I was 17 when I realized I wouldn’t be able to apply for students loans because of my undocumented status. Affording to pay for college was going to be an uphill battle, but I learned something important about creating your own luck and being empowered to define your own narrative. I began to see “No” as an opportunity to find creative solutions around challenges. I refused to believe I couldn’t afford college, so I enrolled at Miami University of Ohio anyway and took each semester one payment at a time; applying for private scholarships, entering creative writing contests, working short-term cash-paying jobs, and finding ways to minimize the costs of room and board. There were semesters I had to take off altogether when I didn’t have enough money to pay tuition. But instead of completely giving up, I forced myself to think of those obstacles that left me feeling defeated as bumps in the road, rather than an end-all. I taught myself that Yes was only a few No’s away. The was key to moving forward.