Destiny

Photography by Ashley Kung

If you're reading this, I understand the feeling of financial insecurity too.

The fear of financial insecurity always grew as the years went by. I remember crying at the kitchen table for more than math homework - never understanding why it had to be my parents that were dealt these cards. I remember understanding I was a financial burden for simply existing. I remember the sickening feeling of thinking I was the only hope of getting out of this hole that was dug before I was born. I remember the pressure to succeed in school - academics became my unhealthy obsession for the wrong reasons. I remember getting into college and worrying about how I was going to pay for it. The most challenging feeling I remember is thinking I couldn't succeed at the University of Florida because of financial hardships that I believed defined me. 

I am writing to tell you that growing up in an environment marked by these challenges can feel isolating and heavy, and I want you to know that another person at the University of Florida understands you. What I had to learn, that others need to as well, is that your hardships will walk with you, but they never have the power to stop you -  we have free will.

Your parents’ hardships are a chapter in your life story, but they do not write the whole narrative. I understand how easy it is to feel like an imposter on campus. Ten minutes ago, you got a panicked call saying that bills are due, and your parents are relying on you to send the rest. At the same time, you could walk by a friend whose biggest worry in their life at that moment is getting a boy to snap them back. It's hard not to compare situations, especially when you need to validate their feelings as well as your own. You may never talk about that five-minute phone call that left a pit in your stomach, maybe because of the fear of judgment, embarrassment, or just knowing that they will never understand the true severity of the situation. I want to remind someone that there are people who understand you, and if it all comes down to one person, I will be that person.

Remember, it’s okay to acknowledge the impact of your upbringing, mentally and physically. It has shaped you, but it doesn’t have to limit you. You are capable of breaking cycles and forging your path. Finances have a tremendous impact on our lives, and they still might, but we have gained the quality of resilience. We survived, we strived, and we are at an amazing university. If you are reading this and you feel like you aren’t thriving, you are still here, and I am still proud of you. Your story is still being written - our story is still being written - and it can be a powerful testament to strength and perseverance. Embrace your journey, learn from it, and never let the feeling of being a burden consume you - it was never your fault.

With belief in your strength and potential,

Destiny, University of Florida

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