BY FANTASIA

College is approaching
Not sure if I’m ready
The thought of leaving home
Makes my heart heavy
Will this transition
Affect my siblings
Could me going away
Cause excessive quibbling
Could me staying
Send the wrong message
Will that delay
Cause my determination to lessen
The unbearable confusion
Of not knowing what to do
Especially when your loved ones
Look up to you
Not earning my degree
Will be a huge regret
stability is a must
More security, less fret
I was going to college
A  cogent decision, yet subtle
I knew I wanted nothing to get in the way
Of this school girl and her hustle

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Fantasia Alston is a 22 year old free spirit  and visionary who spends most of her time  writing poetry, reading (preferably mystery books), and doing whatever she can to help better the community. Whether it be volunteering at the nearest homeless shelter or picking up any litter found on the solid surface of the Earth. She also enjoys painting whatever comes to mind, cooking, meditating,  and taking long walks to nowhere.  She currently resides in Columbia, SC, but grew up 3 hours away in a beautiful, yet small, city named Murrells Inlet. She is the second oldest of 8 children, and the eldest daughter. Being the matriarch of the family was tough on her, but she managed to stay strong for her younger siblings and remained focused  to complete school. Although she graduated high school with an outstanding  GPA, and  always had a passion for attaining knowledge, Fantasia continuously put college on the back burner. She was lost and didn’t want to push herself into a mainstream culture where you have to graduate from high school by 18, graduate from college by 22, start working full-time in the corporate world immediately, and then get married, buy the proverbial house with the white picket fence and have kids. That might’ve been  a great idea for her fellow classmates, but not her. After years of soul searching and finding out what career would bring  her the most joy in life, she has decided that earning her degree would be best. She now has plans  to attend a university and work towards becoming a child psychotherapist.