Growing up with immigrant parents, saying money was always tight is quite the understatement. I waited for my 16th birthday to finally be able to make my own money and have a little to spend. I applied to a myriad of places just wishing for the chance to be able to make some money of my own. A few months later, I finally got an interview with a retail store and a general manager who believed in me.

I've been working at that store since I was 16, and I'm almost 20.

Before college even began, I already applied and was hired at a cafe. I knew that being a student worker was going to be a huge part of my college career in order to be able to pay for my university bill and other expenses. This wasn't a choice for me. My past two years of college have consisted of waking up at 6 a.m. most days of the week to open the café before my 10 am classes began. It's honestly been tough, but I don't regret a second of it.

When I began to get close to everyone who works with me, I quickly realized we all shared the same mentality: that working through college is a huge part of the experience. I can wholeheartedly say my coworkers at the café are some of the most humble humans I've ever met. All of us understand the struggle of trying to finish up assignments before our shifts and scheduling our social life around working weekends and late nights. Working in college is an essential part of the experience; I can't even imagine my experience without it.

I couldn't be more grateful to my parents who have made me pay for everything ever since I began working at 16. I don't quite understand how college students can rely solely on their parents' money to go out and eat food, fill up their tank with gas and buy clothes for going out. Yes, you won't be working a high-paying fancy job throughout college, but it's time to start making your own money.

In just a few years, you are going to be graduating with a bachelor's degree and getting a full-time job. It's about time to start paying for your own clothes.