Navigating Uncertainty and Challenges as a Young Aspiring Student in Today’s Changing Landscape
As a 20-year-old recent graduate, I find myself at a crossroads filled with doubt and urgency. In May, I marked my milestone birthday under difficult circumstances: after being asked to leave my previous living situation in Alabama, I had to move to Texas and was left with no choice but to live in my car. I moved here hoping to build a new life, initially staying with my ex-stepfather, but that arrangement isn’t sustainable long-term.
Currently, I am actively seeking employment but facing persistent rejection, even for entry-level positions. Despite this, I remain committed to finding work—any job that covers minimum wage—to support my ambitions. My ultimate goal has always been to attend university here in Texas, with aspirations of participating in study abroad programs or enrolling directly in foreign institutions.
So far, I’ve managed to enroll in a community college with a GPA of 3.6 after completing two semesters. My plan was to leverage this academic record to transfer to a university here, and from there, aim for international studies abroad. However, recent legislative changes, including provisions introduced by former President Trump, have cast a shadow over my plans—I worry that the increased costs and potential loss of financial aid could make higher education unattainable for me.
I rely heavily on SNAP benefits, and with the threat of homelessness looming, I am overwhelmed by the prospect of losing the opportunity to study abroad altogether. The idea of going overseas is not just a wild dream anymore; it’s becoming a necessary escape route out of my current circumstances. The original vision was to use my community college GPA as a stepping stone to university and eventually international studies, but I am increasingly unsure if that path is still viable.
My academic background is less than ideal—my high school GPA was a 2.1, largely due to a tumultuous upbringing and constant disruptions caused by my mother’s beliefs, which forced me out of school repeatedly. I barely managed to graduate, and at this point, I worry that my academic record and financial limitations are barriers that I might never overcome.
If university remains out of reach, I am contemplating dropping out of community college to pursue trade school—though I really don’t want to settle for that life. My passion is forensic science, which I’ve fiercely committed to pursuing despite everything. It feels as though external circumstances are working against me at every turn, and I am struggling to see a clear