I came here when I was 8 years old and now I'm 19 turning 20 soon. I've lived here more than I've lived where I was born. My parents came here a year before I did, so while they were gone, all I wanted was to be with them. I felt unprotected, insecure, depressed when they were gone. So when I came here, I didn't know I was going to live my life the way I am now.
Most people would say I'm a good person. I haven't broken the law, maybe except for living here illegally, but I had no control of that. I'm responsible and I like going to school and I always have. Ever since I was a freshman in high school, I had my goals straight; I was going to work hard, take as many honors classes as I could, study hard so I could get the grades I wanted. And after high school, I dreamed of going to a university, just like my parents. When my junior year came around, I realized how much it would be to go to a university, let along a community college. I knew I wasn't going to be able to go to my dream college. I didn't what to do after I graduate high school. Should I just stay at home and waste my life away?
When I graduated high school, one of my best friends went to UCR. I was pretty bumbed that I couldn't have what she had. A bunch of my friends got their license, got a car, and more importantly got a job. Believe it or not, I'm one of those few people who want to get a job! I really do! I want to help out my parents pay the bills and start paying my own bills. I felt like I was getting left behind. Most of my friends moved out of their parents house and started their own independent life.
Now, I know a lot of people who don't have jobs, who really I think should and who don't go to school. When I see those people, I just think to myself, wow if I was in their position, I'd have a job, my own car, help out with some bills and go to a 4-year college. Some people just don't appreciate what they have and it just gets to me.
And some people might say to me (like my boyfriend) "At least you can afford to go to school." Which is true, but I feel like I have so much to offer and I'm just wasting it. I'm almost 20 years old, and I know that there are people out there that are going through this as well, but I just feel like I need more to do with my life.
Oh how I wish the Dream Act would pass. Most of us were children when we came here and we had no control over that and to me, it doesn't seem fair that we are very limited to our needs.
