My Story

I grew up understanding that my parents did not have much to support me and my younger sibling. I never questioned my parents about material things. They struggled to make ends meet. My father was a tricycle driver. At the age of 9, my mother had an accident while on her way home from work. This was the most tragic moment in our family which caused my mother to be physically incapacitated. Being the eldest, I had to take care of her while my father was away for work. I was bathing, dressing, and feeding her every day. I love my mother so much and I love taking care of her. I never had any regrets about doing those responsibilities.

It was hard to see my parents financially challenged. To add up was the health condition of my mother that needed attention. As a kid, I felt devastated that I couldn’t do anything to help them. I think this was the reason why I matured at a very young age.

My mother became my inspiration to dream so that I could give her a comfortable life. I wanted to save her and take away all her pains. I was determined to finish school and earn a degree. I remember telling myself that when I reached 17, I had to look for a job and that’s exactly what I did. At 17, I also entered college. 

I landed my first job at the no. 1 top fast-food chain in the world known for its golden arches. I would admit that life as a working student was difficult. I sacrificed my morning to wake up as early as 5:00 am every day and start hitting the road to get to work. I would bring my school uniform with me to work and just change, then go ahead to school to attend night classes until 9:00 pm. At first, I struggled to manage my time but eventually, I found a way to cope with the situation.  My part-time job helped pay for my tuition and other school expenses.

I must say that at first, it was kind of stressful but I got used to my daily routine. Work in the morning, and attend school in the evening. I persevered under these circumstances throughout my college life to help ease the financial burden of my parents. I had to earn money for my allowance. 

At first, my parents were reluctant that I would finish school while working. They thought that I might lose interest in my studies once I earned money from working. I told my parents that I could manage both school and work. I convinced them that I would do my best to juggle my priorities.

I was no longer asking for allowance which was a great help for my parent.  All my earnings from my job would go into daily household expenses and my education. At a very young age, I was adding food to the table and buying groceries for our home.

Things were about to get tougher. When I knew that my school was offering a scholarship, I instantly decided that I needed to apply for it. The trouble was, I didn’t have the slightest idea what lay ahead. Recalling my college life which I now laugh at as “Years of Sleepless Night.” I studied harder to get a general average of 1 to 1.25 to be able to get a full scholarship.  Right after my classes, going all the way home to still study. I had done what many diligent students do: sacrifice precious sleep for the sake of academic success. There was no time to mingle with friends, not even on weekends. I caught up on my sleep in what little spare I could snatch on while commuting on my way to school.

Despite depriving myself of sleep, the A’s kept coming on my report card. I was able to maintain a full scholarship until I finished school. The scholarship helped me secure my future. The money I was earning from work helped me with my allowance and contributed to expenses at home. I created my own sacrifice, and I was determined to endure until I reached my goal.

My sacrifice was centered around my time. For me, what I did with my free time was vital to my success in reaching a goal. I had stories of giving up things that I wanted to do to do something I felt I needed to do. You have no idea what I was willing to give up to achieve my dreams. I knew that if I sacrificed something that could reward me in the future and I could put time in my favor.

I was rewarded for my hard work. I was able to finish college and I did it with flying colors – graduating as Cum Laude! It was never part of my plan, it was a bonus. By the time the graduation handbook was released, and there on the top of the list of honors, I saw my – Rosalie Garcia: Cum Laude. The sight of my name on that list was gratifying. It was like a tap on my back telling me that I did a great job.