Graduating from college is a great achievement for me. I have grown, became wiser, and more open-minded. The internships, work study, and clubs have all contributed to my education. I am living my dream.
Growing up, I could never image myself graduating from college. Even though I was an honor roll student at my high school, my focus was finishing the twelfth grade. Growing up as minority from a low-income class, I didn’t want others to think I was unintelligent so I studied hard. Both my parents were from Laos. My parents spoke little English so they had trouble finding a stable job to support my sister and me. They made sacrifices so we could get a good education.
I took honors and advance placement courses throughout most of my semesters in high school. It was difficult for me to keep up with the assignments and sometimes I didn’t sleep, but I kept pushing myself to succeed.
Then tragedy hit home. My mother was diagnosed with cancer and passed away after two years of chemotherapy treatment. While my mother was sick, my father had his own struggle with drug addiction. He became intolerable and abandoned our family; thus, leaving my sisters and I to care for my mother. My family fell apart and so did I. Going from one foster home to another I become miserable. My depression led to self harm and thoughts of suicide. I thought the nightmare will never end.
My sisters and friends work though my struggle with depression. They encouraged me to do well in school so I can go to college. By my junior year, I was back on track to pursuing higher education. At that time, I had given up my dream of going to a four-year college right after high school, but applied anyways. That was the year I was accepted a scholarship from Student Rising Above. SRA gave me more than hope. They made sure I did well in school, had money for books, and a roof over my head. It is like my extended family, a parent who provides for their child the necessities to succeed in college.
I am the first member of my family to graduate from college. I would like to honor my parents, my two sisters, and all the people who helped me. Without their support, I wouldn’t be receiving a diploma in Social Welfare. Graduating will be the greatest moment of my life; I share it with them.