Fern Rodriguez Ramirez: Sometimes it’s just the plot twist that makes your comeback more

There was a time when I honestly thought I had my entire life figured out at 18. I was attending university. I was going to become an attorney by 26. I was following the perfect path…and then I failed my second year and accidentally took a long and unplanned gap from school.  

My career came to a complete stop. I was confused, overwhelmed, and trying to figure out what I actually wanted from life. I kept asking myself, “Was school really for me? Is my career going to make me happy?” Spoiler alert: The answer was yes…but it felt like it wasn’t at the time. 

Thankfully, my parents didn’t give up on me, even when I was ready to give up on my dreams. They reminded me that my struggle didn’t define me, and their support carried me through one of the most complicated seasons of my life, also known as adulthood.  

Somewhere between confusion and healing, I picked up a camera. What started as a side hobby slowly turned into a photography business. It showed me that I was still capable of creating something beautiful and meaningful. It also taught me discipline, responsibility, and how I am capable of achieving anything I put my heart to.  

But no matter how much I loved photography, there was still a dream sitting quietly in the back of my heart, the dream of helping others. I want to make people feel seen, understood, and unforgettable. Advocating for issues like immigration and social injustices. That dream had never left. It was just waiting for me to become brave enough to return to it. 

So, after two years away from school, I made one of the hardest and best decisions of my life: I went back. I joined the Paralegal Program at Elgin Community College. I met inspiring practicing attorneys such as Professor Haske and Professor Kappler. 

I was named on the President’s list while still running my photography business. I proved to myself that I wasn’t “a failure” — I was just lost for a moment. I realized that I don’t have to fit into one box or choose between passion and purpose. I can be all: a student, artist, creator, and future attorney. 

Most importantly, I learned that failure isn’t the end of the story — sometimes it’s just the plot twist that makes your comeback more powerful. 

So today, I’m not telling my story as someone who had a perfect journey. I’m telling my story as someone who fell, got back up… and realized that was the point all along.  

And honestly? I wouldn’t change a thing. 

Fern Rodriguez Ramirez