Determined to avoid college debt and aware of my parents' inability to offer financial support, I proactively sought out resources, scholarships, and grants. To further minimize costs, I chose to stay local for my higher education. With the help of low-income government grants, my tuition was fully covered, while scholarships funded my textbooks and living expenses. Balancing a full-time job, I attended college for five years and earned three degrees without incurring any personal expense.