When I was 7 years old, I had just finished writing my first short story about a girl graduating from college. In her Valedictorian speech, she mentioned that she was the first in her family to receive a college education. I always imagined that would be me 15 years later.
I’m sure that you’re confused as to why exactly a 7-year-old would be writing an entire short story about a 22-year-old Valedictorian. Let me give you some background information: Neither of my parents graduated from their respective colleges, and neither of my older brothers even applied to colleges in their senior years of high school. As the then-second grader who absolutely loved learning, I was outraged. I remember standing in front of the television with one of my brothers and telling him that I would be the first in the family to graduate from college.
Ever since childhood, I have always been deemed the “overly-ambitious” and “determined” one in my family. I had personal and educational goals that no other 7-year-old would have: become a New York Times best-selling author and be the first in my immediate family to receive a college education. I started researching colleges when I was in middle school and I began building my resume by joining clubs and even starting them. Since I already knew what I wanted to do, it was easy to figure out which colleges I wanted to go to: Northwestern University in Chicago was one, as well as New York University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It wasn't until I was in high school, though, that I realized that I wanted to actually study creative writing instead of literature.
Due to financial hardships, I was unfortunately not able to attend university immediately after graduating high school; however, I did not let that hindrance push me away from my lifelong goal. I began attending a community college in Raleigh immediately after high school and was able to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of the literary magazine, become inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success, maintain a 3.5 grade point average and be a full-time student all while working full-time. I did not let the hindrance of my mental health push me away from my education either. I didn't let anything get in the way of my education.
I was 15 years old when I had my first short story published by an independent publishing company in Apex, North Carolina. No, it was not the same short story I wrote about the girl graduating from college. In fact, that story is still being written. Right now, the main character just became the first in her family to graduate from any sort of college with a 3.426 overall GPA. The next chapter will begin in August as she moves on to studying creative writing at UNC Wilmington.
