"Why Not Me?" By Isabella Maranghi

When asked to look back and speak about my past and the series of events that have occurred to bring me where I am today, I thought to myself “I can’t believe that I am doing this,” and then I immediately interrupted myself and thought “why not me”? 

It is a funny thing, success, it comes in all shapes, sizes, and amounts, and yet we are never really expecting it: at least I wasn’t. I grew up in a low-income, first-generation family with 3 brothers and sisters. Growing up, I had a very distinct role. I took care of my younger siblings, brought them to doctors, made sure they got to school, had clean clothes to wear, and got their schoolwork done. I was there for their meetings with teachers and school advisors. While spending my entire life taking care of my family, I never thought that I would be the one to go to school and make a whole other life for myself. Even the counselors at my high school doubted my ability to succeed in school.  One even told me that I wouldn’t do well in college because it is not meant for people like me. Part of that statement is true, higher education was not built or intended women, students from low-income families, or immigrant families, as well as many other people outside of that description. What the counselor failed to understand is that determination and a willingness to overcome struggle goes further than what is easy ever will. This counselor believed that because I fell outside the lines of their assumptions about who could be successful in college, I would fail. 

It would have been easy for me to accept my position and live the rest of my life without ever trying to be more than what others thought of me, but I didn’t. I chose what was hard. I chose to challenge the beliefs so many had about myself and those in the same shoes as me. Some of the challenge (if not most of it) came from myself and my own self-deprecating thoughts. There were times I thought I wouldn’t make it to graduation or even the next week of classes.  The journey I have been on has brought me immense amounts of challenges but also a great deal of pride.  In Italian we say, “nonostante tutto” which means “in spite of everything.” Think about that the next time you are feeling like you do not belong.  Think about the times you could have quit and did not, think about all the things you had to work though to be here. Be proud of where you have come from, how far you have gotten, and all the possibilities you still have.

I had to teach myself that I deserved to be at school, and I was capable to achieving all that I want in life. There is always a way to get there, and it is not a fair playing field, some will become successful with ease and others will find obstacle after obstacle. I want you to know that just because you might not fit in the categories of who succeeds does not mean you don’t deserve to. I urge you to ask yourself “why not me”?  when you feel like an imposter or like you don’t deserve to be here. List all the things you had to overcome just to be sitting in the classroom. You are incredible and you are deserving. 

• Isabella graduated from Portland State University in 2021 and is entering the Graduate Program in Speech Pathology at Northern Arizona University.