Don't Let the Current Drag You Down

Growing up, everyone was told the same life to follow: finish high school, graduate college then a successful career. But no one ever told you how to survival if you skipped, fell and diverged from the path. How do you succeed? How do you survive?

“Don’t Let the Current Drag You Down” is a visual metaphor that captures the balance between the nature of survival and the pursuit of dreams.

I failed my first attempt of college. While it was beautiful - it was too expensive, so I tried again through community college. I moved out with my boyfriend, but our newfound freedom was locked down by the pandemic. I began working at AutoZone in 2020, pulling ot hours while a fulltime student. Remote academics I tried and failed as I saw coworkers fall week after week from the virus. After a year of failed academics, I took a break from school. Overconsumption of alcohol was my coping mechanism while I worked – making sure there would be enough to cover next month’s rent and utilities - that all I needed.

Year after year I promised myself to go back to school but it never arrived.

In December of 2023, my boyfriend and my immigrant mother reminded me of my dreams, go back to school. I was disappointed in myself, but my mother’s love continued to show me that it was never to late. I sobered up, continued community college and got accepted to 6 out of 9 colleges. I was almost there.

However, 2024 brought roaring waves that dared to challenge my progress. I thought, “Maybe college wasn’t for me”. However, my family’s resilience to keep pushing forward encouraged me to continue pursuing a higher education. They would be okay – and so I did.

Let my art piece be a reminder of the resilience required to pursue one’s aspirations amidst life’s relentless demands. I encourage you to hold onto your dreams even when you feel like you’re drowning or that you’re only surviving. The glass bottle pouring out water onto the canvas represents the flow of life and the challenges that come with it. Elements that are spilling out – the rent receipts, grocery receipts, apartment keys, work achievement pins – are tangible representation of the obligations of the present. The painted and clear wrap represents the overflow of water, almost as if I were drowning. Despite the chaos, hope rises above the torrent – “Congratulation on Admissions” letter is afloat to represent that dreams can still be achievable and rise above the challenges.