MY EXPERIENCE LVING AT A SHELTER

LIVE IS TOUGH, WE MAKE IT TOUGH.
I REMENBER THREE YEARS AGO AT THE AGE OF 19 WHEN I RAN AWAY FROM HOME WITH MY SEVEN MONTH OLD BABY. I DIDN’T MEAN TO HURT ANYONE I WAS JUST TRYING TO PROTECT MYSELF AND MY CHILD. SO I DECIDED TO MOVE INTO A SHELTER FOR TEEN MOTHER HOPING THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO FIND HOUSING FOR MY YOUNG FAMILY. I STRUGGLE TO FIT IN WITH OTHER RESIDENTS SINCE I DIDN'T SMOKE OR DRINK, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME INTERESTS AND I WAS ONE OF THE FEW THAT HAD A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
AFTER 28 DAYS I WAS MOVED INTO A NEW SHELTER IN BROOKLYN. I NEVER EXPECTED MY LIVE TO TURN LIKE THIS. I NEEDED UJNDERTANDING BUT INSTEAD I FACED MORE RULES AND REGULATIONS AT THE SHELTER. I WAS NOT ABLE TO EXPRESS MY FEELINGS, I WAS AFRAID OF REJECTION. THE FATHER OF MY CHILD WAS IN A WORST SITUATION. HE DROPPED OUT HIGH SCHOOL AND HE DID NOT AIM FOR MORE. HOWEVER, HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON I COULD CRY WITH, I AM NOT SURE IF HE UNDERSTOOD HOW I FELT OR NOT BUT I FELT LOVED WITH HIM.
NONTHELESS, HE WAS LIKE ANY OTHER YOUNG FATHER THAT IS NOT READY TO CONFRONT THE MANY RESPONSABILITIES PARENTHOOD COMES WITH. BUT I NEEDED HIM, NOT REALLY SURE WHY. WE TRIED TO MOVE INTO A FAMILY SHELTER BUT AFTER LESS THAN A MONTH WE RECIEVED A LETTER OF DENIAL. ONCE AGAIN, I WAS HOMELESS AND SCARE.
EVERYDAY AT ANY PLACE PEOPLE REMINDED ME OF THE MISTAKES I DID. EVENTHOUGH PEOPLE WANTED ME TO LOOK AT MY BABY AS A THING THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE HAPPENED; INSTEAD MY BABY GIRL WAS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING IN MY WORLD. IT WAS BECAUSE OF HER I GREW SELF ESTEEM, AND MAINLY, IT WAS BECAUSE OF HER I WAS STILL ALIVE SEARCHING AND WANTING A BETTER FUTURE FOR US.
LIFE IS THOUGH AND NO ONE CARES. AT LEAST, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. I MOVED INTO THE BASEMENT OF MY STEP FATHER'S HOUSE AND I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO COLLEGE. ONCE REGISTERED FOR CLASSES AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THE BEGINING OF THE SEMESTER I FOUND OUT I WAS 3 MONTHS PREGNANT. THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN WAS STILL ON THE SAME SITUAITION WHILE I WANTED MORE FROM LIFE. I DIDN'T WANT TO QUIT SCHOOL AGAIN AND AT THE AGE OF 20 I BEGAN MY COLLEGE EDUCATION.
AT MOMENTS, I FELT LIKE I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST SOCIETY. I FELT CHALLENGE BY THE STATISTIC OF TEEN MOTHERS AND MY TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN GAVE ME STRENGHT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. THEY DIDN'T JUDGE ME BUT INSTEAD THEY LOVE ME MORE THAN ANYONE DID. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I FELT NEEDED, I FELT IMPORTANT AND I FELT APPRICIATED AND I WANTED TO GIVE THE BEST FOR MY CHILDREN. WITH HARD WORK FROM ME AND MY CHILDREN I WAS ACCEPTED INTO NEW YORK UNERSITY.
NOW, AT THE AGE OF 22 I AM GRADUATING FROM LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH HONORS AND I AM ALSO WORKING ALONG WITH TWO NYU STUDENTS TO ESTABLISH ONE OF THE ONLY SHELTERS FOR TEEN MOTHERS IN QUEENS AND HOPEFULLY THE NEW RESIDENTS WOULD FIND THE SUPPORT THAT I DIDN’T FIND WHEN I BECAME A HOMELESS TEEN MOM.