My parents' income statement has become a laughing matter at the dinner table. From jokes about our house falling apart to wisecracks about cramming nine people under a single roof, I still find it surprising that my family has managed to make light of our financial situation. Outside of the dinner table, life wasn't a comedy. Money was always a problem, and it fueled heated arguments that tore my family apart. These disputes often escalated to violence, a derivative of...

During my junior year, I was taking 12 classes at the same time from my regular schedule at Lakewood High School, online school at Florida Virtual School, and dual enrollment at St. Petersburg College. I also had to deal with family problems, from babysitting my brother and three infant cousins every day to reporting domestic violence and dealing with a family member's death. Because of a demanding academic schedule along with problems at home, my grades dropped my first semester, but...