I didn’t really understand what it meant to grow up in a single-parent home until I got older and started noticing everything my mom was doing on her own. After my parents divorced when I was twelve, my father slowly became less present in my life. He struggled with alcoholism and eventually chose not to stay involved. When he passed away in 2025, it didn’t really change my day-to-day life, but it made everything feel more final. My mom had already been doing everything by herself for years. Growing up with her as my only steady parent changed the way I see strength. It’s not something loud—it’s showing up every day even when things are hard. I watched her work, provide, and keep everything together without having someone to share that responsibility with. Over time, I started stepping up in my own ways too. I became more independent because I had to be. I learned to take care of things without being asked and to think about how my actions affected her, especially when it came to stress and finances. On a personal level, there were times when the absence of my father was hard to understand. It wasn’t always something I talked about, but it was there, especially during important moments when I noticed what I didn’t have. That shaped how I see people now. I don’t take relationships lightly anymore. I value the people who actually show up and stay consistent. It also made me more aware that words don’t mean much without actions behind them. School has been another place where this has shown up. There are days when things going on at home or just emotional stress makes it harder to focus. But I’ve learned that I can’t let that stop me. School has become something steady that I can hold onto when everything else feels less predictable. Even when I don’t feel 100%, I still try to keep going because I know my future depends on it. I’ve learned how to push through distractions and stay focused even when life feels heavy. Financially, being raised by a single mother has made things more real for me. My mom is my only provider, and everything falls on her. College isn’t just something I’m excited about—it’s something we have to plan carefully for. My dad had once been expected to help with college since he was a Virginia Tech alum, but that’s no longer an option. Now, it all comes down to one income, and scholarships and financial aid are really the only way I’ll be able to make it work. Even with everything that’s happened, I’m still moving forward. If anything, growing up this way has made me more determined. I’ve learned how to rely on myself, how to keep going when things aren’t easy, and how to appreciate opportunities more than I used to. I’m not defined by what I didn’t have growing up, but by what I’ve learned from it and what I’m still working toward.

I learned early that loss doesn’t always arrive all at once—it can come slowly, quietly, and still change everything. My father was never consistently present in my life after my parents divorced when I was twelve. Over time, distance replaced what little connection we had. He struggled with alcoholism and eventually chose not to maintain a relationship with me. When he passed away in 2025, it wasn’t just the loss of a parent—it was the final closing of a door I had already been standing outside of for years. And somehow, that made it even harder to process. Personally, his absence and eventual death forced me to sit with a kind of grief that is complicated. It wasn’t just sadness—it was confusion, disappointment, and acceptance all mixed together. There’s a strange kind of grief that comes from losing someone who was supposed to be there, but wasn’t. I had spent years adjusting to life without him, but I don’t think I fully processed what that meant until it became permanent. That experience changed me. It made me more guarded in some ways, but also more intentional about the relationships I do have. I’ve learned not to take people for granted and to value the ones who show up consistently. Academically, this experience has affected me in ways that aren’t always visible from the outside. There have been times where focusing in school felt nearly impossible. Grief doesn’t stay separate from everyday life—it shows up in distractions, fatigue, and moments where motivation disappears without warning. Still, school became something steady to hold onto when everything else felt uncertain. Even on difficult days, I kept going because I understood that my future depends on consistency, not perfection. I’ve learned how to manage stress differently, push through emotionally heavy periods, and stay committed even when my mind is elsewhere. Over time, that has made me more resilient and more aware of the effort it takes to keep moving forward. Financially, my father’s death also changed my future in a very real way. Before everything shifted, there was an understanding that he would help support my college education as a Virginia Tech alumnus. That support disappeared with him. Now, my mother is my sole provider, and everything depends on a single income. College is no longer just something I prepare for—it is something I have to carefully plan for financially. The cost of tuition, housing, and other expenses carries a weight that cannot be ignored, and scholarships have become essential for me to pursue higher education. Even with these challenges, I am still moving forward with the same goal: building a stable future for myself. If anything, this experience has made me more determined. I don’t take opportunities lightly anymore because I understand how quickly life can change. I’ve learned to rely on myself, stay focused even when circumstances are uncertain, and keep working toward a future that feels more secure than the one I grew up with. My father’s absence is something I will always carry with me, but it has shaped my strength in ways I am still learning to understand. I am not defined only by what I’ve lost, but by how I continue to move forward despite it.