Paving the Path: Education as a Thank You
Getting an education and becoming a college graduate is incredibly important to me. I want to be the first in my family to achieve this, setting the path for everyone else after me, including my niece and nephew who are looking up to me. My mom, my sister, and everyone in my family have always sacrificed a lot, so pursuing this education feels like a nice way to thank them for everything they did. My family is from Italy, and they’ve always supported me. The biggest obstacle I faced was balancing work, life, and school; I had to find a way to dedicate enough time to all three aspects.
The Guiding Hand of 10,000 Degrees
A 10,000 Degrees moment that really stood out was in high school, when we were making all the preparations for college transfer. I remember working with Kayla, getting all the applications ready, including the FAFSA and the Dream Act applications. That was incredibly helpful, and she assisted me with all the details of applying. Beyond that specific moment, the team has always been responsive; every time I send a message, they answer pretty quickly. They also helped me mentally, because I knew I was not alone and there was always someone I could message if I needed answers.
The support from 10,000 Degrees has truly helped me achieve something I didn’t think was possible. There’s been a mix of their encouragement and my family’s push. I reached a point where I didn’t want to transfer for two more years; I felt like my associate degree wasn’t enough. However, between my family pushing me a little bit and 10,000 Degrees telling me, “You can finish strong,” I ended up transferring and successfully completed those two additional years. They truly believed in me and saw my potential, which was incredibly impactful to hear. I didn’t give up; there were many times I wanted to, not continue with school, not exit my comfort zone because I was fine where I was. Thanks to the people around me and to 10,000 Degrees I found the push and the strength to keep going and I did it!
Freedom, Independence, and Future Plans
I believe in the power of education to change lives because it can give you the freedom to do what you want with the knowledge you gain. It allows you to avoid being controlled by what other people tell you to do or what they push you to do. You can truly decide and think with your own head, becoming more independent. I want to be an inspiration for my nieces and nephew and hopefully also for the friends that dropped out of school. I want to show them that we all can, even if we have many responsibilities in life.