Fifty Cents for a Snack, but a Penny for my Thoughts
Mom: “Honey, we need to make more money or else we will not be able to provide for the family.” Dad: “Shh! The kids will hear.” A concern my Mom had to end, and a concern that has shaped my happiness, my purpose, and my disposition. When I was nine years old, my family would play monopoly every night at eight o’clock. My father would happily prepare us hot chocolate with an extra spoonful of sugar. Sometimes I would wake up, thinking about why it is not family night every second of my life because it defined my happiness. As the years progressed, family night deteriorated because our rent was rising. My father had to work for longer hours, and my mother had to plan ways to earn money. Just so we can have financial stability. Three years later, family night seemed like a chore. Everyone sat down to play, but no one talked much. It lacked engagement, and I forgot what it meant to be happy. My parents were exhausted from work and I wanted to get my loving parents back. I dedicated my time and effort to devise a solution for my family’ financial difficulty. The primary plan I had was to do the following objectives: ” Understand consumer psychology, establish a business, and invest the profit into more projects.” Day-to-day, hour-to-hour, and second-to-second, my life was to achieve this plan. It was later manifested when I started my first business venture, selling snacks at school. The first few months selling snacks I did not make a lucrative investment, and it made me understand my family’ hardship. I constantly found myself searching for potential customers and I constantly found myself advertising my products. Throughout the following months, the business’ status became well-known and it managed to propel my earnings into a lucrative investment. Consequently, my relationship with my family looked promising. I can financially assist in rent. My business venture became sustainable and earned enough money to consider it a full-time job. However, it became overwhelming because my business became the primary place to get snacks at school. “Ring Ring, its lunch time.” For most students, it was a break from class, but for me, it was a pile of hungry and anxious students ready to get their hands on Spicy and Sweet Doritos and Frost Gatorade from my duffle bag. That day I approached, Jake, my most reliable customer and friend. Jake said “Thanks Mamon, I hope you will have the Hot Cheetos I ordered from you Yesterday.” Hey no problem, but I have to catch you later there are more customers who are waiting for me. The reliance on my services became apparent to me not only when I talked with Jake, but also when I had no time during lunch to get ahead in my rigorous Chemistry class. To treat my growing stress from my business’ responsibility, I used my profit to buy various trading cards for my collection. Through this journey I found more happiness in my business than I did with my family because my business meant I was capable of spending money on items that I have always wanted as a kid. Unfortunately, my purpose in life became to make more money and I found happiness in this. Coming to University of California, Santa Cruz has given my life different meaning and once again it has shaped my happiness and disposition. I meet a student named Faraz who made one feel blessed to be around his company because he cared for you like a family member would. One day, I was late to my class and I ran down the staircase in desperation. Unfortunately, I slipped and rolled my ankle badly. I could not get up and I knew no one was around. However when I called Faraz, he was in his important Computer Science class, but he immediately came to my assistance providing me with a helping hand and IBuprofen. He never asked for anything in return and his help seemed like he was part of my family. Faraz showed me that caring comes first. My experience and the experiences to come in UCSC will manifest why my happiness should not be defined with expensive products, but by family, love, and friends. I can now say- I finally remembered what it means to be happy and my character is now complete.