Without the help of your family, you have had to sacrifice time, social events, going out, and being able to experience the world outside your education because you've become equipped with studying, and making sure you're on the right path to success.

It's hard not having any help, and you had to grow up fast, but you're almost there. Keep going.

When I first realized that I wanted to pursue something with my life that'll give me a better opportunity at life in the future, I don't think my parents understood. I say that because sometimes parents are supposed to want better for their children, but I don't think my parents saw it that way.

I don't want to say that they're not good parents, because at the end of the day, they're my parents, and according to the Bible, I am supposed to honor my parents. I often find myself asking the same question repeatedly, "Why aren't my parents helping me?" I wanted to know if it was something personal that I conflicted with them because I wasn't satisfied with my life at home. Could it have been that I wanted more than the life I already had?

It has taken me quite a while to understand why I've always had to things on my own.

People are different, and sometimes we aren't all granted the opportunities we think we should have, but the simple fact of not having parents is difficult because we as society see that a parent provides for their child, and it is essential of having parents for the child to grow up and become something in the world.

Sometimes that doesn't work out.

I had to experience things differently than my friends and see face challenges differently because I had to learn how to grow up fast without the financial, and metal support from my parents. Getting a job as soon as I turned 16 was an advantage for me because I could work from such a young age to provide myself with the things I needed and wanted because my parents weren't going to give them to me.

Often, I get upset because of the stress I've endured at such a young age because not having help from my parents. Others may look at my situation differently and may think "Well, at least you have parents," and even though it's true that my parents are never there to help me, what's a parent if they're not willing to help their child?

Sometimes, some of us grow up fast because of the support were supposed to receive from our parents. This isn't to bash my parents, but rather a story to let others out there trying to make it on their own know that we have each other. No matter how much you've had to sacrifice and all the lonely times you have when you don't go home for breaks, but your friends do, you're not alone.

You've had to learn things on your own, and accomplish things differently than others, but only you know where you're going, and how to get there. You're almost there, just keep going.