I’m living the American dream. I’m the first person in my family to get a college degree, one I got after dropping out of high school due to serious lack of adult supervision. I’m nearly done with my masters degree. I’m happily married. We bought a home this year, with the co-signing but not financial help of my in-laws, because, how els…
I’m living the American dream. I’m the first person in my family to get a college degree, one I got after dropping out of high school due to serious lack of adult supervision. I’m nearly done with my masters degree. I’m happily married. We bought a home this year, with the co-signing but not financial help of my in-laws, because, how else are two teachers able to enter this market? I’m gainfully—no, joyfully employed. I’m a woman with all the rights and freedoms I could’ve ever dreamed. I’m reading this from the comfort of our leather L shaped couch surrounded by my dogs with a warm cup of coffee. This is it.
Same! My brother, sister and I- all first generation in our family with college degrees. My parents were both from broken homes and married as teenagers. They started working on their own education when I was in high school. All five of us cobbled together what we needed through grants, loans, scholarships, and WORK! Lots of work. We worked summers, weekends, evenings, Christmas break, spring break. My parents kept their full time “day jobs” and fit in classes where they could. We all chose colleges we could afford and degrees that were practical and employable. None of us finished with large debts and we were all able to get them paid off.
I should add that I don’t think my story is unique. There must be a million different versions of this same story. I’m aware of many of them among my own friends.
Love that. It’s amazing to me that my most “progressive” friends never had to work through college (took me 7 years with a full time job) and their parents covered the cost entirely. It’s almost as if…not earning things makes you skeptical of your own achievements and the context they occur in
I’m living the American dream. I’m the first person in my family to get a college degree, one I got after dropping out of high school due to serious lack of adult supervision. I’m nearly done with my masters degree. I’m happily married. We bought a home this year, with the co-signing but not financial help of my in-laws, because, how else are two teachers able to enter this market? I’m gainfully—no, joyfully employed. I’m a woman with all the rights and freedoms I could’ve ever dreamed. I’m reading this from the comfort of our leather L shaped couch surrounded by my dogs with a warm cup of coffee. This is it.
👏👏👏
Same! My brother, sister and I- all first generation in our family with college degrees. My parents were both from broken homes and married as teenagers. They started working on their own education when I was in high school. All five of us cobbled together what we needed through grants, loans, scholarships, and WORK! Lots of work. We worked summers, weekends, evenings, Christmas break, spring break. My parents kept their full time “day jobs” and fit in classes where they could. We all chose colleges we could afford and degrees that were practical and employable. None of us finished with large debts and we were all able to get them paid off.
I should add that I don’t think my story is unique. There must be a million different versions of this same story. I’m aware of many of them among my own friends.
Love that. It’s amazing to me that my most “progressive” friends never had to work through college (took me 7 years with a full time job) and their parents covered the cost entirely. It’s almost as if…not earning things makes you skeptical of your own achievements and the context they occur in
Took me 6.5 years working full time and raising kids.
Couldn’t agree more re: not earning things.
Right there with ya Shawna! Dropped out after 8th grade and hitchhiked cross country till 17. Got a GED and degree.
Don’t tell me it’s “impossible” because I’ve done it.