All I can remember was his suitcase by the door. The memories I have are only those lonely nights, cradling my little brother and telling him that Daddy will be back. I remember those frightening nights when my mom stays up until two in the morning waiting for my intoxicated father to come home instead of having memories of a warm home filled with love and warmth. I still have the image of my three-year-old self witnessing the argument between my parents. The day he left changed my whole life.
The most difficult challenge I’ve faced is having to take care of my mother during my childhood years, growing up independently, and learning to cope with the guilt and anger towards my parents. I have convinced myself that these hardships prepare people like me for extraordinary destinies. I have to accept the life I was given and make the best out of it because I know I don’t want to be my parents. I want to be able to raise and support a family without having to worry about having enough money to even buy feminine products. These experiences have affected my academic achievement profoundly throughout my four years of high school. I personally feel that I’ve seen the worst and experienced major hardships in my childhood which makes any other challenge for me a small hurdle. Regardless of the barriers, I am able to get back on my feet and create positive challenges for myself such as taking the initiative to take rigorous courses and striving for my passions in my life.
This obstacle has placed major barriers for me, but I decided not to dwell on the past and began to be a part of clubs and other school activities. Instead of isolating myself from every opportunity I learned to embrace the challenges that I’ve faced to make me stronger as a first-generation student. Stepping out of my comfort zone was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I built long-lasting friendships, excelled academically, and empowered youth to share their stories.