We are excited to announce the June 2023 Financial Goals Scholarship winner is Joshua! Congratulations!
"I honestly did not expect to win this! All my efforts through my work and school taught me discipline and helped me win this award. I am very grateful and will use the money to propel my future as an engineer in college." - Joshua K.
Money can be tight in college. Sometimes financial aid and savings aren’t enough to cover all of your expenses. In his essay, Joshua shares how he leans into his passions in order to make money in college.
"When earning income in college, there is no easy way out. On that path toward financial security, you need to put in hours of hard work. So when solving my financial problems, I try to work hard while also pursuing my passions. I love playing the guitar, so I got a job as a beginner guitar instructor at a music summer camp. Math class always stuck with me, so I applied for a tutor position at Kumon and Mathnasium. I am obsessed with going to the gym, so I went for fitness instructor positions at local gyms and started a local lawn mowing business in my neighborhood. The simple fact is money doesn't come easy, and if I am going to work myself to the bone, I want to do it through the things I am passionate about.
Holding multiple jobs at once can be strenuous, but knowing I find enjoyment in the jobs I work makes the burden a little lighter. To make things even better, I push myself to work harder in these jobs because of my underlying interest in them already! This has helped lead to raises and benefits making my financial burdens an easier hill to overcome. Furthermore, the mix of jobs and side hustles I’ve experienced has helped me explore who I am and opened whole new worlds of people and opportunities. From meeting new people within the workplace to connecting with students or members at the gym, I now have this social network that has honestly changed my life for the better.
Despite all of this, you won’t find financial problems simply vanish. Leo Tolstoy once said “The two most powerful warriors are patience and time”, and that applies to every aspect of life whether it be pursuing your wildest dreams, or working a 9 to 5 at your local gym. The key is to work hard and work consistently. It will be tiring, it will be difficult, yet it's those moments that make your success all the sweeter. I am not saying pursuing your passion when getting jobs or side hustles will make the burden go away, but it can allow for some semblance of balance or joy through the work you do in your financial journey.
From my experience in making money for college, I would tell you to pursue something of interest (even if it is more of a curiosity rather than an interest), work hard, be consistent, and don’t stop. I genuinely believe these steps do not apply just to some income in college but to the entirety of your life. At the end of the day, it is truly your mentality that will determine your financial situation in and out of college. Work hard while following your passion, and I promise everything will turn out just fine.”
Established in the year 1910, 1st Financial Bank USA (1FBUSA) provides quality community banking services in South Dakota, credit card and other financial services to college students and college graduates, and construction lending to builders, developers, and investors from coast to coast. 1FBUSA will award a $2,000 scholarship to a new winner each month. View full rules and eligibility at 1fbusascholarship.com.
