The Weight I Chose to Carry

Written by Tavis Evans, Augusta Technical College

For the past three years at Augusta Technical College, my college experience has not looked like the typical one. I was not always able to stay after class or attend campus events. Many days, I left early not because I lacked commitment, but because my little brothers were waiting on me.
Balancing Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology coursework with family responsibility shaped every semester I completed. After picking up my brothers and helping my mom, I would begin my second shift schoolwork. Many nights stretched until 2 or 3 a.m. studying circuits, preparing for exams, or troubleshooting assignments. I maintained a job while going to school. I missed events. I sacrificed sleep. There were moments when exhaustion blurred my focus and doubt crept in. I questioned whether ECET was truly the path for me. I wondered if I could carry the weight much longer.
Because I knew I had to leave early some days, I changed the way I approached my education. I would arrive on campus two or three hours before class started just to give myself time to work ahead. If my schedule demanded adjustment, I adjusted!
During one of those difficult periods, Ms. Gaines noticed. She saw more than a tired student trying to meet deadlines. She saw someone stretched thin but still showing up. Instead of letting me quietly battle stress and self-doubt, she encouraged me directly. She reminded me that perseverance is not about perfect conditions, it is about consistent effort. She told me that finishing what I started would mean more because of the obstacles I faced. She did not lower the standard for me; she reinforced it. She made it clear that graduating was not just possible, it was expected.
That encouragement shifted something in me. I stopped asking whether I could handle it and started telling myself that I would. On the nights I felt overwhelmed, I remembered her confidence in my ability to finish. When I had to leave class early again, I no longer felt ashamed, I felt determined. Her belief strengthened my own. I began approaching challenges with the mindset that quitting was not an option.
Any time I was given an opportunity, an assignment, a leadership role, a chance to prove myself I went all in. I could not afford to waste it. I did not know when another opportunity would come. Through every late night and early morning, I kept moving forward.
This summer, I graduate!
Even through the hard times, I can finally say I did it. It might have gotten ugly here and there. It was not always smooth. But I overcame it. I stayed disciplined. I balanced responsibility with ambition. I made it across the finish line just in time.
Ms. Gaines’ encouragement did more than help me complete a semester, it helped me believe that I could complete the journey. And because she believed I would finish, I did.

Visit our FAQ page or contact contests@nisod.org or (512) 471-7545 for more information.