We Are The Sandburgs: A Story Of My Life

After high school my main focus went into finding a full time job to support myself and my family. I started a family early and I tried to take college

When I graduated high school I had no idea what I wanted to do, all I knew is I was done with public school and could live my life as what I thought an adult was. My father and most of my family believed it was important for me to go to college, and get a kick start with my life. Though they weren’t wrong, I had no idea what I wanted to do and no discipline to do my studies to the full extent of my abilities.

Currently I am employed full time, and also hold a part time position along with being a wife, and mother of two children. By furthering my education, I can improve our future. Some days I just can't find the time I need to get what I need completed. Coming back to school after almost a decade has not been an easy task for me. However, I know once I get done, it will be completely worth it.

After finishing high school people go through a dilemma on whether or not they want to continue their education. They could either go to college or begin working as just a highschool graduate. Going to college is a necessity. College takes four years and maybe another four years of studying. They is very little in comparison to an average 80 year lifetime. That’s not much time at all! College costs $20,000 - $30,000, college is like putting an investment into yourself and in hope that you’ll prosper and get a deserving career. Many jobs require special skills and that’s where college degrees come in. College brings many job opportunities, whether it be flexible or just high paying. Debt could easily be payed off if college is completed because of the better income.

Back in England, life was full of economic struggles. There were so many that were unemployed and

When I was seventeen, fresh out of high school, I did not have a clue what I wanted to do or where I was headed in my life. I worked two jobs and stayed up all night studying. I got married and had my first child which led me to drop out and started working full time.

I learned a sense of pride and that I had to work hard in order to be a productive citizen in this country (lessons that I seek to teach to my own children). So at the age of 15 I started working part-time at various restaurants after school and all those long weekends with my father restoring the cars that he purchased to repair and resale. As I reached high school graduation, I did not have much help preparing for life after high school. I was not given information on finding work, much less advice on attending college and how to succeed there. I stumbled through a year of community college thinking I wanted to be a commercial pilot and working midnight to 6am. After a year of this and having earned a private pilots license, I decided to join the Marine Corps to be an Amphibious Reconnaissance Marine. It was the best decision that I could have

I got a job. I got two, well a couple more than two depending on how you want to look at it. I figured with money comes power; and it did. I devoted my entire life to work. Working at the restaurant, working at the store, working at the new store, teaching the kids, working in school, working in athletics. I did everything I could to make more and more.

My first experience in the real world was when I worked as a dishwasher at the Tangier Restaurant, while in high school to help support my family. We never had a lot of fancy things, but we were blessed to have each other. I lived with my mother, father and sister, and I have a brother who has always been close by. After graduating from Garfield High School, I work as a material handler at Different Demission’s. After working three years

Reading your comments brought back some memories for me like you after high school going to college was not in the cards for me so I joined the military and this lead to adventures in life such as marriage. Now going back to college can be challenging for the new normal known as non-traditional students, but we know what this degree means to us in getting a better position where we currently work at or it will open doors to unlimited possibilities.

Most times, students end up living a life they didn’t want after high school. With no degree, students may find themselves working at a labor or hardworking job making little money. College students are usually better off in their life with an efficient job and a healthy family.

I had dreams and the only way I knew how to live out my dreams was through education. Although I fell into temptation as an adolescent, I never stopped attending school. During the end of my freshman year I found out I was having a baby girl. I knew I had to succeed more than ever, just to prove to her there is a way out of poverty. I had very little to offer her, so I was a single mother on welfare. I had many sleepless nights and moments that I just wanted to give up, but I pulled through and was able to attend East

Finding a career that will provide for you can be very difficult if you do not follow the path to reach your goals. This is another reason to stay on track and work hard in school. Without your education, going into the work force and finding a good job that will provide for you and your family can be very hard. Most jobs require school degrees and sometimes certifications that require many hours of work. Without the degrees and the certifications, advancement in a job is sometimes impossible. Without advancement in a career, it is very hard to reach your goals of making that big salary, and having all of the enjoyable things in life.

Two months before my graduation from high school, with nowhere to live and nowhere to go; I had no choice but to live and work out of my car. During the days I would go to school and tried to act as normal as possible. Evenings and nights I worked as a postmates delivery driver. Some days I had to choose between work or homework, see normally most academically successful people would tell you that school should always come first no matter what. But when having to choose between money for food and gas, or doing that research paper that's due in two days, procrastination and hunger overcame