The biggest reason I am passionate about being a first-generation Mexican-American future college graduate is because of the work ethic and dedication that my mother instilled in me. Growing up with a single mother, it was challenging to have a normal childhood. My mother worked multiple jobs to make ends meet for me and my two sisters. I remember how early she would get up for work and still get us up for school and make our lunches. She taught me so many lessons, and her biggest dream is for me to graduate from college. My mother would always tell me to work very hard so I would not have to live the life she had or face the challenges she faced. I told myself to work hard so I can one day take care of my mother and repay her for all her hard sacrifices. I worked hard in high school and got my first job at sixteen. I saved up enough money to buy my first car. As an undocumented immigrant, my mother had always dreamed of having a car so we would not have to take a taxi everywhere. She chose not to risk getting pulled over and face deportation and instead took a taxi and public transit if she could. Getting my first car changed our lives; no longer did my mother have to spend hundreds of dollars just to go from place to place. Once I entered my junior year, my life changed completely. My mother became schizophrenic and was not able to work. This responsibility fell on me and my sister. Together, we worked hard to pay for rent and other living expenses. I could no longer have the freedom my friends had, and I learned to work hard for my family. As I approached senior year, I was burnt out, and my everyday schedule was the same. Wake up, go to school, go to work, and sleep. I became exhausted, but I remembered that I was doing this for my mother and my sisters. I took a chance and applied to college, not thinking much of it. I then spoke to my guidance counselor, who told me how much of a difference graduating from college would make. I found out I had been accepted into Georgia State University and decided to major in Nursing. I studied hard and managed to balance a full-time job and attend school full-time. I applied to nursing school and was scared of rejection. I was waitlisted my first time and accepted my second time. I knew that all the hard work had paid off and that the long hours studying for tests and working late nights had all come to that moment. I am entering my second semester of nursing school and know that what lies ahead is not an easy journey. The curriculum is challenging, but I have taught myself discipline and remember how much my mother has done for me. I cannot wait to walk across the stage, receive my degree, and begin helping others. I plan on working in the ER and saving lives. My mother always told me I was her son because of my hard work. When I get overwhelmed and feel like quitting, I remind myself that my mother left her family and life behind to give me and my sisters a better life. That is why I am so passionate about being a first-generation Mexican-American college student and being the first to graduate in my family.