By Julie Tate, Reporter
I believe that oftentimes the hardest working people come from less than privileged backgrounds.
It’s as if people have a stronger desire to work hard and make money if they come from a place where money isn’t regularly available. People who do come from money, or who grew up being supported financially by their parents, may have less of a desire to be self-sufficient and hard working, possibly because they most likely can fall back on someone else if they run into financial trouble.
No, I’m not pointing fingers or calling out any certain group of people. This statement isn’t true for everyone, but it was for me during my first two years at Baylor.
Growing up in a middle-class family, my parents always worked hard so they could provide for me. I saw the importance of being a hard-working individual, but I never truly understood for myself what having motivation on a day-to-day basis felt like until I began interning during my junior year at Baylor.
My internship taught me things I hadn’t fully grasped by seeing and not doing: the true value of hard work, how to push through adversity and the sacrifices you have to make in order to reach your full potential at work.
Doing. It sounds redundant, but I think that’s the trigger to jumpstarting your motivation in college. Breaking the chains of the bad habits presented by being spoiled, or being financially taken care of by someone other than yourself, isn’t easy. I believe, however, it’s the key ingredient needed in order to become a better version of yourself.
You never know what the future holds. There may not always be a family member, friend or spouse by your side to financially support you. It’s smart to learn how to be independent and driven when you’re young so that you are prepared for life’s future curveballs.
Sometimes I picture what my life would be like if I didn’t have the resources I have now. I wonder if I would still be able to continue my education and if I would have enough drive to support myself financially without the help of my family members.
And the answer I come up with is always the same, “No…heck no,” and that’s okay. It’s okay to not have everything together when you’re 21. It’s okay to not be able to pay Baylor’s arm-and-a-leg tuition without financial help. It’s okay to not have your life figured out when you’re probably still trying to figure out exactly who you are.
But it’s not okay to waste your four years here at Baylor by taking for granted the opportunities and resources you have without working hard to build your skills and striving to be successful on your own. Eating from a silver spoon probably isn’t going to get you a job after college.
Maybe it’s best if we have a poor man’s mentality. Our motivation can be fueled if we treat self-efficiency and prosperity like a necessity instead of an option—as if our life depended on it.
