Since I was young I have always wanted to go into the field of physical therapy, so that I may be able to help someone else. Helping other people has always been a passion of mine. Physical therapy is what I love and want to do, it is how I seek to better help the community and the world. With that in mind not everything has gone to how I would of planned. At the other out of state institution I attended. I was faced with exceptional finances hardships, as the school tuition was $45,000.
When I spoke with the school representatives, I was assured that i would have the appropriate grants and scholarships that I would need to excel and afford college. After a period of time, I eventually learned that those grants and scholarships that they discussed were actually loans. Which they only covered part of my tuition, the other partial amount came from my financial aid. So, after all of my finances were deducted to cover my tuition | did not have any remaining for my books or any other school materials that I needed for school.
I was left to fend on my own. So, I had to work three jobs just to afford tuition to make payment in order to stay enrolled semester by semester. Needlessly to say this was extremely stressful and did not go very well. My parents would try to help by sending $20. 00 sometimes. However, I attempted to try to only spend it on the necessity. Until I finally found a job in the cafeteria from 7 pm-12:30 am everyday. My classes started at 10:00 am to 4:30 pm the little time I had in between classes,
Tonly had 30 minutes to a hour to eat before work started only allowing me to read my literature assignments while engulfing my dinner before I started my shift. Sometimes while I was working fixing the pizzas, I would be contemplating about my next test I had coming up and my many assignments. I would often mess up on peoples orders for instants some ingredients | would forget and others I would have the whole pizza order wrong due to severe stress of just trying to pass my classes.
I never noticed until my manager called me to the side to inform me that there were complaints against me due to messed up orders and unsatisfied customers. My manager asked me what was going on and I informed him that I was just trying to give my all in every class and trying to give my best at work. Even though it seemed like I was failing I was barely keeping my head above water. On the weekends you would think I would have a chance to rest,study and revive myself. By 10 a. m I was walking myself across campus to the gym to my second job as a concession stand manager.
When I first arrive at work I get all the food out and set up for the tournaments and the games, sometimes ] felt like I was moving in slow motion throughout the day just from being fatigued on studying in the morning and sleeping 3 hours a night. Even though I was working with little energy left, I would keep reminding myself what I was doing this for, to keep me motivated through out the day. I enjoyed my time working as the concession stand manager and getting to be around the action of the sports and the great people that worked with me.
By 8:00 pm I was closing the concession stand and getting ready for my next job as a security guard that started at 9:00 pm. The hourl had in between I would study for my tests coming up that week, before having to be at work to maintain traffic on parking for the many concerts and plays that was held every other Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sometimes when there were slow moments in between the job I would give myself pop quizzes on what I studied for that hour before work. Even though my time for studying was those short moments in between working, trying to eat and when I should be asleep.
Those were the moments when I had to make every assignment I studied for count. Even when I was leaving work at 12:00 am, instead of going home to collapse in my bed from being exhausted from back to back work. I would review my assignment to make sure I answered every question correctly and that it was A standard quality work. Working 3 jobs barely helped with keeping up with my tuition payments, sometimes I would be on my way to the library and be told that I have no access due to my account being closed out due to late payment.
Sometimes this would frustrate me because it happened on one or more occasions, for instances | went to the cafeteria for dinner before my shift, gave my card to be swiped and to be told by the lunch lady that there’s a hold on my account. The most infuriating, stressful and embarrassing moment of many to come that I would have to accept and push myself harder to eliminate that to keep happening. They would block me from the campus blackboard which wouldn’t allow me to complete homework that was due only online. Sometimes for a day and the most 3 days, which in school homework builds up a lot.
They also would put a hold on my card which didn’t allow me to get into my dormitory in the middle of the day so I would have to wait on someone to let me in so I could get my work for the next class. All the money I had collected would go straight towards tuition, which would leave me with very little money to buy books that were 300-400 dollars a piece sometimes. And very little supplies as paper binders pens an pencils which I had to borrow from other students that would be so kind enough to give me their old binders to me.
Going through these obstacles as you can imagine took a huge toll on my GPA causing it to fall in major classes to which I fell behind and tried to stay afloat in my classes until I had to realize I was already under water sinking in my classes. Instead of giving up I admitted to myself I couldn’t afford to maintain tuition any longer and my GPA had suffered enough so I left. I started attending ACC to get my GPA back up and was able to afford the classes due to them being cheaper. I’m thankful that I did make that choice to go to ACC to get my GPA back up so I may make that next step in my life to attend Texas Tech!
I’m thankful for the sacrifices I had to make even when I wanted to be prideful. The many doors that were shut in my face and times when I didn’t have enough money to eat that day. All of the many long nights of studying and writing essays for more than one class. I’m truly proud of myself for enduring everything that as been thrown at me and not ever thinking to give up, but to simply find a better course that will help me to get to my goal. Being able to transfer to Texas Tech would be the next step to finishing my life goal of being a physical therapist.
The first campus I attended was the beginning of my journey that taught me a lot of life lessons and made me overcome adversity. My greatest lesson learned was to not just accept the path that is laid out for you, but to be will minded enough to conform the path to fit your needs. After attending the first campus along with ACC I truly believe I was being prepared to attend Texas Tech and to be apart of such a great physical therapy program. I love that there is a hands on program that helps you get a better visual of what you’ll be doing in the work force.
Truly it’s encouraging to know that 100% of the students graduating are able to get a job after 6 months of graduating to a physical therapy facility. The most appreciating quality of Texas Tech, that the teachers, students, and aids will do everything they can to help you and keep pushing you to reach your goal to finish. To have attended a campus that doesn’t value encouraging the students to keep going, not give up and that it’s possible to finish and walk across that stage being proud to say you did it and your campus helped you.