Breaking the Cycle
16, 17, 18, 19. These numbers are how old my grandma, my aunt, my mom, and my sister were when they got pregnant with their first child. Most of the women on my mother’s side were teen moms without a college degree, some without a high school diploma and all were single. I plan to not continue this cycle.
Growing up, I saw how my mom struggled to find a career she enjoys with just her high school diploma, even though she is a very intelligent person. Seeing her unhappy and unfulfilled made me determined to change the order that I make my choices in life. Don’t get me wrong, I want to have a family eventually. But instead of having a child first, like all of the women in my family before me, I want to complete my education and start my career. Family will come after. I would like to say that I figured this out on my own but my mom’s support and almost daily go-to lecture of, “I want you to be independent so you don’t have to depend on a man,” worked on me. So did her actions. My mom always made school a priority for my siblings and me. We were not allowed to be late to school, stay home for
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I love my sister and my nephew, but I want what is best for me and for any children that I might have in the future: stability, freedom and choice. I believe the best way to achieve this is to go to college.
I will forever be grateful for the encouragement my family gives me. My grandma, my aunt, my mom and my sister are all wonderful mothers, but they know how important it is for me to break the cycle of teenage pregnancy and go to college. As I complete my college applications I feel as if all my hard work in school is finally paying off and my childhood dream of going to college is becoming a reality.
20, 21, 22, 23. These are the ages I will be in college, graduate school and the beginning of my career. A cycle I plan to