I’m not very proud of my attendance but I’m on my own, I have no parents, very

little family and they are struggling themselves, so I had to do what I had to do, I was

working trying to make sure I had some to eat and somewhere to sleep and clothes.

Yes, I could of got help sooner but my pride was too big I didn’t want to seem like I was

needy, you know? I regret missing school for money but then again I was scared, I

didn’t want to be on the streets, I didn’t want to have to wear hammy down clothes, but I

will say I’m proud of myself, still missed school but I came and did my work and now I’m

graduation like I promised myself I would. Not proud of the way my grades were but I’m

glad they are good enough to graduate high school, I get to prove to everyone who

doubted me wrong. I thought my attendance was going to stop me from walking but until

I realized how important it was to walk I was just going to do my work and keep missing

school just for the diploma, but I want memories not a paper, the paper is what proves

that I graduate, but me walking that stage will give me more pride, more reasons to brag

and more memories that I will cherish forever. I believe all my attendance and transcript

papers are not a reflection of who I am, that’s just a paper that tells someone how long i

went to school and how many classes I passed or failed. Who I am is someone totally

different, I just had hardships through my years in school and had to grow up faster than

I was suppose to. I didn’t want to miss all those days but I felt then I had no choice,

which some days I didn’t. I had to sacrifice some things and that’s just how it was, if I

could go back and do it all again, I’m not going to lie, I’d probably still be more of trying

to stable myself than school, because sometimes I think if I didn’t worry about where I

was going to go what would of happened, how would things be? I think about this

everyday, I’m glad I’m graduating but I’m also glad I didn’t give up and worked hard for
the things I have now, Now I know at my lowest I could still make it to the top.