I Worked My Ass Off to Save for a Four-Year School, but Now I’m Choosing Community College Instead
Community college was never part of my plan. I wanted to go to a four-year university—I’m a first-generation American, and my mom never got the chance to go to college, so education is a huge priority—to set myself up on a really strong career path in fashion business. I applied to a bunch of schools and worked my butt off to save up for the first year of school. But then the coronavirus pandemic hit.
At 15, I had to get a job to help out my mom as a single parent. First, I was a hostess at an Olive Garden 10 minutes from my school. But after I learned of an open server spot at the location 30 minutes away, I begged for that position.
I knew I’d make more money so the longer commute would be worth it. March, April, and May of this year were supposed to be my prime time for working. My goal was to get shifts every day after school to help pay for college and also hopefully get enough money in scholarships to afford tuition and other expenses on my own. Before the pandemic, I worked 25 hours a week. But without being able to work since March, I have no income. It totally set me back. Oh, and I also don’t technically know how much money I’ll get from scholarships. All that is in flux because of the virus.
I should also mention that I never even got to see the schools I applied to. I was planning to go on college visits in the spring, but obviously, I can’t travel now. I don’t care how many people say, “Just do the virtual visits!” It’s not the same.
You have to walk onto the campus to know the vibe of a school and if you can see yourself going there for four years. To spend thousands of dollars at a university that might not be the right fit for me just doesn’t make sense.
Plus, the uncertainty with everything is crazy right now. Classes at the university might start as usual in the fall semester—but what if there’s a coronavirus relapse? I can’t put myself in a situation where I’m spending thousands of dollars at a university only to come home for online classes.
So in the last week of April, I made the decision to go to community college next year. I know that I’ll still be able to buy myself a laptop, textbooks, and hopefully a new car to drive to classes whenever my home state Illinois opens up because of all the money I’ve already saved from working.
Some people say you get lost at community college and don’t end up going to a four-year after, but I think that’s a big misconception.
My plan is to take courses that are related to what I want to do and show my professors I can rise to the occasion. I’m expecting to work really hard to get the grades I need to be able to transfer to a great university. My grades will be my priority.
For now, though, I just finished my senior year in high school from my bedroom. We had Google Meets with our classes, and I looked forward to those because it was nice to hear my teachers’ voices.
Still, it’s not the way I thought I’d spend my final weeks of high school. Instead of going to prom, I’m grocery shopping with a mask. This week, seniors are picking up things like yearbooks and our caps and gowns, and we’re hoping we can have an in-person graduation in July. But going through this now is heartbreaking.
I used to think that by going to community college, I would be disappointing my teachers, my mom, and my friends. But I don’t think that at all anymore. I came to terms with the fact that I’m doing what’s best for me. I’m making a financially smart decision.
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