Sassama Hema

Many people today tend to give up too easily. Take Thomas Edison, for example—one of the greatest inventors in history. Most of his great inventions did not work on the first try like many other brilliant minds who had to persevere through countless failures to achieve their goals. The purpose of this post is to encourage people not to give up easily. As Edison said, success often comes from trying just one more time.

I’m an immigrant from Burkina Faso, Africa, and I earned my bachelor in economics before moving to the USA. I arrived in New York in 2019 without speaking English. Three months after my arrival, I enrolled in an ESL class to learn basic English. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic hit soon after, leading to the cancellation of many classes. Our school shifted to online learning, and I lost my job. Despite this setback, I decided to invest in an old laptop for my English studies, even though I had no unemployment benefits. I took this risk because I wanted to succeed, reinvent my life, and help others in similar situations.

Two months later, things got tougher. My online class was canceled, and I was out of work. I chose to take another risk during a pandemic period, started delivering food with Uber on a bike. Thankfully, this effort paid off, allowing me to save some money and apply to CUNY schools. I initially applied to BMCC, and after being accepted, I joined the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP), where I spent three semesters honing my reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. After passing my tests, I applied to LaGuardia Community College for Computer Science, later switching to Electrical Engineering.

In June 2024, I graduated with high honors and participated in various engineering projects and research. Shortly after graduating, I landed my first internship, gaining invaluable experience in technology and engineering. I’m now continuing my bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering at the Groove School of Engineering at CCNY while conducting research at the CUNY Advanced Research Center.

I’m not done yet, and I don’t claim to have fully succeeded. The key takeaway is that if we really want something, we can achieve it. However, it’s important to understand that success isn’t a straight path. When we face challenges along the way, we should remember Edison’s powerful words: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Have you faced challenges on your path to success? I’d love to hear your stories! Share your experiences in the comments below, and let’s support each other on our journeys.

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