Do you ever just look at all the people around you and wonder how their life is and if they are having the same struggles as you? Maybe you're in a class right now, like me, and you see people older than you who have kids but came back to school to continue the education they never got to finish. Honestly, good for them that they have basically created their life sooner than expected, but care enough to keep learning and maybe finish what they started - or start something they have always wanted to.

Or the kids who are the same age as you and who are full-time students who also have a job trying to work hard enough to pay their way through school while trying to do well in school. None of it is easy and I don't think we were ever told that is was.

As we're growing up, our parents are constantly telling us to not want to grow up too fast. Enjoy being young with no responsibilities. Man, do I miss those days where I would just go to school when there was still nap time at school. The teachers were always so nice and would help you with the smallest things.

We always had a helping hand, not that you don't as you get older, but we're more independent. You realize that you won't always have help to get places in this world. you have to work hard and in the end, do it for yourself and better your own future. Maybe you're thinking about your professor, standing in front of all different types of ages teaching us stuff we need to get somewhere in this world... Maybe. I feel like most the time, mine just talks about stuff not even related to this course.

What am I getting at here? What am I trying to say? I'm saying, try and not judge people too much - not that I don't. But maybe they are facing the same struggles as you, trying to get through school, make some money so you can have some fun and not be too deep in debt on the side. I don't just see these people in class but I know a bunch of hard workers at my place of work. There are also a bunch of lazy people in this world - these type of people make reaching our goals more difficult and cause us to have to work harder. I am personally the type of person who would rather just do something myself so I know it is done right and actually gets done.

When we're growing up, we are always seeing our parents going off to work all the time, maybe coming home late or not being able to spend as much time with us because of work. I never thought that that would be me, already but it is. I probably have the least amount of time that I ever have. I'm am not complaining - I need the money so I have to work and I need to go to school. I'm honestly proud of myself and when I meet strangers that I have never met before at the restaurant and they want to know a little bit about me, it's nice. It's nice that they are interested in me and that they care to hear a little bit about how I'm living. Some people just want to hear about your plans, I am often interested in listening to other people's, as well.

There is nothing wrong with being proud of what you are doing and how hard you are working. You should be proud because some people can't. When I tell people who ask that I am a full-time student and basically work full-time and rodeo as much as I can on the side, they always say "Good for you." It is good for me, honestly, and thank you to all people who work hard to make something of themselves. The people I see working hard and making something of their life make me want to do that in my own life. They may be the reason I am where I am today, where many of us are today, and if it wasn't for hard workers, we wouldn't have a lot of the things we do have today.

It's because of the ones who never give up and keep at things until they make them the way they want, or even just to reach the finish line. If no one has told you lately, thank you for working hard - I appreciate you even if I don't know you. Everyone should be appreciated for what they do. Keep working hard and I hope one day it pays off for you!