For those who think we Americans have it easy. . . please understand that not all of us do. Perhaps this could help you understand another side you maybe have not seen before. Sorry, it is kinda long but maybe it can be encouraging to someone, hopefully the op.
I am from a family that made less than 20k a year. I have 4 brothers and sisters, my mom went to school full time and worked full time. Therefore, I did a lot of the housework, helping siblings, and maintained a 4.0 all throughout grade school. At 16, I paid for all of my expenses, including my own car and insurance because I worked 30 hours a week during high school. When I graduated high school I worked 40-60 hours a week at two separate jobs while attending college fulltime. I was also involved in research and an officer in the prepharmacy club.
I continued to do this through 6 years of college.
I paid for my own college education. Also, there were three different instances when my dad had cancer surgeries, leaving him either without a job or any income for 3-4 months. On each of those occasions, I picked up my parents' financial slack (being that I have 4 younger siblings who could not work), helped take medical care of my dad, and still went to school full time. Not to mention, I have had family members with drug issues and AIDS--which bears an unheard of burden.
I am 25 years old, married, I have a chemistry/biochemistry double major (gpa3.35), I have kept my parents from losing their home and vehicle on several occasions, and finally, after trying three years to be accepted into pharmacy school, I am accepted.
The most important thing. . . I do not regret a single second of working hard, why? . . because when I received a call last Friday from the adcom asking me if I would like to attend pharmacy school, I guarantee it meant so much more to me because all that I had overcome to get there. That, no one can take from me. . . that joy is what matters to me. I know that I have earned every bit of the blessing of having the opportunity to obtain my Pharm.D. to help others with their pharmaceutical needs.
That, my friend is America. The OPPORTUNITY you must WORK for. And you are right, not everyone starts on the same page. But, America is about having the opportunity to work your way up from anywhere. I truly hope the best for you.
It is easier if you focus on your own path, not your path compared to someone else's. That bit of advice was given to me by my grandmother, because I had said some hateful things about spoiled students that did not have to work when they were in college.
😳 As you grow older, you will see that people are just people that want to be accepted.
Like cheburashka has at the end of her posts, Your success is directly proportional to how badly you want something.
🙂 I would like to add, if you want it, work for it
😀. Best of luck to you. Keep working hard, when the time is right, things will fall into place.
