ABOUT ADRIANNE

A few years passed, and when I was in Grade 7, my parents had never made amends. I had already accepted it by then, but it had a huge impact on me. First of all, I still worked hard, with the same amount of dedication that I had previously. But then, after that, I started hanging out with friends who were not so good. That is when skipping school, skipping class, and spending time at computer shops instead of studying began. I spent hours playing video games there that I could have used for studying. My parents were upset and furious with me at the time. They had no idea why I was making such choices, let alone after I had been such a good student to begin with.

All of that came to an end again in Grade 9 with the pandemic. Overnight, I was no longer able to just leave the house, and I was confined at home. My sole means of escape was my phone. It was then that I began playing mobile games like Mobile Legends and Call of Duty Mobile. Gradually, I became addicted. My world was gaming during the lockdown period. The pandemic also brought new things into my life — I found my first girlfriend during the pandemic. While as exciting as it was, it also took away my attention from studying even more.

When taking strand selection for Senior High School at the time the pandemic had been over and I was in Grade 12, I took STEM. It's because I wished to be an architect. I wished to plan buildings, build structures, and create things. I worked hard in school and was able to graduate from Senior High with honors. It was my family's pride and mine as well.

After graduation, colleges were the next thing to choose. This was another milestone in my life. My sister was admitted to a private college because she needed to study nursing. My parents supported her ambition, and my dad funded most of her needs while my mom gave her allowance. For me, I was in IT, as much as it was not my choice. My own aspiration was to become an architect, but because my sister's education was costly, I had to sacrifice my dreams. I comforted myself that it was alright, that I would study, but within me, I felt a little behind.

I couldn't help but feel a little jealous at times. Every time I needed something from school, I was always told that my sister would be given priority because her fees and tuition were too high. I went through my first and second year studying IT without even getting access to my own laptop. It was terribly tough for me, but I still survived. And then all that changed when my sister committed mistakes that frustrated my parents. Because of that, they looked at me. Now I am being gazed at and informed that I am the one that should graduate first.

Even though I am still bitter against my sister for getting all the attention and support initially, just to disappoint our parents afterwards, I have also learned to accept it. I am currently in my third year at the university studying IT and I work harder than ever before. I never got the opportunity to carry on studying further to become an architect as I used to dream when I was a child, but I have set myself up with a new dream one that I can achieve through sheer determination and hard work.

If I go back far enough, I can see how far I have come. From a small boy who wept because he couldn't see his grandmother, to being a good student, to getting lost due to friends and video games, to finding my way again with every step of my life leading me to where I am today. Life wasn't smooth all the way, and at times I was jealous, furious, and in pain. But through it all, the challenges hardened me.

I am committed today never to disappoint my parents. They have given up too much for me and my sister, and I owe them to fight to the end. I would like to graduate, acquire a career, and be in a position to pay back all they have lost for me someday. This is my story, and it continues