I'd like to share my experience with living in the shadows.

Currently, I'm a junior majoring in Economics & Business and minoring in Computer Science.
I came to the United States when I was ten years old with my mother and sister, and have been continually residing in this country for more than a decade.

I graduated as the valedictorian from my high school, but until April of my senior year, I was very lost and confused about my future prospects. I contemplated not attending traditional universities and instead wanted to enroll in a welding school. However, my counselor (a flaming liberal) confronted me one day, asking me why I haven't started any college applications. I reluctantly told her my story, and instead of shunning me, she embraced me and assisted in finding me a college.

My grades were not an issue; I scored the highest amongst my peers in many standardized tests, and had plenty of volunteer experiences. Finances were an obstacle, though.

In one public college I was interviewed at, I'd been able to attend for free (even get paid) had I been a legal resident. I was sorely disappointed, but a better college offered me a significant amount of money much later on. I was naturally relived and later on, I even got a chance to study at Harvard for a summer semester.
Suddenly, not having any papers didn't seem like too much of a problem. I no longer brooded on the faint possibility of policemen knocking down our door and dragging us away, and found a much more positive attitude concerning life.

I do have regrets about the choices I have made.

I listened to hate, and I got discouraged when I should have gritted my teeth and worked on growing up- I had a breakdown over the failure of our favorite piece of legislation, taking a good while to climb out of that hole. I felt weak and cried whenever I heard of my friends' college plans, while I should have been filing my own common app out. I was afraid to tell a girl how much I cared about her; becoming filled with anger and jealousy instead of compassion.

I don't ever want to make those sorts of mistakes again. Dream act or not, I plan on doing my best, and never give up on myself.