Going off script

Ana Sauceda, right, and her dad. Courtesy Ana Sauceda

Ana Sauceda spent a decade trying to fit her parent’s script before throwing it out and writing her own.

Growing up, Ana Sauceda was a bright kid who dreaded report card season.

She tested into her school’s gifted program, but she just couldn’t focus. She’d read Stephen King novels in the back of classes, then fail those classes. When her grades posted, she’d always get a lecture from her dad. Both her parents had advanced degrees. They were proud of them, especially her father, who had spent his childhood as a migrant worker.

“He would stress that, and then be like, that’s disrespectful to me and the work that I’ve put in,” Sauceda said. “At least that’s how I understood it — that I was disrespecting him because he had worked so hard.”

In fact, education was a big deal for her whole family. Sauceda’s grandparents flew out for every graduation — even when she couldn’t walk because she had to take summer school. That was rough, and college wasn’t much easier.

When you become an adult, it often feels like you’re given a prepackaged timeline about what you’re supposed to achieve and when. But what happens when the script you’re meant to follow doesn’t work for you?

On this week’s show, we follow Sauceda through a decade trying to fit her parent’s script before throwing it out and writing her own. Later, we’ll listen in as she talks it all out with her dad.

By the way, Sauceda is a “This Is Uncomfortable” listener who reached out with her story. If you have a story about life and how money messes with it, we want to hear it! To tell us about it (or anything else) drop us a line at 347-RING-TIU (347-746-4848), email us at uncomfortable@marketplace.org or fill out the form below.

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