I visited Bowie because I didn’t see a reason not to and soon after I was signing my scholarship and getting ready to become a college student. My signing happened on the day every athlete signs February 2nd. Although it’s one of my greatest life accomplishments I never realized the magnitude of it. I never realized what opportunities were being offered to me. I was being presented with the chance to change the culture in my family, I can end this cycle, this stigma where my family thinks that we’re not good for college, That there’s no point in trying. I’m the only one in my family right now that is attending a University and I’m the only one to ever play collegiate sports, my athletic achievements mean a lot to me but they mean nowhere as much as simply graduating. I don’t think anyone is able to understand how much me crossing that stage with my degree means to me and my family, it’s unheard of and just means so much. A lot of times I’ll show up at a family event and everyone looks at me, like I’m supposed to be some type of hero and I’m supposed to make a big difference and while it’s true, it’s a lot of pressure on me but at the end of the day it comes with a lot of support and a lot of love so I’m not upset. I have many younger cousins who …show more content…
I believe very strongly in the self-fulfilling prophecy because it’s all I’ve ever known the only way I knew to get something was by working hard. If I want to cross that stage I can’t be lazy, I can’t procrastinate, if I put my mind to there’s nothing stopping me, there’s always a way to get around any issue whether it be financially or anything else. As I thought of how I got here, I thought of the things that stopped me, the things that made me hesitate and confused. Some of those things are just the fact that I had not been through the process of applying to colleges, I didn’t know how to, my parents know way less than I do of anything college related and I can’t be upset at them for it because they’ve never been through it, my sister flunked out of high school and that’s as far as they saw. What all this made me realize is that one day I’d like to start up some time of nonprofit organization where I can help the Latino community learn more about the college process and everything they should if they want their child to go far in life. What I went through was a very confusing experience and I think if I would’ve had a little more support I could’ve looked forward to it more and not be so sacred of it. Essentially my goal is not only to go through college and graduate but to have those behind me follow me and change their lives, that’s when I’ll rest