Draft 1

A place I felt heard was with my family. They would always allow me to speak my mind and voice my opinions. I am the very first to go to college in my family. Most families in modern day America, heavily push or even sometimes require their kids to go to college. Going to college is actually frowned upon in my family, they feel that everything in life can be accomplished through hard work that we don’t need higher education to get where we want to go. A popular saying in my family is that “a man is judged by the calluses on his hands.” My father didn’t even graduate high school and lived under a bridge when he was sixteen, yet he worked enough to pay for himself to go to vocational school and eventually own his own pest control business. My mother had me and my twin sister at only twenty and worked hard to help provide for and raise twin babies. We are very much a blue collar family and feel like hard work is what is necessary to make it in this world. They always told me that no matter what, hard work is how you make it in life, not some fancy degree. Using what God gave you to push yourself forward is what makes a good person, not making a certain amount of money or having a fancy car or house. College for them was more a “party thing” than anything. They would hear stories of kids who went to college at some big university and came home and still lived with their parents and worked small jobs that didn’t even require a college education. When I decided that I wanted to go to college they told me that I had to have a plan; a certain job in mind that required a college education and one that was more beneficial than working from the bottom. I knew I wanted to go into the medical field from a very young age. I knew I wanted to help people who were unable to help themselves. I knew that as a doctor I would be able to fulfill this dream. When I first told my family about wanting to go to college they were hesitant to get on board, but when I explained to them what I wanted to do with my life they began to support my decision. They really liked how I had everything planned out and mapped, they thought that I would be more likely to stick with it. They understood that I had worked my butt off in high school to make it where they wouldn’t have to pay anything for me to go to school. I know that they only want what’s best for me and only want to see me succeed in life. They’ve worked hard their entire lives to give me the opportunities to be where I am today. They taught me morals and manners and skills in life that are really lacking in some of the youth of today. As the time counted down for me to go to school they began to get really excited which I was really surprised at. When we came up for orientation you could just see how much they loved the school and how excited they were for me to go to school here. After they got on board, they really began to embrace the school and even bought everyone multiple outfits with FSU emblems. I know no matter what they will continue to give me all the support I need in the world no matter what I choose, even if they don’t think it’s the best choice at first. They will continue to push me to work my hardest no matter what and to always be honest and kind. I know that whenever I need someone they will undoubtedly have my back for as long I live.