power of attending college.” Colquitt’s advice for students: “Never give up. Never let anyone tell you that you’re not going to be the successful person you will grow into. Growth is a natural part of life, and a lot of people resist the change and are very stubborn. I think it’s important to be open-minded. Don’t let your dreams become nightmares because you never completed them.
“I never thought I’d be a tree-hugger,” he said, “but I’m currently taking environmental law and it’s the most interesting class I’ve had throughout my entire college career. It’s really insane how relevant it is today. I guess you could say I’m an environmentalist, but I’m not a very serious environmentalist.”
Colquitt has many lessons, some of them hard, that came from situations he overcame, lessons he hopes might help others dealing with what he did in high school.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned about myself is even though I’ve come from a divided home, I am loved,” he said. “I’ve been teased. I’ve been bullied. I’ve been a loner for a lot of my grade school career, and I don’t really see that as something I struggled through because I overcame it. … I found I didn’t realize how much I could overcome until I did. That is what’s been shaping my outlook on life and has made me more positive as a person.
“My greatest wish for kids coming up behind me is to know they can be loved,” he said. “When I see students that don’t believe in themselves and have been going through struggles in school and in their own homes, I see myself in them. It hurts to see all this potential not being used to the fullest.”