Don’t Give Up; Focus On Your Degree

Everyone’s academic journey is different and complicated in its own unique way. Mine certainly wasn’t easy. 

I am a full-time ramp supervisor at a valet company in downtown Miami. My job requires me to often work 50 hours per week while being a full-time philosophy student at Wolfson Campus.

Yet, I did it. This is my final semester and then I’m off to the University of Michigan to pursue a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. 

However, that was only possible because I never thought of school as an extracurricular or a game. It was a serious journey that received my full effort and determination. Even after exhausting days of work that left my feet throbbing. 

I always reminded myself that my end goal was to earn my degree. 

Every time I looked at my sweaty wrist, I’d see my watch and think how all the pieces fall perfectly in place. They work hard every day to provide me with the right time. Likewise, I understood that my sweat and tears could be used as fuel to push me through until the end. 

A watchmaker is obsessed with his work and I wanted to be like that with school. So I made school my top priority and that helped me operate my life in a disciplined manner—just like a watch. 

Knowing that I had very little time, I created a weekly schedule to manage school, work and my personal time. 

I also took transfer applications seriously and searched for the best transfer university for me.

Sometimes it got hard to keep going but I was able to work full-time and maintain a 4.0 GPA, so you can, too. 

Don’t give up.