Learning doesn’t always have to happen in the classroom, it can happen anywhere . In everyday life we learn valuable lessons. It can be from an experience , a person or even from yourself . I wouldn’t say I had the greatest experiences growing up because I went through so many hardships that shaped who I am today . My life wasn’t the easiest, and trust me it’s still not, but there was this one person that always kept me strong. My father was and still is my biggest motivation, he is the man who opened me the doors to reality and taught me what life really is. My dad came into this country with a student visa he worked hard for,  slept in the subway train for a whole week since he didn’t know anyone. Growing up as a kid he will always tell me nothing in life is easy, you always have to work hard and depend on no one but yourself. I’m sure that when we were all kids, we wanted everything we saw, I know I would throw the biggest tantrum if I didn’t get what I wanted. I was so spoiled,  I didn’t know how to appreciate things. I didn’t realize that in order to buy stuff, you needed money, money you earned from sweat and hard work. At the time, we were a low income family and my father barely made enough to maintain my brother and I. He survived paycheck after paycheck, and worked long hours with overtime just to see me happy. It wasn’t until three years ago when my parents got divorced that he opened up to me about all the struggles he went through.  I sat there crying because I had no idea, and maybe if I did, I would’ve been more thoughtful. I told myself that when I have kids of my own they would have everything they ever wanted, especially a happy united family. After the divorvce, even more money problems arised. Everything was falling apart, I felt like I was stuck in the middle of both of my parents. They completely hated each other, and it came to a point where I was fed up with everything. Even worse, I had to make the biggest decision of my life, either to live with my mother or with my father. If I chose one, I felt like I was letting the other one down. I was living in such despair, but I decided to live with my dad. I was aware  that being without my mother would be hard because she would always care for my well being but it wasn’t impossible. My mother would always teach me morals, and I would always cook and clean with her so in a way she was preparing me for the future. After everything that was going on, I knew I had to step up my game. I had to become an independent woman, not only for my dad but for myself.

At the age of 16, I would be cooking everyday after school to feed my brother and I, and so when my dad would come home from work there would be a delicious plate of food on the table. I was already having tasks that a grown woman would have , I had no reason to complain because I chose this life and I would do anything to see a smile on my father’s face.Life continued to be hard, and the least thing I wanted was to be an extra weight on my father’s shoulder. I decided it was time to get a job, I got accepted to work at Target, I managed to learn the value of money . I told myself I would always save my money to not have economic problems in the future. Honestly, it was not easy to balance work and school. Especially since I slowly began to develop depression because I  couldn’t bear having a broken family. I thought it was the end of the world. I did not want to eat, I began to lose weight, and my grades dropped . No one knew how I felt, because I was so good at hiding my feelings. I didn’t want anyone to worry about me. Everyone surely already had problems of their own. I basically went through depression on my own. There were times where I would cry out of nowhere because I had no idea what I did to deserve such a horrible life. It took me a while to realize that life is beautiful and that it is worth living. I learned to appreciate the things around me. That’s when I came to a conclusion that things happen for a reason, it is what it is. In life, there isn’t anything one can’t overcome.

Now in the present day I have managed to become a supervisor at Target at the age of 18, well I just turned 19 a couple days ago. The job isn’t easy, I personally feel that it’s not for everyone since it does come with a lot of responsibility. The job consists of multiple tasks such as making sure team members are on task, have taken their break , I direct the line in a steady manner , and taking out funds from the registers and putting in new money funds  . One thing that this job has taught me is leadership, also having the ability to cope with any situation involving a guest. For sure my social skills have greatly been impacted in a good way which is useful for everyday life. For example, in the major that I want to pursue which is architecture , it will teach me how to be my own boss. I have a habit of always making sure everything is going good and I learned that it’s ok to make mistakes .  In reality everything is achieved with hard work and patience . That’s how I see my career and future , with optimism . I look forward to being successful because life has taught me key factors that are useful. 

In summation , not everyone has an easy life . I believe that people go through so many hardships in order to learn . No one learns if it’s not from experience . In my case , my difficulties have made me who I am today . I have managed to be independent and work hard for all that I desire . Learning isn’t just in school , but in everyday life . Life is valuable and made up of so many opportunities but with many bumps along the road. Only the ones that push through will overcome anything !