I am going to be the first person in my family to graduate from college. This is extremely important to my family but it also comes with a lot of weight and responsibility. I want to do well for my family but not just for them for me as well. I want to be able to help my family financially. Education has always been the most important thing for me. It was my way to free myself from ignorance, and give me opportunity that my family has never had. My parents never let anything get in the way of my education. They did not and could not further their own, and it was their personal missions to make sure I did well and stayed in school because it was a privilege to be able to further my education. My parents lack of education has stunted them in many ways, and had they been able to continue going to school, our lives could have been very different. Because my parents did not experience this, it has made me more determined than ever to further my education and to excel. I want to be able to help my family, I want to say I did it on my own, and I know my family does not have the means to support me if I should fail. My family is made up of white Americans, descended from Europe. We do not experience any racial struggle living in America, but the class struggle has done grave things to our family. Our lack of means to support one another has even resulted in tragedy. The American dream, is that you can become someone in society, and be affluent, without having to come from money. In many other countries if you are not born into money, you do not have any opportunities to make it. My parents raised me that I could do whatever I wanted to. They did not restrict me in any endeavors I had, they always encouraged and supported me. I have seen what lack of education, opportunity, and literacy does to people. It can change everything. This is why I will not give up, I will persevere despite how difficult college can be, especially for someone who does not come from a wealthy family. I take my studies seriously, because for me, unlike some of my fellow students, I can only rely on me and my own achievements through education to give myself and my family the lives that we deserve.
3 thoughts on “Literacy Narrative”
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Like many other Baruch students, you and I come from a humble background. My parents didn’t go to college either. Baruch’s graduates are listed on the top of a social mobility ranking. Many Baruch students are able to move from the working class to the middle class. The American dream is alive in Baruch. It has been achieved by those that worked hard not only in academics, but also in networking.
I think students who are the first ones in their family to graduate college always have a little more ambition to finish school and become someone. I agree that if they are the first ones to graduate college it does come with more responsibilities. I also take my studies more serious because we want to succeed in life.
What part of Europe are you from? I think it’s quite admirable that you are so determined to be successful. I like how you briefly acknowledged being white and privileged, but that does not nullify your class struggles. I think a good education can come a long way and class struggle could be an interesting topic for your paper.