Punishment for wanting to achieve your goal by Naa Dromo

Punishment for wanting to achieve your goal by Naa Dromo - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

I believe that attending college is important because it sets the path for me to have a better life than what my parents in Ghana. It was my first day of Kindergarten. Other kids were talking about what games they were going to play, I was sitting in my seat asking myself how do I get home? My parents had gone over the directions a million times, but this was the first time I would have to do it on my own. As a five year old, I had to memorize the directions home from the bus stop because my parents were not there to pick me up. They weren't able to be there when I was nine, preparing dinner for my siblings and myself. They weren’t able to be there when I was eleven, filling out the forms my school told me to have my parents fill out. They were not there to watch me receive my honor roll award each year of high school. They were never there because they needed to pay the rent.
My parents migrated from Ghana in search of a better future for me and my siblings.In Ghana the education system is structured so only the wealthy attend school. My parents could not afford an education, so they were forced to stay home and work on a nearby farm, to make money to care for their families. However, through hard work, my dad was able to buy himself and my mom a plane ticket to America. They left behind the only place where their skin tone and accents did not define them. Life in America has had its challenges, such as adapting to a new country, building a new home and trying to adapt to a new culture.
Entering high school did not change the tasks I had to do by myself. I was forced to pretend indifference, seeing other parents sitting with their kids, as I filled in for my parents at college meetings. I did not have anyone setting up campus tours, watching scholarship deadlines,or figuring out if I would commute or live on campus. I did not have anyone patting me on the back,encouraging me to keep getting good grades. I did this myself. While most people have parents guiding them through college admissions, I have my own determination and perseverance. While most people have parental advice about mistakes to avoid during college, I have God guiding me and giving me wisdom. While most students attend homecoming and Friday night parties, I stay at school and ask teachers for help because I know I won’t get any at home. When I get home, I help my little brother and sister on their homework and projects. I do this myself.
I pretend I have everything under control just to give my parents peace. When I hear my peers talking about how their parents are on their back , sadness fills my heart. I know my parents want to be here for me during this time in my life, but they can’t because they are trying to find ways to pay the bills. Through all of this, I am reminded of the sacrifices and pain my parents have endured to give my siblings and me a better life. My parents knew life in America would allow more opportunities than the life they had in Ghana. As a result, education was placed on the highest pedestal, driving my siblings and me to do everything with all of our strength. Being the first child and a first generation college student, I've had to set the pace, leaving no room for failure or weakness.Although college is important, the costs seem like a punishment for wanting a higher education. Great quality education shouldn't be based on family income, it should be based on how the student is working to achieve their goal no matter what obstacles stand in their way.