THE DREAMS I CARRIED

After finishing high school, I was still young, but I already had dreams for the future. Like many young girls, I imagined the kind of woman I wanted to become. I wanted to work, become independent, help my family, and build a life I could be proud of.

At that age, I did not know that life could change so quickly.

I believed that if I worked hard and stayed focused, everything would eventually fall into place. I had hopes for my education and my career, and I looked forward to discovering what the world had waiting for me.

I later pursued Graphic Design at Highlands State College, Multimedia University Branch, from 2018 to 2019. I enjoyed learning new things and developing skills that I hoped would help me build a career.

But life has a way of taking us through roads we never planned to travel.

There were moments when opportunities came and others when they disappeared. I learned that becoming independent was not always going to be easy. Sometimes I had to start again, adjust my plans, and keep moving even when I wasn't sure where the next opportunity would come from.

As I grew older, my dreams also changed. Some became bigger, while others became simpler.

I no longer wanted only success. I wanted stability. I wanted to be able to take care of myself and help the people I loved. I wanted to wake up knowing that my life was moving forward.

I didn't know it then, but the years ahead would teach me some of the hardest lessons of my life.

They would teach me about work, love, loss, disappointment, family, and most importantly, myself.

And this was only the beginning.