My name is Evelyn Camacho and my planned major is Criminal Justice. I’ve always been interested in this field and plan to become a CSI or a Lawyer. As a first generation college student I know that there will be challenges ahead but I am willing to overcome them and learn from any obstacles that may happen. For example, a challenge that I overcame recently was when I enrolled in a cosmetology school while being a student in Pomona high school. This decision created a demanding and hectic schedule since I had classes from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at my school, along with the cosmetology school from 4 PM to 8:15 PM. This led to a buildup of assignments from both schools making it difficult for me to complete my homework on time. I would often feel overwhelmed by the amount of work as deadlines approached causing more and more pressure. However, I realized that I had to develop a set of skills like effective time management to be able to handle both schools. I began to prioritize important things first which was my academics, making sure that my performance remained strong while still dedicating time to my cosmetology training. I created a structured schedule that had specific times each day for homework along with time for studying. This productive schedule helped me stay organized and prevented me from leaving assignments to the last minute. As a result, I was able to balance both schools successfully maintaining my good grades. The skills I gained during this experience have continued to assist me in managing my time effectively, even now that I have completed the cosmetology course. This obstacle taught me not only how to overcome issues that get in the way but also how to stay focused and motivated, helping me procrastinate less and achieve my goals. I know that starting college will have different yet similar obstacles like this since I plan to work while being at school. With the new skills I’ve developed I'm sure that they will help me stay on track with my school work. I feel like I will also struggle on adjusting to a new environment along with the obstacles that come with it but I feel determined to overcome them because I know that with a higher education I will have a better future. Also because I want to make my parents proud especially my dad who was an immigrant. I also want to study something that I love and be able to make it my career. Thank you for this opportunity!