Hard Work

Katherine - Frederick, Maryland
Entered on October 19, 2008
Age Group: 18 - 30
Themes: work
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I believe in the value of hard work, and that just about anyone can get where they want to be with hard work. Sometimes people say that it’s impossible, that they don’t have the right connections. Sadly, it’s true for some people in today’s society. However, also I think that other people just have negative attitudes. If you want something bad enough, you can usually make it happen. My parents are some of the people I think of when I think of people who have overcome obstacles to get to where they wanted to be.

My Mom didn’t grow up in a wealthy family. My grandfather was the provider for a family of seven, so they didn’t have much money to spare. When she was old enough, she learned to sew so she could make her own clothes. My grandparents made sure their kids knew the value of an education and how important it was. They knew it was impossible to send them all to college without financial aid. My mom had a job she went to every day during high school, and still always managed finish her homework. She made time to tutor others, and was one of the top students in her class. She earned enough credits in high school to skip a year of college courses, and received a full scholarship to Florida Southern College.

My dad also grew up in a family of seven where money was tight. My grandpa was the ultimate penny pincher; he didn’t waste anything. My Dad learned the value of money at an early age and had jobs throughout high school as well.

Both of my dad’s parents were teachers, so their kids always understood that an education was important. They were pretty much expected to go to college. He worked hard for his grades, and it paid off. He went to the University of Northern Colorado.

The next year was hard on them both. Being so far apart was difficult, but they worked through it and maintained their relationship. Then my parents decided to get married and go to the University of Colorado together. My Mom gave up her full scholarship to move across the country and work for a year to save up money for school. Since she earned college credits in high school they could still graduate together. My parents knew it would be hard; they would have little money with no help from their parents, live thousands of miles away from their family and friends, and be a married couple going through college.

In the end it all paid off. They graduated, worked their way to the jobs they wanted, and are living the lives that they had been hoping for all along.

Knowing where my parents came from and how they got to where they are today has strengthened my faith in the value of hard work. I believe that working hard is important and admire those who do.