Undergraduate / "diagnosed with ADHD": An experience that is important to me [4]

Please look over this and give constructive criticism, grammar corrections, or anything you feel like saying. Thank you =]

Prompt #2 Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

"Natalie! Why do you always leave the pantry door open?" I snapped back, "I swear on my life I closed it this time!" My mom and constantly argue over trivial things like me never remembering to put the cap on the milk jug or close the pantry door. She thought my actions were out of laziness, but it turned out to be something more.

For years I failed to achieve academic excellence. No matter how hard I tried in school, I wasn't good enough. I felt that my peers looked down upon me because I wasn't at their level, which was emotionally difficult for me to handle. I started feeling really depressed and inadequate to the point where I didn't want to go to school. I began to notice that I wasn't able to sit through class without mindlessly scribbling in the margins of my papers, and that information projected towards me would literally go in one ear and out the other. Nonetheless, I am a product of a great school system; Monta Vista High School provided me with all the skills to excel academically. The skills from Monta Vista and those from my early education were the reason why I went through most of high school undetected as a C student, people deemed me to be lazy, but that was not the case.

During the end of my junior year I was diagnosed with ADHD, and I began seeing a psychologist. My mom joked and said, "Well, now I know why you never used to close the pantry door!" Yes, the reason why I never closed the pantry door was answered; but more importantly, the reason why I had so much difficulty in school was revealed. In the middle of second semester junior year, I had a D in American Studies, but once I began the doctor prescribed medication my grade went up dramatically. I was able to apply the skills I've obtained over the years to all of my classes, and by the end of the second semester I had raised my D to a B in American Studies. When my mom and I checked online for my final grades of junior year, we cried when we saw the B. I couldn't believe how far I'd come in just a few months. I started earning A's and B's rather than the usual C's and D's. Seeing my grades and overall attentiveness increase tremendously has made me strive every single day to reach my maximum potential.

I still work as hard as I did in school prior to the diagnosis, however the difference now is that I know myself and how my mind works. Despite the difficulties I have faced throughout the years, I am proud to say that school is my top priority. Understanding where I am now compared to the previous years has helped me realize how much potential I truly have as a student, as well as a person. This newly discovered potential has motivated me to prepare for my future, fueled my creativity and most importantly defined me.

Undergraduate / Sugar and spice and everything nice. (my world) [7]

Prompt 1: Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how has your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

I am in desperate need of help - This is my first draft starting from free association because I couldn't think of anything to write. Does this connect to the prompt in anyway? Please help. I'm lost. -___- Thank you sooooo much in advance!

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Sugar and spice and everything nice.

These are the three ingredients I am made of. My mom is the sugar, my dad is the spice, and my mom also happens to be everything nice.

My mom and I laugh with each other, cry from each other, and yell at each other. But the one thing we have never done is walk out on each other. It's taken me 17 long years to realize how important she is to me; she is my closest friend. When I tore my ACL, MCL, and meniscus in my knee during a volleyball game sophomore year, she was right there to take me to the hospital. Subsequent to my knee surgery, I was bedridden for a week; my mom was there for me in a heartbeat. She has been the only person to support me regardless of the situation, and for that she has all of my respect. She is the nicest, strongest, and most sincere woman I have ever come in contact with. I am proud to say that I am the product of my mother. She has taught me how to be generous, understanding, loyal, loving, and supportive.

My dad and I have always gotten along. I remember running down the aisles of Nordstrom Rack, I yelled, "Daddy! These are the shoes I'm going to marry you in!" At the young age of 4, I wanted to marry my dad. (I know it was so cute) My dad is my hero; all of my earliest memories have involved him. As I've gotten older, we've started to butt heads a lot more, and have gotten in a few heated discussions. My dad is a feisty one, like me. My mom always said, "You are you're fathers daughter" and I agree with that; we are both stubborn, humorous, and a tad sarcastic. My dad and I have a special bond that could never be replaced. He dad has taught me to stand up for myself, to take calculated risks, and to be assertive where appropriate.

The lessons I've learned, characteristics I've modeled from my parents are the reason why I aspire to be a psychologist. I want to understand how the mind works. I hope to focus on family therapy because I feel that the building blocks to a person's success are their family. The experiences I have gone through with my parents are what have made me, me. I am the product of my mother, and my father's daughter.