Photos and Narratives

Hard Things

This photo titled “Hard Things” captures a late-night moment in my life as an adult learner. I’ve just finished a full day of work and classes, and now I’m facing my computer screen with frustration, knowing I have an assignment due tomorrow. I’m not your typical college student. I’m a “life scholar,” balancing a full-time job, evening classes, and daily responsibilities. The luxury of giving 100% of my time to school isn’t an option. In this image, I hope people see the reality of being an adult learner. It’s about persevering through exhaustion, juggling multiple roles, and adapting to meet the demands of education and life. Despite the challenges, I remain committed to my goals, knowing that the journey may be tough, but the destination is worth it in the end.

No Breaks

In this photograph titled “No Breaks,” I aim to convey the relentless dedication required of a student like me who’s pursuing a degree while juggling a full-time job. The image centers on my computer, open and diligently displaying an assignment, set against the backdrop of a coffee shop. It’s the weekend, a time when most students are out enjoying their leisure, but for a life scholar like me, weekends mean dedicated study time.

As I sit here, surrounded by the remnants of my lunch, it’s a poignant reminder of the sacrifices I make to pursue my education. While others savor their weekends, I’m here, laser-focused on my studies, using every available moment to catch up and stay on track. This picture serves as a stark representation of the trade-offs I willingly make, as I forgo the typical weekend pleasures to invest in my future.

It’s a snapshot of life as a student, where the pursuit of a degree often means giving up breaks and leisure time, all in the relentless pursuit of a brighter tomorrow.

Emotional Support Marsh

These photos were taken during the summer of 2023, when the sky was often an opaque cloud, and we wore masks outside to protect our vulnerable lungs from wildfire smoke blown south from Canada. This is Marian Byrne Nature Area, in South Deering. I call it my ‘emotional support marsh’ because it’s where I go not just for exercise, but to get away for a moment from never-ending tasks and to get out of my own head. Background: The sun a molten orb in a dark sky, obscured by smoke and favoring Luna.

Top Left: A young buck staring out from the brush, bearing twin velveteen horns. Top Right: A tattooed, masculine Latiné man poses for a photo on the concrete trail, two puppies playfully fighting at their feet. This photo wouldn’t exist if not for a bit of bravery. I saw this man walking with his family, and I wanted to ask to take a photo of their dogs. I was suddenly wary of doing so, remembering LeRoi, my aunt’s puppy that was stolen from her yard before we’d even had a month to enjoy his company. I wondered if this man would think I was taking photos of the dogs with some nefarious purpose. A moment of double-consciousness, as DuBois coined, as I felt suddenly too-aware of how I might be perceived as a Black man on the street, even in my safe little marsh where I go to escape such thoughts. I pushed them aside and asked for the photo. He posed, his smile warm and the sun bathing us both. A reminder to be braver. Bottom Left: A smiling day-walking coyote, floating an inch above the ground, looking over its shoulder back at me as I walk the same path. Bottom Right: An unknown species of bird, perched atop a dead tree with the sky a solid featureless white, choked with particulate matter from the burning woods far to the north.

When Do You Sleep?

This is a question that’s been asked of me quite often when I tell someone I work and go to school full time, never mind how many jobs I have or how far I travel to get there. I still don’t know how to answer it. Top Left: A photo of my overgrown driveway, as seen from behind the wheel of my car after I back into the garage. Sometimes I just run out of “gas” when I kill the engine, and have to rest before going in. Top Right: A photo of my workspace at CDPH, a cluttered space for a cluttered mind I suppose, but also tokens and of what I really I care about. Bottom Left: A photo taken from the exterior of the Behavioral Science Building, with University Hall in the foreground and the Sears Tower in the background. I’m not on campus as often as I’d like to be, but this is one of my favorite spots to step outside and grab some fresh air. Bottom Right: Sunrise over Lake Michigan. Another space that I often occupy because of work, but where I have a deep spiritual connection. Night blur so easily by the lake, and when you can’t stop moving for fear of being left behind.

I’m New Here

A black and white photograph taken from the 30th floor of a high-rise apartment building in the Loop of the Agora art installation in Grant Park. 106 headless, armless iron figures, and a lone human walking into frame. This photo was taken before I knew I’d be in a photovoice project. When I looked at with fresh eyes, It reminded me so clearly of the first day I walked onto the campus at UIC. I felt as if everyone else belonged, and I did not. It seemed as if they all knew where they were going, whereas I was lost. The life of a returning student, worlds apart from the teeming masses.

Jack of All Trades

There are often not enough hours in a day. I often find myself trying to do too many tasks; often at the same time. The art of effectively managing my time and focus remains a skill I’m still in the process of mastering. The feeling that success in one area sometimes equates to a setback in another can be a source of stress. Coming to terms with the fact that I can’t excel in everything, and instead focusing on doing my best, is a valuable lesson I’m learning.

The Future Needs Childcare

During this past summer, my employer organized a youth job fair. I noticed numerous young adults, like the young woman mentioned, who brought their young children along while engaging with potential employers. It’s crucial for us to recognize that families are beginning at a younger age, and as a result, we must make provisions to support them in both undergraduate and graduate institutions of higher learning.

Please Don’t Wake Me

Balancing the schedule of a full-time student and employee can be quite hectic. When you add the responsibilities of being a parent, it can feel like you’re constantly in motion. However, amidst this whirlwind of activities and schedules, I find tranquility and peace from snuggling up in bed with my loved ones. Therefore, I feel a sense of reluctance when the alarm sounds and I have to reenter the chaos.

Sacrifice

This photo captures my son enjoying a swim during our family vacation in Florida, although I wasn’t able to join them. Ironically, one of the main motivations for pursuing further education was to create a childhood filled with cherished memories, including family getaways like this one. However, due to the demands of a summer course that required frequent communication with my group, the instructor, and UIC administration. Unfortunately, due to the location’s unreliable Wi-Fi I remained at home so that I could stay connected. The situation with this particular course was something that could have been avoided if the university had been proactive in getting the new instructor onboarded. Poor or inaction has greater consequences than small inconveniences. Especially for students who’re juggling so much.

Four thirty-seven in the morning

Every morning, my alarm chimes at 4:30 am, granting me a precious two hours before rousing my son for school. During this tranquil window, I dedicate seven minutes to peaceful breathing, follow it with a brisk 15-minute indoor walk, and chip away at my homework assignments. Juggling the demands of school, work, and parenting leaves me yearning for more hours in the day. The burnout that steadily accrues over the semester underscores the need for flexible deadlines and tailored assignments. The current pace, I must admit, is far from sustainable.

Overwhelm

This photo collage captures moments of my life in various states of overwhelm. My younger son surprisingly took some of these shots. In many, I’m confined to the same spot on the sofa, engrossed in coursework for extended hours. Others reveal my once-tidy home in disarray, mirroring the chaos of my overwhelmed moments. The pictures also include tokens of solace—small rewards I turn to in challenging times. To regain balance, I enlisted my older son in my fitness app as a motivation to remember that movement is a form of self-care, especially during hectic periods. I also incorporated a daily multivitamin into my routine to combat the persistent fatigue I was experiencing. Conversations with classmates and peers reassured me that this sense of ongoing overwhelm, intensifying as the term unfolds, is a shared journey.

A Child Not Left Behind is an Adult Lost to in a System

This is what is is like for someone thirty and trying to figure out the schooling system as a returning undergrad. This is a collage of every office I have went to on campus to seek help in the student center. At Thrity my only option is to get more scholarships or a larger loan amount. At this point, I also have a label of being aged out of most first Gen college funding programs. I have Alienated all of my friends due to my constant need for money and I am alone trying to figure this out. My Doctor has told me I have high blood pressure and the system in school feels bigger than me. I am being asked way too much and I just want the privilege to go to school and be truly and fully supported.

Why Continue

What is the point is fighting this hard to have a seat in this university. I find peace in the idea of being alone and sitting in the park. I However can not find peace in the park. As I get older my neighborhood morphs more and more into a space that is unfamiliar. I see now to secure my spot in the future I must be here in a space that is uneasy and feels alone. I have to sit here as a reminder that I matter I am a part of this space and this is why my voice has power. Why continue in a world that is built to see me fall? why not?

Can You Pay My Bills

My biggest issue with my education has always been how would I pay for it. When I was 1 I got accepted to a Young leadership program I could attend due to the fact my mom could not afford it. When I was in middle school I had to fundraise money for a Robotic competition and later stopped in high school due to shame and the cost getting to high. My relationship with education has been one where I have had to see if the education fits into my everyday life. Often times I find that I am told that I am all these incredible things yet no one told me I was too poor for an education However that is the lesson I have learned. With this list, I compared it to a semester that has been “paid” for with scholarships and loans and I still have a remaining balance I can not afford. I am told I just need to work more but at three jobs I can feel myself dying. I had the epiphany while writing this list of bills I did not include food. Food is not even a necessity the way the degree is killing me.

Job Hierarchy Differences

The construction site is located right outside my home and built in between East and West campuses of UIC. This is a built apartment for the students on and off campus. The construction workers are working hard every day to make sure the students will be able to have a residential place to live. Just because the workers are working as construction doesn’t mean that their level is lower than everyone else. It is a dangerous place and putting the workers are putting their life at risk. We should all respect everyone who is working at their job and the role that they do. Coming from an Asian background, the countryside uses their hands and feet to find food and earn their living, while the city families are able to find high pay and bring new skills to the environment and enhance their learning. UIC can improve individuals at UIC by providing more opportunities and part-time jobs for those that do not have visa and just want to finish school and being able to earn their degree smoothly.

Work Determinantion

This is a picture of my workplace, and my first official job since I graduated college. I started noticing it is a lot of desk work involved, which made me realize that I am not a fan of it. It feels like I am not making an impact every day, and just helping the entire team do their own projects and not have anything related to public health or what I do. I set a schedule on the amount of time that I need to take to finish my work and use the rest of the time to organize my schoolwork. Some of the strengths and skills that I have learned is dealing with a lot of things (school, work, and time management). Time management is an important skill to have since there are times when a lot of tasks are piled up to finish within a tight deadline. To improve the student’s experience at UIC, UIC can offer paid internships to a variety of students with different majors and career paths to get hands-on experience to see what type of work they would like to do during their time in college. Therefore, by the time they experience through the internships, they can get a better understanding of the type of work they like and get a clear picture of what type of career and future they want. This not only can earn money during their time in college, but also learn real-live experience in their internship.

Food Insecurity Among Low-income Families

Coming from a low-income family background allowed me to understand what the family needs to live our daily lives versus what is essential in our lives. Due to inflation on the rise, families start to save up and only buy what’s essential, even if it’s expensive than a few years ago, but it is to keep our body healthy. Even if the fruits and vegetables are expensive, families still need to buy it in order to keep our nutrients. As a student, I have to find corner grocery stores to save up to pay tuition and education. UIC can invest into food pantries for those having a lot of financial responsibilities and food insecurity in their household. International students and life scholars have a lot of economic responsibilities. It is the nature of being an adult. There are other goals to achieve, such as preparing for their career goals other than getting food and groceries.

Home

The photo is titled Home because even when things cluttered and unattended to it is still a home. It tells a story of solitude as someone trying to keep up with the responsibilities of life. What’s really happening here is a lack of cleaning and not being home. Between class/homework, work, and having to help take care of my grandmother, the house has become unattended to. This conflict exists because a lot of classes offered for us students overlap with the many other things going on in our lives. If I have class or my professor has a strict attendance policy I can’t help with my grandmother or take her to appointments. As adult learners, I feel like there is a lack of understanding on the administration’s part of our struggles with family life outside of school and how that can potentially impact our performance.

Sunset State of Mind

This is a place for relaxation, an escape. I often find myself caught up in the battle of choosing or prioritizing other responsibilities over another. Between work, school and personal life, we could all use the space and time to clear our heads when we are feeling overwhelmed.

The Chronicles of a Student

Trying to find the balance for everything seems to be my biggest struggle. In this picture, there is a lot happening between the cooking and the studying. For some people this type of multitasking is an “every so often occurrence”, but for someone like me, this is how I function on an almost daily basis. As a full-time student pursuing a masters degree while also being employed full-time, there are times where my work never ends. This picture for example shows the attempt to juggle everything all at once.