My first year in college I struggled financially and it was very stressful.

My parents would try to help as much as they could but sometimes it just wasn’t possible. My father even got a second job so that I could stay in college and knowing this just made me even more determined to get a job and help out.

I applied to many places but they wouldn’t hire me due to lack of experience, not up until last semester where I finally landed an on-campus job.

I had to learn how to balance work, school and my social life. It wasn’t easy. It still isn’t.

Now that I have a job, I don’t have to worry about whether or not I have enough money.

I can pay for my rent, bills, and when I can I help my parents pay theirs.

It’s satisfying that I can now repay my parents for all they’ve done for me and that they don’t have to worry so much about me being financially stable.

Working has taught me how to be responsible and I am grateful for the opportunity to study in college and make a better life for myself.

With hard work and dedication I can achieve what I want.

It’s hard waking up for 7 a.m. shifts or staying late at night studying but the thought that I’ll be the first one in my family to get a degree keeps me going.

Working and studying is a struggle, but in the end it will pay off and make getting a degree all the more satisfying.

Daisy Dardon can be reached at [email protected] or @daisydardon on Twitter.