As time passes, society has always recognized the struggles people of our kind face in their pursuit of success. In my life, I have always felt the need to succeed in everything that I do, whether it be accepting what the people around me need. The one obstacle that pushed me from achieving everything was how I was financially raised. As I grow older, I ask myself, would I have had better opportunities if I had had more money? My family has always worked hard to provide for our family together, but it has always limited my ability to contribute to my education. A significant issue in higher education that I have been extremely mindful of is the long-term debt that comes with my journey in the future. My only hope for success is that through higher education, I can eventually break this repeated cycle and create a much more stable financial future not only for myself, but for my family as well. Because of this, I have always had to be resourceful and take the opportunities given to me, no matter how grand it is. On a personal level, the journey to achieve that dream of high-level education has not always been easy. I have had to overcome the language barrier when I moved to the U.S., mental health challenges, and the pressure of being the first to graduate. For example, as a first-generation high school student, I have had to navigate the college admissions process and higher education system largely on my own, without the guidance that others might take for granted. There have been moments of self-doubt against myself, but I’ve remained committed to my goals, knowing that education is the most reliable path to personal growth and success. Pursuing a degree is a personal mission, a mission that I know is achievable regardless of the barricades put up. It is a chance for me to rise above those limitations that I have known and have been expected of me. Being able to access knowledge and opportunities that were way out of reach for my family, and to hopefully one day give back to the community that gifted me the motivation to push through, is a hope for my future. Every challenge that I have faced has not brought me down, but rather has only strengthened my commitment and need to make the most out of this opportunity.