Every young child has some idea of what they want to become when they get older. I was no exception.  For as long as I can recall, I wanted to be a lawyer. But how I was raised totally changed that idea.

 

I was raised with an alcoholic father.  My mother was addicted to drugs and wasn't in my life. For nine years my younger sister and I lived in this hostile, saddening environment. I was subjected to a lot of cursing and verbal abuse.  What made it worse was that my sister got the worst end of things, most of the time, and wasn't able to adapt under the conditions as well as I did. Even after we moved from my father's home, I could tell that she was still affected by what had happened. Even though going to college has been my dream since I was a child, I also know that I have no other option, due to the life that I have lived. I knew that I have to go to college to not only make sure I survive as an adult, but also to be an example to my sister. I want to show my sister that you can become something great in the future, even if you had a horrible past.

At Bowie State University, I am studying pedology because I want to become a child psychologist or counselor. Pedology is the scientific study of the life, development, and socialization of children and adolescents and Bowie is the first university in the nation to offer this program. I love children, and I think I would enjoy working in either an elementary or middle school. Most importantly, I realize that children are affected tremendously by their environment, and I want to help children who live in troublesome environments and are starting to go down the wrong path. I want to do for other children what I couldn't do for my sister.