[AOX81]

I wish my parents would have been able to afford to put me through school but that definitely was not the case.

I worked and paid my way through college all by myself...with the exception of one semester of financial aid. I knew in high school that I was going to have to pay for college so I got a job at the end of 10th grade. For the first two years that I worked I only spent $40 out of each paycheck and the rest sat in my checking account until I graduated from high school.

The only thing that my parents provided me with was a room over my head and food to put in my mouth. I paid my share of the bills, used my own money for extracurricular activities, bought a brand new car by myself my first semester of college and paid for the insurance all by myself.

I could never qualify for anything because my biological father made more money than my parents (my mom and stepfather) did combined.

I'm glad that I went through everything that I did. It taught me to be very independent and responsible at a very young age and it makes me proud that I achieved something on my own without any help.

Slightly off the subject...
One of the things that annoys me the most is when children EXPECT their parents to pay for everything. For example, when kids turn 16 they feel that their parents are supposed to by them a car. My opinion is that if you don't have a job then you don't need a vehicle and you can ride the bus to school.