Never Give Up by Taiye

Never Give Up by Taiye - November 2013 Scholarship Essay

I never thought I would make it to college. The idea of going to college actually scared me because I knew I could not afford to attend college. My family struggled everyday to make ends meet. My mother worked two jobs while my twin sister took on a job in order for the family to have enough money to afford the things we needed. Everyday during high school I would wake up at five in the morning in order to get my younger brother ready daycare and myself ready for school.I thought my life would consist of helping my mother take care of my little brother and eventually graduating High School and getting a job of my own.
I gave up on all my dreams and ambitions because I did not think a girl like myself in a circumstance like mine could ever get out of my situation. I was depressed and frustrated because I was living a life I did not picture for myself in. I took care of my mother and my siblings but never myself. I thought not having money meant that I was not allowed to dream.

Even though I understood that I could not attend college because my family could not afford it, I still applied to my dream school. I applied to Howard University on the day of the deadline because I was afraid of rejection and also not being able to afford Howard University. Two weeks later I was accepted in to Howard University and I received some scholarship. That month I received awesome news that I was a 2013 Dell Scholar meaning I won a scholarship for school and a free lab top. I knew with all these amazing things happening I needed to have believe in myself.

Throughout my high school career I took duel credit class and by the time I was a senior I was able to obtain 69 credits. I graduated with my Associate Degree in Science and my High School diploma at the same time. Even though I was frustrated with my situation I learned throughout my high school career That I could never give up. Even when my I did not believe in myself and I only had two dollars in my wallet I refuse to give up, because the more I dreamed the more it became my reality. I am currently a freshman Mechanical Engineering major at Howard University and this all happened because I never gave up.