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She pleaded with the students in the crowd to believe in themselves when they are faced with situations like that.

\"In those moments, because they will happen -- they've happened to me, they've happened to my husband, where people said you don't belong, this isn't for you -- in those times... you have to ask yourselves whether you're going to believe the haters or whether you're going to believe the own truth of your story.\"

\"If you stumble, I want you to get back up,\" she added. \"It's not about not making mistakes. It's not about not failing. Anybody who's achieved anything has failed and failed again...it's the ability to bounce back from that failure. That's what makes you a true champion.\"

Never underestimate the value of community colleges

The former first lady pointed out that she was wearing a shirt from Compton College, explaining, \"because I want to give community colleges a little extra love.\"

\"We are fortunate in this country to have an amazing community college system, and Compton College has a great story to tell,\" she shared. \"The school fell on some tough times a few years ago, but they buckled down, they worked hard and now they’re back on their feet and providing an excellent, affordable education to thousands of students every year.\"

\"They're showing once again that you just don't count out folks from Compton,\" she said, receiving cheers from the crowd.

Happy #CollegeSigningDay! I am so proud of every single high school senior out there who’s committing to continue their education.

Tune in to join me, @ReachHigher, and @BetterMakeRoom as we celebrate all of their hard work. https://t.co/lXuSCZzuVE pic.twitter.com/I9ufAmkVFF

— Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) May 1, 2019

Tell the doubters to \"make room for you\"

Obama acknowledged the struggles many of the students in the crowd faced in order to get to where they are today.

\"I know that’s what you all have done in order to be here today -- you kept on reaching higher for yourselves and your future. You've told all those doubters that they better make room. That's what this is all about -- making people make room for you for where you belong.\"

She also admitted that those struggles and people that don't believe in you will continually surface throughout life.

\"The road doesn't end today. Once you get to college you have to apply those skills that you used to get you here -- that same grit, that same resilience that makes you who you are,\" she said. \"When you run into those challenges -- because you will -- I don't want you to be afraid of the challenge ... I want you to understand you do not do this alone.\"

Find a community of support in college

She advised students to ask for help and reach during times of need in college. \"You go get a tutor, you find a counselor, you make those professors teach you!\"

\"When you get to college, you have to build a community for yourself,\" she continued. \"That's the only way you're going to make it.\"

\"PHOTO:
KTTV
PHOTO: Former first lady Michelle Obama attends the 2019 College Signing Day event at UCLA in Los Angeles, May 1, 2019.
>

\"You do not sit alone in your dorm room by yourself... You guys have to have a posse of support -- the people who are going to lift you up everyday,\" she shared.

\"None of us does this alone!\"

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