Having financial problems played a factor also in my returning to school. Being a single parent, with no support, I knew that I had to make some drastic changes. I have to joggle so many tasks each day and it can be hard. My family motivates me not to give up on my academic goals because I know it is something I have to do. Additionally, having a better income to support me and my family would be nice.
I am in college to prepare for a career and not a job, my education is the difference between being happy with my work and working to live, as of now I am not fulfilling my duties as a student. I often ask myself why am I here, sometimes I ignore the question other times my answer varies from “to make your dad proud” or to “prove your mom wrong”. Neither of those answers is honest or is a product of consideration and deep thought. The actual reason why I’m here is because this is the only way I can get to where I want to be in life. I want to teach preschool and I am here to prepare and educate myself on what it takes to be an educator.
I was scared because I didn’t know anybody besides a few uncles. I knew that in USA people speak another language but I was just staring to learn it on my country and it was hard. I just didn’t feel ready to meet United States yet. However I knew that I didn’t have another option, so I decide to try my best and make my parents proud of me. Some of my goals were to learn English, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to communicate and succeed as an immigrant.
What degree should I get? After asking myself these questions, I felt like there was no chance I could get into college and earn a degree that would better my future. Some people may find returning to school a very easy decision but, it takes motivation, determination, and confidence. I always thought when I finished high school I would take a year off and then start college. Most things do not happen the way we expected and, I did not start college a year after high school.
One of the main reasons I have chosen to ho back t school is my family and their well-being. I feel like if I go to school and get an education then I can take care of them the way I need to take care of them. I feel like going back to school will have many good advantages as well as some disadvantages . Some good things is that I will be furthering my education and in the world we live in it’s almost required. Another advantage is that many more job opportunities will come and I will have a better selection then I do now.
I clipped the picture and saved it. I promised myself that I would help ‘her’ someday. There was a time in my life when all of my goals and aspirations felt unattainable. At that time I began to redirect my efforts to caring for my family. As a young parent, I decided if I could not make a positive impact on this world myself, I could be a positive influence for my children.
Then something would happen that would make me change my mind and withdraw. Most people would assume that I was unable to make a decision and am flighty but that was not the case. I just could not pursue a degree in a subject I did not wish to study, even if it was what was expected of me from my boss, colleagues, family and friends. At the time was living my lifelong dream of being an elementary school teacher. Regrettably, I discovered that I do not feel comfortable around groups of children.
So if attending college is what I have to do in order to be stress free that’s fine. “If you want a good job you have to go to school” are like the words of the year. Because well paying jobs only want the best of the best. But I’ve never wanted my reason of going to school to only be solely for a job, but for myself. Of course I want to learn for a job but to also be able to learn how the world works around me.
For example, I wrote down class times and asked my manager at my job if he would be able to work with those times. Going to school and working is hard, but knowing you can handle both things is an amazing feeling. If students don’t work and plan to go to school, they should make sure they take classes at times they will go. I took classes that were very early last semester, and I hardly went. Making sure students have classes at times that they will attend will help them succeed.
Life is only starting for me, I know I’ll face more challenges in my life, but if I don’t have the diploma I will not have a future, I’ve lost friends that I thought would be there for me, you have to lose something to gain something even better. I wanted to personally attend Fresh Start for graduating purposes, the school is right down the road from my old school. The people who I thought were my friends told me, “not to leave, and that if I was really your friend you wouldn’t leave me”. No, actually if I WAS your friend you wouldn’t be stopping me, you should be pushing me to do better for myself, and that spoke volume to me. I used to think I’ve had real friends, until a small inconvenience shown me otherwise.