Because of this I needed to balance my schedule of academics, golf, social life, and health/sleep. Including balancing my life, I became responsible by budgeting my money. Also, I’ve learned things about myself and grew as a person. Currently, these experiences help my personal growth because I assess them in college.
Before college started, I was what some people would call the blossom. I would talk to everyone about different kinds of topics and I would try to strike conversations with anyone in order to make more friends.
With that label has come many different challenges and missed opportunities for my family and I, ranging from access to medical care to work to travel. Acting like the anchor that it is, being undocumented has even had restraints on my dreams. I have always wanted to go to college, anxiously waiting for the day I receive an acceptance letter and move onto campus. As I entered high school however, I learned that, due to my immigration status, my future and story in this country could be determined by my a sole factor: my citizenship status. That realization made me question whether college could be a possibility for me, from acceptance to affording it.
The Sociological Imagination gives us the ability to know our past relates to other people and the history and social structure Everyone today is facing some kind of issue that can be a micro that is only a personal issue however; it can also be a macro that is a problem to the public. In my case the issue is being able to go to college and pay for every class that I need to accomplish my goals, which is all very important to me. Deciding to go to a community college gives me more of the chance to pay for schooling and not have any debt as a young college student. As a young college student having some type of exchange and communication with others is valuable to have and that is where my family comes in.
First, it impresses upon my children the importance of a college education and how the possibilities multiple by earning a degree. We always tell our kids anything worth having is worth the hard work and sacrifice. My family has already experienced the sacrifice because we spend less time together, I’m less accessible, and doing things without me is more frequent.
As an upcoming freshman in college I have realized many things looking back at my high school career, and home life outside of school. I use to wish for time to speed up so I could hurry and become my own person, a young adult and now I will truly miss it but I know my time was well spent because I used it wisely by partaking in opportunities to better myself, and spending my time wisely In and outside of school. I can truly say I tried all throughout school to find new ways to get involved with my school, community, and people around me.
There have been many moments in my life as a Belmont University student that have inspired me to both engage and transform the world the around me. However, there is always one moment that sticks out the most for me though. When I was a junior, I finally got around to taking my linked courses because I was a transfer student and things involving my schedule got weird after a certain point and never really resolved. But, onto the main topic, these linked courses were a required part of the Belmont University undergraduate experience and they involved taking two courses during the same semester that had different emphases but one overall theme that connected them throughout the semester. In my case, the linked courses were Chemistry and Communications with the main overall theme of engaging the environment around us,
I believe that I am unique in a very unoriginal way. While majority of my friends have a mindset to quickly finish their studies to be able to work and start their career, I don’t think the same way. My passion for knowledge, eager to learn, and strive for excellence is something that I know since I was a kid. The desire to always learn something new can be clearly seen through my attitude that is curious about something new and unique, always research on something I don’t understand, asking my surroundings including my parents and brothers, and learn as much as possible.
I set a schedule to the time of studying, play time, snack times, and nap times, but it seems the older they get the harder it is too follow the schedule accordingly. My husband and I are currently living with his parents while transitioning into our new home. With the help of his parents, as for himself, I am able to go to school, as well as go to work knowing that both my children are taken cared for. Without their help and generosity, I wouldn’t be able to able to attend college, and for that I am thankful of them by helping me achieve my dreams one step at a
My mother is always working hard to provide all the necessary needs in our house, but she cannot give us things that we want, so I decided to work so I can be able to help her with the bills, and pay for college. That is my first barrier. I am the oldest child, and it is my responsibility to help my mother and siblings even if I have to sacrifice my own time. Thanks to God I am finding a way to have time for work and school. I work with one of my aunts and she is helping me find the best work schedule so I can have time for school, and enjoy myself at least one time per month.
When determining what college is a right fit for me, I looked at many different things. Cost, academics, campus life, and many other things are the big things everyone takes into account when deciding where to go. Most of the colleges I am considering are closer to home yet are still within a day’s drive if I need to get home. I want to get away from home as much as the next person, but I still consider colleges close to home. That way, if I need help or something happens, my family is able to come to my aid.
Going back to school has always been on my mind but never a priority. I allowed other life distractions to interfere. After what seems like years of trying to find my identity and motivation, I have finally decided to go back to school to better not only my life but my daughter’s as well. Being a single mother of one, I want my daughter to see that not only your skill set, but a college degree is a great way to start your career and meet the expectations you set for yourself. The expectations I have for myself are finishing my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and eventually finishing with my MBA in Human Resources.
Right now, I am in college trying to get my degree (obviously) so I can improve the quality of my life. I am trying to understand who I am as person while also trying to mature. This is a very stressful time for me as I am a person who keeps to myself and struggle in showing my true identity. Although for the most part I like it here, you know living on my own, being able to do what I want when I want ; pretty much all the freedoms I get from being here at college. Without a doubt though, I miss being home.
That is what this life is about. You sacrifice for those you love. That is what my parent’s did. They brought my sister and I to this land of opportunity and even though they used their chance on us, their chance to follow their dreams, I will follow mine for them. People always ask me how I do so well in school, how I have the energy to do all the homework, study for the tests, do extra curricular activities, and never give up.
My parents, like most of us in the U.S., immigrated with dreams for a better future, but also feared the cultural unknowns. Three out of my four siblings have received a college education and I am who they consider as the trailblazer and the catalyst that left Houston, TX to attend university and study abroad for a larger view of life, and left no room for fear in her luggage. Growing up my father worked in construction and instilled in me a strong work ethic, dependability, and to strive for success that has molded me to be the fearless woman I am today.