The sound of a phone ringing, the rush of having to solve problems on the spot, and the pressure of making customers happy. At sixteen, I was thrust into the demanding world of customer service. It wasn’t just the job that challenged me, but the sudden shift in my life. From high school classes and teenage worries, I was forced to leave school due to economic pressures and family issues, suddenly finding myself navigating the adult world filled with responsibilities, expectations and lessons I never anticipated. I was about to discover just how much I was capable of, and how much I had to learn to survive in a world that didn’t pause for anyone.

I was raised with love and constant encouragement, which built my confidence. But when my life took an unexpected turn, the harsh realities of the work environment shook everything I believed. Surrounded by criticism and doubts about my abilities, I started questioning the affirmations I had always trusted. Despite the initial shock and emotional turmoil, I slowly adapted to this new reality.

I still remember sitting in a large conference room for the first time, at a round table surrounded by supervisors, administrators, and employees who had years of experience. The room felt cold and serious, filled with voices discussing performance standards, expectations, and responsibilities. Everyone around me spoke confidently about meeting requirements and improving efficiency, yet all I could think about was how drastically my life had shifted. Just months earlier, my days were filled with eight classes, quick breaks with friends, and teenage worries. Now, at sixteen, I was expected to perform at the same level as adults who had spent years in the workforce. As I listened, a quiet realization settled over me: there was no going back. I had to change the way I thought, how I carried myself, and how I worked, because my life no longer aligned with the world I once knew. My supervisor’s voice cut through the room and still echoes in my mind: “The same expectations apply to new employees as they do to those who have been here for years.” In that moment, the line between childhood and adulthood vanished, and even though I was only sixteen, I understood that I had stepped into a world where there was no room for hesitation or excuses.

This experience taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and adaptability. I learned that life is unpredictable and often harsh, but it is also a powerful teacher. The challenges I faced at a young age forced me to grow up quickly, instilling in me a sense of determination and strength that I might not have developed otherwise. I realize that the words of doubt and the harsh environment I encountered were crucial in shaping my character. They pushed me to prove my worth, not just to others, but to myself. I emerged from this experience with a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me, ready to face whatever challenges lie ahead with confidence and strength.

While I learned responsibility, time management, money management, and how to interact with adults, I couldn’t help but feel sadness at the same time. This experience gave me invaluable insight into the real world but was also the reason I had to involuntarily miss a school year, creating an unfortunate gap in my high school education. I feared how this would impact my future. Then, to my surprise, my family decided to move to the United States. Again, my schooling took another hit. As if my life wasn’t unstable enough, I now had to adapt to a new country with a system different from everything l’d ever known.

As I arrived, I became haunted by the constant feeling of being behind, missing out, and not fitting in. In the Dominican Republic, I had never been required to complete community service hours, participate in internships, or build a college-ready extracurricular profile, academic opportunities outside the classroom simply weren’t prioritized. Suddenly, I was in a place where these things mattered deeply, and I felt as if everyone else had already started a race I didn’t know existed.

That pressure fueled me. I wanted to catch up and prove to myself that I belonged here. During my first year in the United States, I pushed myself to do everything at once, working two internships, joining four clubs, founding my own student organization, and completing community service hours several times a week. I was determined not only to participate, but to create opportunities for others. Yet, in doing so, I sacrificed time to connect with people on a personal level. I was so focused on building my future that I had little space to build relationships, and as a result, I spent much of that year feeling alone. Still, through the overwhelm and isolation, I discovered the depth of my determination and my capacity to adapt.

Through self-reflection, my support system, and my own commitment to growth, I realized that while I can’t change where I started, I have full control over where I am going. With that mindset, I chose to focus on building the person I want to become as I map out the steps to make it happen. Doing the bare minimum has never been enough for me. Deep down in my heart, I know I have something special to offer the world.

But growth is not always loud or glamorous. Sometimes it looks like sitting alone in the school cafeteria, reminding yourself that isolation is temporary. Sometimes it means choosing discipline over comfort, or dreaming big in moments when doubt feels louder than hope. My journey taught me that success is not defined by how fast you start, but by how determined you are to rise each time life shifts beneath your feet. I learned to give myself grace, to trust that progress can be quiet, and to recognize that belonging is not earned overnight, it is built through patience, persistence, and an unwavering belief in who you are becoming.

I have never stopped trying, I’ve never stopped dreaming, and I’m here to make all of it come true.