Hi, my name is Michelle, and I’m currently attending college to pursue a degree in Social Work. Going to school means much more to me than simply earning a degree. It represents an opportunity for me to create a future for myself, become more independent, and eventually help other people who may be struggling with difficult circumstances in their own lives.

Getting to this point has not always been easy. I have experienced emotional abuse and difficult family circumstances that have affected me throughout my life. I also lost my father to gun violence when I was 19, which brought another level of grief and trauma into my life. I have had to learn how to keep moving forward while dealing with the effects of those experiences and trying to figure out who I am and what I want my future to look like.

Living through emotional abuse is actually one of the reasons I became interested in social work. Emotional abuse can be difficult for people to recognize because it doesn't always leave something visible for others to see. I know what it is like to question your own feelings, struggle to feel heard, and need someone who genuinely listens and takes what you're experiencing seriously. Those experiences have made me want to eventually work with people who have experienced emotional abuse, trauma, grief, or other difficult circumstances.

I want to become the kind of social worker who can help someone understand that what they are experiencing matters and help them find the resources and support they need. I can't change the things that have happened in my own life, but I can choose what I build from them. Getting my education is one of the ways I am trying to do that.

College itself has also been a challenge for me. Along with everything I have experienced in my personal life, I have struggled with depression and anxiety, as well as ADHD and dyslexia. There have been days when depression has made it difficult to find motivation, anxiety has made everyday responsibilities feel overwhelming, and ADHD and dyslexia have made keeping up academically more challenging. Despite those struggles, I continue showing up and working toward my education because school gives me something meaningful to work toward and a future that I genuinely want for myself.

My goals are what make all of that effort worth it. I don't just want to go to college for the sake of having a degree. I want to become a social worker and use my education to help people who have experienced emotional abuse, trauma, grief, and other situations that can make someone feel alone or unheard. Because of some of my own experiences, this work feels deeply meaningful to me. I want to be someone who listens, advocates for people, and helps them find support when they may not know where to turn.

Going to school feels like something I need to do for myself and for the future I want to create. Even when school is exhausting or my mental health makes it harder, I keep coming back to that goal. I can picture myself doing work that matters to me, becoming more independent, and building a life that I chose for myself. That makes the difficult days and all the work it takes to get through college feel worth it.

Right now, one of the biggest things standing in my way is financial. My financial aid and student loans do not cover the full cost of attending school, leaving me with a remaining balance that I need to find a way to pay. I have been looking into financial aid, payment options, loans, and other ways to cover the cost, but I am reaching out for help because I don't want finances to be the reason I have to give up something I have worked so hard toward.

I'm raising money to help cover my remaining college expenses so that I can continue pursuing my Social Work degree. Asking others for help is difficult for me, but staying in school means having the opportunity to build a more independent future for myself and eventually use what I've learned, both in school and through my own experiences, to help others.

Any contribution, no matter the amount, would bring me closer to being able to continue my education. If you aren't able to donate, simply sharing my fundraiser could help too.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for helping me continue working toward a future where I can turn some of the hardest parts of my life into a reason to help someone else.