Challenge in Life

¶ … biggest challenges that I have faced was the need to help my family financially while at the same time keeping my grades us in school so that I would qualify for college. My family works hard, but with the economic slump that has occurred financial aspects of our life became tense several years ago. It was unfortunate that it occurred just when I was at the most important part of my life for the purpose of getting ready for college.

I talked with my mother and we agreed that I would get a job and help with the family bills. We also agreed that if my grades began to suffer I would leave the job. My family puts education above all else. I got a job and within two weeks was working 40 hours a week. I would leave school, go to my job and then collapse in bed late at night, only to get up and do it again the next day.

This lasted for three years, and I worked the entire time. The experience taught me several things that will be valuable in college. It taught me how to prioritize. Gone were the days I hung out with friends at lunch and talked more than I should in the classroom. Instead, I used every minute of class time to soak up knowledge and then used breaks and lunch periods to concentrate on homework and reading assignments.

At night on the job I used my breaks to further my study time and before long I was a better student. In addition this experience has taught me that I can overcome adversity in a positive manner. I was able to take a negative element of life, and turn it into a positive experience. It will serve me well as I work my way through college both academically, but socially as well. I am able to put aside social events when needed to strengthen my academic skills.

My life before college prepared me to be a better college student than if I had not worked. A anticipate one of the challenges.