I have chosen to pursue higher education for several vital reasons. First and foremost, I want to provide for my family and ensure a stable and secure future. Coming from a low-income background, I've seen firsthand the challenges that financial instability can bring, such as bills behind, electricity and water being cut off, no food on the table, having to work double shifts to survive inflation, and not being able to rest. These experiences have fueled my determination to break the cycle. By earning a degree in cybersecurity, I can create opportunities for a well-paying and fulfilling career, which will allow me to support my family. Furthermore, I am driven to make a better future for my family and the world. Technology profoundly impacts society, and as a cybersecurity professional, I am dedicated to contributing to creating a safer digital landscape. With the rise of cyber threats, I feel a strong responsibility to help protect individuals, businesses, and institutions from harm, ultimately contributing to a more secure and trustworthy world. In addition, I have a passion for helping and motivating others. Whether mentoring others, sharing knowledge, or solving critical problems, I find a deep purpose in using my skills to uplift and guide others. Higher education will equip me with the tools and expertise I need to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around me. Finally, I am deeply motivated to make my mother proud. She worked hard to support me despite limited resources, and I want my achievements to honor her sacrifices. As the first in my family to attend college, I carry a profound responsibility to set an example for my younger relatives and show them that graduating and earning a degree is essential. As a first-generation college student, preparing for college has required determination, resourcefulness, and resilience. I have educated myself about financial aid, scholarships, and budgeting to make my education possible. I have read many books (Finance, Mental Health, Real Estate, Taxes, Cybersecurity, Inner and Outer Health), joined study groups, and actively engaged in learning communities to ensure I had the support and guidance to succeed. Also, I have worked on developing a strong sense of discipline and time management to balance school, work, and personal responsibilities. By embracing challenges and seeking resources, I have positioned myself to excel in college and beyond, proving that anything is achievable with hard work and perseverance.

The world of technology has heightened my awareness of the vulnerabilities in the digital realm. Stories of data breaches, ransomware attacks, viruses and identity theft are not just news—they are reminders of Cybersecurity's crucial role in protecting citizens, businesses, and governments. For example, on April 1, 2024, I got a letter from AT&T stating that my personal and essential information was breached, hacked and stolen. Now, my data is on the Dark Web, and my identity can be stolen at any time. It's stressful to be on alert all the time. The thought of sitting across a computer, defending people's data, was the driving force behind my decision to pursue a Cybersecurity Bachelor's Degree. From a young age, I've been captivated by the transformative power of technology. The evolution from floppy disks to USBs, beepers to cellphones, landline internet to Wi-Fi, PlayStation to a PlayStation 5, and cassette players to Spotify is a testament to technology's dynamic and awe-inspiring nature. Yet, amidst this rapid change, one constant remains: the vulnerability of any technology to breaches and hacks. This understanding fuels my passion for Cybersecurity. I'm enthusiastic to contribute my skills and sound hearted mind to Cybersecurity. Knowing that I will be part of a blend of specialized expertise, critical problem-solving, and ethical duty motivates me to finish my degree. I want to be a penetration tester to see what vulnerabilities I have to fix. I thrive on the challenge of solving complex puzzles, and I'm driven by a deep-seated desire to protect people in our increasingly interconnected world. This field aligns perfectly with my passion for technology and my unwavering commitment to making a significant, positive impact on society. My commitment to Cybersecurity is unwavering and resolute. My education in Cybersecurity is not just a means of acquiring knowledge but a platform to apply that knowledge to create a safer digital future. After graduating, I envision myself working as a cybersecurity analyst or penetration tester, identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities before they can be exploited. I aim to grow into a leadership role, shaping security policies and strategies that safeguard critical infrastructure on a larger scale. This commitment is not just a career choice but a personal mission. My ambitions in Cybersecurity extend beyond my career goals. I am deeply committed to inspiring others, especially those from underrepresented groups, to explore the field of Cybersecurity. Diversity is the bedrock of innovation, and by empowering others to enter this field, we can strengthen our cooperative defense against cyber threats.

"Most people fail to realize that in life, it's not how much money you make, it's how much money you keep." ― Robert T. Kiyosaki Everyone has experienced this lesson: Life always hits you in unexpected times. It was the beginning of March 2020; COVID19 came like a hurricane and changed everyone's lives. People were terminated by their companies, and some were demoted from Full-Time to Part-Time. Panic, fear, anxiety, and stress consumed me. I got demoted from Full-Time to Part-Time. Many questions passed through my mind; "How do I pay my bills?", "How can I pay my debts and loans?", "Where do I find a second job?". Everything hit too fast and hard. I learned fast that we weren't prepared for this type of emergency. I realized we didn't even have enough savings for an emergency event. Instead of panicking, I acted quickly. I created an excel worksheet with all my bills and debt, calculated how many hours I had to work, cut down all my wants, and focused on my needs to buy and survive. I started to read books like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," "The Simple Path to Wealth," and I started to watch financial advice on TikTok, like Robert Kiyosaki and Grant Cardone, and YouTube videos on financial advice. When I started to listen to their advice, for example, spend less than you make, and live below your means. Stop buying materials to impress others; a 2012 Honda Civic Car will get you to the same destinations as a 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, so why waste money on a new car? Today, I am debt-free, and even though I still live paycheck to paycheck, I don't have that burden of loans and debt. I also was able to save up for a three-month emergency fund.

"Never stop learning and adapting. The world will always be changing. Limiting yourself to what you knew and were comfortable with earlier in life will grow increasingly frustrated with your surroundings as you age." — David Niven Every day there are changes in our lives, but we comprehend them, whether it was a lesson, mistake, or oversight. It's thrilling to see what tomorrow can bring and what we can learn from it. One major lesson I learned in life is financial advice. I was immature, irresponsible, and squandered money in my early twenties. I was comfortable living with my mom, paying only utilities, credit cards, and my car loan. As time passed, I got into a relationship with my boyfriend and noticed that I had to start being independent and make some financial changes. When I started to go out with my boyfriend and the pandemic hit in 2020, I woke up. At work, my boyfriend and I were downgraded from Full-Timers to Part-Timers; we had no emergency funds, had debts to pay, and barely had hours. I questioned myself, "Were we ever prepared"? "Are we ready to buy a house?", "Are we ready for children?" Many things flashed before my mind, and I started to work on budgeting and saving money. What helped us tremendously was listening to money podcasts, making a budgeting excel worksheet, reading financial books, only buying our needs instead of our wants, and following the 50/20/30 budget rule. Today, we are free of debt and have been able to go back to school to finish our degrees. I desire to inspire and help others to be responsible for their money. With everything happening in this world, for example, war, inflation, and possible recession, we need emergency funds to prepare for the future.

In 2001, at seven years old, I got my first Desktop Computer. I was intrigued by the functions, games, anime, and music videos on the internet. It was a phenomenon that brought people together to improve Technology. Those who built these different technologies from scratch were to enhance the future. As time passed, my surroundings changed, and technological advancement surprised everyone. From Floppy Disc to USB, from Cassettes to CD to Online Audio Streaming, from VHS to Online Movie Streaming, from Nintendo 64 to Nintendo Switch, from Beepers to Cellphones, from Wired Cables to Wireless Access; Technology has progressed in the blink of an eye. I knew that I wanted to be involved in the Technology field but never knew what degree. As I started to read and search different fields in Technology, what caught my eye was the Cybersecurity Field. Hackers, scammers, and viruses are stealing people's sensitive information. They are either stealing or selling it on the black market. Nowadays, Social Media, Cell Phones, Tablets, Laptops, and anything that involves the internet or communication is this generation's priority because it has all their data, plans, private information, and histories saved. Everyone deserves their privacy, and someone must protect their information. Crime has increased tremendously, and I want to succeed in protecting everyone and reporting any suspicious activity that can cause problems virtually or in the real world. It feels like being a virtual soldier in a Cyber War, fighting the wrong to protect the innocent. I am looking forward to finishing my Bachelor's Degree in Cybersecurity, and it is a thrilling and exciting future. My accomplishment is to become a Cybersecurity Analyst and work for Samsung, Google, Amazon, or maybe just maybe the Government. I want to thoroughly understand cyberattacks, malware, and the behavior of cybercriminals and actively seek to foresee and contain these invasions. "Technology is a useful servant but a Dangerous Master." - Christian Louse Lange.

As the Rain hit hard on top of the roof of my house, lighting covering the dark sky, the fireplace warming my home, I snuggled on the couch with my hot chocolate in my hand as I read a book. Laughter and joy surround the family gathering, children screaming and having fun by the pool, fathers competing in cooking the meat, and mothers talking about the latest gossip. I am engraving this day in my memories. For me, these actions are part of happiness in my life. Happiness is an expressive state marked by feelings of pleasure, delight, bliss, and fulfillment. Each individual has their way of making them happy. For example, family, health, money, work, and other things. There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy. The accomplishments I have achieved make me happy and proud. I am pleased to be in school to finish my degree and have made it so far to clear my debts and support my family. Different things that make me happy are miniature for others. Still, the biggest thing in life is gratitude, waking up every day in good health, spending time with my family, giving to others, personal reasons, having a job, and having a coffee on a snowy day. Smile every day, even if it's for the slightest thing. "Be happy with what you have. Be excited by what you want." - Alan Cohen.

“The Lord is my Shepard, and I Shall not Want” -Psalms 23:1; was the first verse that I acknowledge as a child—going to church, listening to Christian music, watching Christian cartoons, and reading the Bible was the environment that my mother raised me. At a young age, I knew God existed. Even though I couldn’t “see” or “listen” to him, I always felt that he was watching over me. Alas, I started to grow and began to lose my innocence to the world. I focused more on society than my relationship with God. I prefer horrendous music, violent films, toxic friends, and connections. But during that time, I was unfaithful to God, he was still faithful to me, and he never let go of my hand. I kept going through numerous trials: my father and step-father passed away, my mother got very ill, I had to work during my high school years, and I was emotionally distraught. Even though all these obstacles happened to me, I never blamed God. One of my work relationships turned toxic, and I transferred to another job to start a new beginning. I would go jogging to distract myself from my past and overthinking mind. There is a church near the park I would exercise, and it kept drawing me to it. One day, I decided to go in and listen to the pastor preach. I was overwhelmed with the holy spirit; I cried and got on my knees to pray and thanked God for his never-ending mercy and love he has given us. I accepted Jesus Christ as my one and only savior. It is true what they say “ The Closer you get to God, the Harder the Devil tries to Attack You.” As I was fighting through depression, anxiety, and an overwhelming job, I got sick. Instead of going immediately to the hospital, I was fighting the virus on my own, and because I was irresponsible, I went into a coma. Eight days later, I woke up intubated and bedridden. Honestly, during my duration in the coma, I didn’t see the light or darkness. I felt I was in limbo. Even though I don’t remember how I went into a deep coma, that didn’t stop my faith in God. You see, the enemy always tries to put you in a situation where it wants us to blame God. Honestly, it’s up to oneself to choose. Either one can act the victim their entire life, or one can repent and ask for forgiveness and put on the armor of God and fight the spiritual battle. I choose to be alongside God. I am writing my story because I want to let people out there who are lost, who have lost hope and faith that God hasn’t forgotten about you. No matter how low you are in the pit or how much you've sinned, he will pull you out of the darkness. Now I am mature, focused on a stable job, relationship, friendships, goals, and have gone back to school. Through all the hardships, I found my happiness in God. “Stand Still, and Consider the Wondrous Works of God.” -Job 37:14