Growing up, I was never made to get a job. My parents maintained the belief that being a student and focusing on academics was my main priority. They worked hard to ensure my brothers and I were happy and comfortable—this comfort took the form of homemade meals, new shoes and clothes for the school year, and little worry as to our family’s finances. I knew I was fortunate. In an attempt to be more independent, in high school, I started to purchase some of my own clothes with birthday and Christmas money. However, while I learned to purchase on this small scale, entering college would offer me a different reality.