My name is Brittaney Thompson, and I am a junior at Hunter College. I major in Psychology and Studio Art. As a student who does not receive financial aid, I have to pay for my education out of pocket. I have to work early in the mornings before attending class. There were times when I could not afford to pay my tuition and I had a hold on my account. This hold prevented me from registering for my classes on time and by the time I got  the hold off, the classes I needed were either all full or waitlisted. I usually have to settle for hard classes I did not want to take or classes at late hours.This one semester I had a hold on my account and struggled to get it off in time so I had to miss school. I had to go through the hassle of readmitting to Hunter and that process broke me. My experience with fighting to stay in school was hard, but I could not give up. Thankfully, I am still here.  I love attending school but it is hard to enjoy my time because I have to be working tirelessly to be able to afford it. Working before classes not just drains me but also affects my performance. My college experience so far has really scarred me and I hope in the future tuition can be free or at least more affordable.