First in the Family to the Finish line
College was always the plan. From elementary school to high school, college was always the path I wanted to get to. At the time, there were a few reasons why college was so high on the totem pole for me. The first was that I enjoyed school, and out of everything in my life, it was something that I knew I could handle. The second reason is that I was already knee-deep in college culture by the time I was 15. I surrounded myself with as many college fairs, opportunities, and resources a kid my age could grab a hold of. As for reason number three, I wanted to be the first in my family to attend college.
My father grew up in Puerto Rico and transitioned to the States when he was 16. He ended up dropping out of school in 6th grade, but continued working odd jobs the rest of his life leading up to his passing in 2012. My mother, on the other hand, grew up in Florida and dropped out of school in 11th grade after getting pregnant with my older brother. Eventually, she went back for her GED and was able to obtain certification in the nursing field.
As for my siblings, they have similar stories, but they’re told differently. My eldest brother dropped out of high school in the 10th grade and now works with scrap metal as a part of a demolition company. I also have a middle sister who also didn’t finish high school due to becoming pregnant with my niece. She now hops from job to job, picking up whatever she can. Then there’s me.
I’ll always respect my family and siblings, but I never saw dropping out as an option. I never saw an alternative to school, because school felt right. However, there was a certain point in my life when I was questioning my life plan. There must have been some reason why most of my family members didn’t make it through high school. It made me wonder why I thought I could make it. If they couldn’t, what makes me different?
Despite the odds and despite the doubt, in June of 2021, I finally got my high school diploma from The U School. I remember taking graduation pictures in front of my crummy little row home in North Philadelphia, feeling the proudest I’ve ever felt. As much as I am a Philly kid at heart, I didn’t let the negative things within my community weigh me down. Graduating high school might not be the biggest deal to some, but to me, it was proof I could stick to something and learn along the way. It was proof that the things I wanted to do in my life were achievable. It was a big victory for a Hispanic kid from Kensington.
As for making my way to college, I wasted no time. That same fall, I ended up enrolling in Arcadia University after receiving the best welcome package ever. Not to mention, Arcadia made the financial burden of college easier on my family, as I received a large amount of funding. To which, I’m very grateful. The rest is history.
If I could go back in time and tell the younger version of myself that there was nothing to worry about, I would. So many nights I spent wondering if I’d be able to make it to college, so much time spent worrying, stressing, and doubting myself. All to end up exactly where I wanted to be. I could say I wasted that time worrying, but at the same time, I was just a kid who cared about my education. I can’t fault myself for that.
Now that I’m a junior in college, I know I can make it to the finish line. I did it once. I’m sure I can do it again.
