April 22, 2015

Dear Diary,
As a college student, sometimes I find myself wondering why I get up early every morning to
attend lectures. I wonder why I am signing myself up for debts that accumulate closely to the
closing costs of a home. I think twice of the importance that complex math problems will have in
my day-to-day life outside of the Concordia institution. I doubt my decisions to achieve a higher
education and consider whether all of my time is simply going to waste. Sometimes being a first
generation college student makes me look at my parents or grandparents and see that they are
pretty well off without a college degree, so why am I being forced to attain one? I feel that I am
missing out on checks I could be cashing to help my family if I had decided to have a job instead
of logging hours in classes. Im always bombarded by articles I have read about the increasing
number of college students who are unemployed or have mediocre jobs that pay little to nothing
compared to their loans and I feel my heart sinking into my chest. While I know nothing is ever
guaranteed in life, I hope the benefits I receive from achieving a higher education are still
evident. I know some of the benefits come in the form of higher wages, higher positions in the
business field, more experience in a job interview, higher economic status, or being a betterrounded individual. This motivates me to continue to wake up early for class, stay an extra hour
in class to grasp a subject, or neglect an invitation to go out and stay at home to study for a
midterm because the sacrifices will pay off in the long run. Education is the key to my growth
not only as an individual, but also for my society.
I always hear constantly on the news and social media about a century old war that has not
been overcome. This war has wiped out millions of innocent women, children, men, and even

animals. It has exposed countless others to disease, malnourishment, and no possible way to
receive medical assistance. It has caused millions to live in conditions that are not even
imaginable. These conditions have exposed individuals to filth, violence, radioactive chemicals,
and prejudice. The war is visible and I have been in contact with millions of close friends and
relatives whose lives have been affected by this, even I have been affected by it. Yet everyone
continues to ignore it, it is the war against poverty. Poverty and lack of education always seem to
be to be linked together. When I decided to receive an education I knew I was decreasing my
chances of ending up in poverty. Studies have been conducted to show that there is a gap
between the wages earned between an individual with a college degree verses those with only a
high school diploma. Those who have earned a college degree will earn a substantial amount
more than those without a degree. The amount they earn will be easily enough to cover the cost
for my student loans that I have taken out during my educational journey. I am also given a
higher possibility of obtaining a job when by receiving a degree. The amount of jobs for those
without a college degree is become scarce and in the near future it might even become extinct.
Education is the gateway to freedom from poverty. It ensures me the financial comfort of living
at or above the national standards. My family and I will never find ourselves concerned over the
lack of medical care, clothing, food, or housing. When life gets tough and I find myself facing an
unexpected fork in the road, I will have the financial comfort if I ever find myself unemployed,
disabled, sick, a family death happens, or if Im overcome by old age. With the economy
constantly facing collapses, unemployment, and prices in living expenses multiplying sevenfold
compared to what they were in my parents time, why wouldnt I be planning for the future
ahead? Its a wise idea. Why risk the safety and financial security of my family and me when I
can achieve an education. I cant imagine constantly living in fear and by not receive an

education, that is all that will be on my mind. The thought that at any moment someone could
harm me while I walk home from school, take the groceries outside of my car, sit in front of a
friends house, or even while I am asleep in bed can be traumatic. It can take a toll not only on
my physical health but also on my mental health. It is impossible for anyone to grow positively
from these conditions and have a good life. The only way I can escape these conditions is by
pursuing an education. I can eliminate my chances of having a future filled with fear and harm.
When guessing what character traits others would use to describe me, I would hate if anyone
referred to me as ignorant, bad behaved, or a setback to the group? By refusing to receive
an education, this is exactly what I can expect others to say about me. College educated students
are on demand by employers due to the fact that we can work with new equipment that our fast
pace, technological society is turning into. Without a college education I am depriving myself
from learning higher methods of problem solving, time management, and skills that I wasnt
exposed to while attending middle school and high school. By attending school, I am taught to
form an educated opinion in politics, globalization, environmental issues, gender issues, and
other topics that have come up in discussions amongst my coworkers, family, and peers. When
these topics have come up in a newspaper, social gathering, or work setting, I love to chime in a
valid opinion instead of staring blankly while others talk. Studies have shown that those with
lower education have based their choice for political campaigns solely on what theyve heard in
advertisements or what they perceive that candidate to be like as a human being. This is
extremely true because just the other day my mom said she liked Chuy as a candidate because he
seemed like an honest individual. Being unaware of important issues not only affects the
individual but our entire nation. Not being aware of the presidential candidate you chose for
office might seem small but what if a others did just the same? This could easily lead to

corruption, dictatorship, or another economic recession. Education teaches individuals the

difference between right and wrong. It establishes a higher possibility for future generations to
not be exposed to racism, suicide, gender inequality, and violation of other human rights. It
shows us how to be a morally just individual that will be an asset instead of a weight to our
community. When society is filled with educated members who have different thoughts and
ideas, we are guaranteeing our nation an edge against our competitors and better living
conditions. By not receiving an education I am increasing my risk of being impoverished and by
being in poverty I know I will always be faced with risks. I would be risking my physical health
by being tied down to back breaking labor that does not require any educational skills, in order to
make ends meet. I would be risking my mental health by doing demining tasks in order to get
some extra money when two full time jobs are still not enough. I would even be risking my life,
as many have, in order to escape poverty. I can just picture myself signing myself up as a lab rat
for new cosmetics, a field worker on a grape farm, a bus driver on the grave yard shift, or
becoming a fast food casher. I would have to force myself through crippling conditions and
minimum wage in order to make a living but put my body on the line. These conditions are what
those without a college degree, high school diploma, or even the ability to read are left as
opportunities of employment. While many might say that these jobs have to be done anyways,
am I really willing to sacrifice everything to volunteer for this position? HECK NO! I would
never feel like I am living the good life if I only received four hours of sleep a night, less or at
the minimum wage for the rest of my life, or felt as if I couldnt even climb the economic ladder
because my position of employment had no opportunity to grow? . As stated in Pradeep Dhillons
essay, Taking rights and obligations to be intimately tied within a full human rights educational
regime, I argue for the role of education in establishing and realizing freedom from poverty as a

human right. While Ive never thought the good life is solely money, the good life should
include me being alive and having good health. If I refused to pursue an education, I would be
increasing my risk of dealing with poverty and with poverty comes self-harm at the hands of
demeaning labor. So while sometimes I wonder why I get up every morning to read chapters in a
book I dislike or why I take notes for quizzes I could care less about, I realize now is the moment
I am paving my future. Education should always be the path I pursue because it is a path that will
open doors to golden opportunities. I must never forget that the choices I make at this very
moment will affect not only my life but the lives of my loved ones. I must trudge through that
history project, take on those AP classes, and fill out those college applications because they will
pay off in the long run. In order to achieve the good life I must take on an education. This is why
I cant imagine not going to school!

Till next time,

Ashley Martinez