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The struggle of a university student...
A thread - and I do not know how long this will take because I’m also ‘struggling’ with this one.
A thread - and I do not know how long this will take because I’m also ‘struggling’ with this one.
I am truly happy to be able to work at an org that gives several tertiary renewable scholarships each year to students. Interviewing the shortlisted candidates every year is particularly challenging for me. The stories of struggle are just so much.
‘How did they even get this far with what they have experienced?’ We (the panelists) say this every year.
And these TEENAGERS have been rejected by parents, or are unable to eat because their parents can’t afford it, or their parents are dead. Some were severely abused ....
And these TEENAGERS have been rejected by parents, or are unable to eat because their parents can’t afford it, or their parents are dead. Some were severely abused ....
l will never forget the young woman who said ‘after I was raped, I really had to dig deep to move on and motivate myself’. I don’t remember much of what she said after that.
So it’s an Honour to help get them to the next level of their journey.
But then they get to university/college and on top of the struggle to get there, the struggle to focus in such a huge environment is so hard.
But then they get to university/college and on top of the struggle to get there, the struggle to focus in such a huge environment is so hard.
A major component of maintaining a scholarship is keeping your grades up. For us you have to maintain a certain GPA and do some volunteer hours. If you don’t, you have to do another interview (with me 
) and explain yourself. Today, I had one such meeting.
) and explain yourself. Today, I had one such meeting.
I can be tough 
but today...
Settling in was hard for this young lady because she was worried constantly about all the other things she had to pay for. Her mom got sick, her grades suffered, she felt like a failure because she wasn’t ‘as bright’ as in high school.
but today...Settling in was hard for this young lady because she was worried constantly about all the other things she had to pay for. Her mom got sick, her grades suffered, she felt like a failure because she wasn’t ‘as bright’ as in high school.
So much hopelessness was clinging to her.
The struggle is real for these young people. Of course the interview turned into some encouragement about the fact that... we all lied. When we say to young people that life is over if you fail a subject, we lied.
The struggle is real for these young people. Of course the interview turned into some encouragement about the fact that... we all lied. When we say to young people that life is over if you fail a subject, we lied.
When we say that ALL IS LOST, if you don’t make it RIGHT NOW, we are lying.
We have to start telling them do your best now with what you have.
And we have to show them how to manage the emotional turmoil of life as much as we show them how to study. That’s truth.
We have to start telling them do your best now with what you have.
And we have to show them how to manage the emotional turmoil of life as much as we show them how to study. That’s truth.
