From a young age, I was always encouraged to strive for the best. "I believe in you mija" are the words I always heard from my parents. However, their eternal support wasn't enough to guide me through the process of a higher education. My parents knew less about the American school system than me. They grew up in Latin America, with an entirely different system from mine. Entering high school was a big unknown for all of us. I was unsure as to what classes to pick and what steps to take to get to college. Despite that confusion, I knew what I desired, and so I blindly followed the path ahead of me. In my first year of high school, I dove into honors classes, embracing the risks and hopeful for a good outcome. After that school year, I learned that I was in fact capable of handling the pressure, and so my academic rigor grew from there. I climbed up the ladder of difficulties - honors transformed into AP and dual enrollment, and before I knew it I was near the top of my class. I finally felt that I'd earned all the "I'm proud of you" remarks. Yet, the feelings of uncertainty still lingered in the back of my mind, never being sure of what I was doing and feeling that I was never doing enough. The imposter-syndrome was a feeling that came along with the struggle of being a first-generation student, following me wherever I go, but I push through. With the support of community resources and educational programs such as Uncommon Good, designed for students like me, I overcame that feeling. I started feeling more confident in myself, believing in myself. I began looking further into my college journey as time went by and deadlines sneak up. It has been tough, learning how to write effectively and persuasively and filling out college applications. I’ve chosen to major in science, hopeful biochemistry or animal science. It has been my dream to become a successful veterinarian, but I now have the capacity to turn that dream into a goal. I know the amount of work I must put into such a rigorous field, but I've also learned that I have what it takes to go through with this path. Despite being left in the dark for so long, I will put it upon myself to create that light and guide myself through the unknowns and obstacles that I will face. I'm carving a new path, one my parents haven't gone through before, but one that I hope my younger sister will be able to follow. Although this path may be filled with uncertainties, it will be one that leads me to my cap and gown, where I'll stand proudly, not just for me, but for my family too.