For my whole life, I have had familiarities with finances and the cost of having a life to live. As a kid in the Bronx with a history of surrounding gangs and violence, it has been hard to keep a low profile and stay in school. However, from an early age, I began to take under my dad's wing and learn about finances all the way from getting ice cream after school to what a mortgage was. It hasn't been easy to keep up with school, clubs, and to take care of my family. Just when we were at our worst, we moved to Montgomery in New Jersey in 2023. We were offered low rent for the first few months and I was offered a chance to go to a new school, Montgomery High School. Montgomery High School was a positive and encouraging environment, free of violence and ill intentions. It felt like a weight lifted off of my shoulders and that I could breathe and let myself loose. Beyond that, multiple problems in math class such as exponential calculation or functions have also helped me keep up with financial literacy. It was here that I began to learn how important math would be for not just calculation, but consistency in finances. I was offered the choice to take financial literacy as a one-semester course, but I chose to wait until senior year and retain the information. Senior year was and still is one of my most decisive points in life. Remembering what I had been through before, I chose to apply to colleges, and even ambitiously to The College of New Jersey. College is one of my biggest passions because not only does it encourage self-searching, but it fosters higher education and is responsible for making many dreams come true. It was here that I took the course to better understand financial literacy. The course came with a Budget Challenge simulation and the simulation that my job was an electrical engineer. The choice was up to me to how I would manage my credit card, pay bills, and even student loan debt. The course was well-informing and it allowed for me to not just know, but simulate what I would be up against. I won 3/5 of the trophies, but that wasn't the end of it. I learned about 401k and necessary methods to build my retirement fund as an adult, and I only grew in my aspiration for college. I believe that scholarships don't stop at just building bridges, but making sure they stand and ensure financial security. I know now that above all, nothing is free. From my experience in the Bronx to the hardships that me and my parents have had to endure, this truly is a safe period in our lives and my acceptance to The College of New Jersey has been a proud moment for us. I plan to complete my 4 year education in Finance and use my money to build not just bridges, but opportunities, dreams, and courage.