As an African-American college, sophomore, and first-generation student, my experience in college has been both exciting and challenging. Going to college has been a dream of mine, and, being the first of my family to pursue higher education has been both an honor and a challenge. I have been faced with a lot of obstacles that I never expected, but I have learned to overcome them and take advantage of the opportunity presented to me. During my first year of college, I had to adjust to many new things, like living away from home, managing my time, and navigating a new social environment. As a first-generation student, I did not have anyone in my family to turn to for guidance on how to handle the college experience. This was a challenge, but I was determined to succeed. I made use of the resources available to me, such as my academic advisors, the tutoring office, and peer study groups for my classes. These things help me manage my workload and keep up with my classes. Now that I am a sophomore, I am faced with a new set of challenges. The pressure to choose a major and make career decisions, especially so early in my college years, is extremely difficult. It seems as though I have to make so many decisions this year on the path forward I want to take. Not only that, but as the workload increases it becomes more and more challenging to stay focused on other things, such as clubs, internships, and academic opportunities. I'll plan to manage these challenges by developing my discipline and creating a more goal-oriented lifestyle. I think this is the best way for me to focus on my work while also achieving my dreams and balancing my life. I've learned from an early age that education is the most straightforward path to a higher standing in life. To me, getting a college education is more than just earning a degree and being a part of academia; it is one of the only ways for me to make a better life for myself as well as for my mom. It is well known that many African-Americans are in a cycle of low income and my family, and I are no exception to that fact. This is a chance for me to achieve a level of success that is not possible for many in my community and the elders behind me. It's also a way for me to expand my worldview and gain a deeper understanding of the world, and the space around me. I believe it's so important to understand the different aspects of life and the world because if you don't how can you say you have lived as fully as you could?

A distant memory of a gray Motorola sits in my head; it was sleek and shiny almost as if it was pretending to be silver. Or was it silver? That day is mostly a foggy blur in my mind, but its ability to occupy my mind is just as baffling. A phone rang and it was at this moment when the fog in my mind covers my memories. The phone is in my hand and I’m excited, across the line is my dad. Nothing about our conversation I can remember, still my memory is wrapped in fog, but I clearly remember him saying bye. “Bye Aman,” he said “Bye Daddy,” I said, unknowing that the last time I would ever speak to my dad would be over a shiny grey flip phone. * * * * * * Nine birthdays had passed since I spoke to my father, and I was preparing to apply to high school. The confusion, depression, and crying had turned into rage. The thought or any conversation about my father boiled my blood, the tv cliché of a boy without a father is what I became, and I hated that about myself. I hated that he turned my mom into a single mother who had to work herself to the bone. I hated that his selfish actions still affect how I felt. I wanted him to hurt as I did, I wanted reparations. But the thing about knowing tv clichés is that you must watch an absorbent amount of tv to know them at all; and with that comes the lesson and images of life that great directors and writers teach. From Will Smith’s iconic scene where he rages about his disappointing father in “Fresh Prince” to the character Morgan on “Criminal Minds” who doesn’t let his father's abuse control his life and future. Characters ranging from all different ages and backgrounds, and their life decisions helped me slowly realize that the feelings never go away, but what I did with them was more important. They say that with hate comes love and that they’re on opposite sides of the same coin. However, I didn’t want, nor do I love him, but I did love the other parts of myself I was forced to become. I learned to cook so I could eat when my mom was busy. I never needed help with school because I taught myself to study. These were the things that helped me get into high school and then by myself with little to no help. While I still had an immense rage and hatred towards the things he did, I didn’t need him present as I did in the first grade. * * * * * * It’s been 14 birthdays since I last talked to my father. Thoughts about him have faded, with the emergence of more important and relevant issues in my day-to-day life. I have grown closer to the father figures in my life and I’ve watched five more birthdays worth of unsupervised television. That day is mostly a foggy blur in my mind, and honestly, I’m okay with that. I asked my mom and she said she had a hot pink Motorola flip phone. Funny isn’t it, I was so attached to that sliver of memory, and I still got it wrong. I’ve learned that it’s blurred not because it is hard to think about, but because it’s a memory that doesn't matter. It would be dumb to let a man who isn’t even here control aspects of my life., through an imaginary silver flip phone.

1. So my daddy went to the store to get some milk, but when I heard the door knockin and opened the door all I saw was the jug of milk. You know how it be with that no daddy life, Periodt, and that wit a T. Anyways my mom did okay, and I ain't need the money for school but for like sex dungeons parties, bruh why is they so expensive to get in. 2. I actually go to go to cosmetology school at this really cool church called Scientology, hail Captain David Miscavige, leader of the Sea Org. It's pretty fun sometimes, like I get to pursue my passion to style but it's like in the middle of the ocean, I can't swim, and any money I make goes to the leader but I'm totally fine. 3. One time I was getting robbed.... Thats it I got robbed.... but like I guess I didn't die.

A family restaurant is a very unique and special type of business. They usually are in the same families for many generations, which gives it a lot of continuity and stability. Generally speaking, families that own restaurants are usually successful because they have common values and beliefs that guide their decisions as owners. The familial atmosphere at the restaurant helps to create an environment where employees can feel comfortable discussing problems or issues without fear of retribution from their superiors. Those are just a few things I've learned, growing up working in the restaurant. In my family, the restaurant was always a major part of our lives. My parents have always been involved in the business and I have learned a lot from them. The responsibilities that come with owning and running a family restaurant have shaped me into the person I am today. I have had to learn how to run a tight ship and manage a busy restaurant. I've also had to develop relationships with my customers and meet their needs. I've had to learn how to cope with stress and meet challenging deadlines. In short, I've had to develop many skills that have now helped me in my collegiate life. The issues that come with running a family restaurant have mostly taught me how to be a responsible person. I've had to learn how to handle financial matters efficiently. I've also had to learn how to work with different people and manage interpersonal relationships, because I knew it was my job to make sure the restaurant had the best suppliers, the best workers, and the best customers. I've had to learn how to run a business efficiently by managing resources effectively. I've also grown as a person as a result of my involvement in the family business. I've had to learn to develop and manage my own goals and ambitions. I now go to college to study business and hospitality, because I want to continue working at the restaurant. However, I don't just want to manage it I want to expand everything. I want to build locations across my city and continue across the states. I want to specialize and differentiate every new location so that each one can focus on providing the best food and experiences that it can. My goal is to introduce a plethora of African cuisine and culture all over the United States at a higher level. So that the people can learn not only about the food but also experience it as if they were in my home. The experience I've had growing up in my family's restaurant has shaped me into the person I am today. I've learned how to be a responsible person and a successful entrepreneur. Most importantly I've developed a dream and passion to build upon it and create something bigger than just my family and me.