Growing up, I was never really certain about what I wanted to do as an adult. My parents were never around too much since they both usually worked two jobs to keep food on the table so my brothers and I took care of ourselves. When it came to our education, our parents were serious, but not overwhelming. We were expected to go to class and have good grades, but as I got closer to graduating high school, I realized we hadn’t even talked about what I would do after. College was not brought up often in our house, but I think it was due to the fact we had no money to spare. I wasn’t sure I even wanted to go to college.
I knew how to weld and was decent at it so maybe I could get a welding job when I graduated and hang around for my two younger brothers. They needed the support and stability that I never had growing up. I started a job as a welder a few weeks before I graduated high school. At only a few hours per week to start, I wasn’t saving much, but it was enough to at least buy my brothers donuts before school on Fridays. The weeks went on and I got better when one day an ad for a welding instructor was left on my chair: a job had opened at the local college and I knew I was finally going to get my higher education.
Standing Room Only 