Undergraduate /
Someone Who Influenced My Life (My great grandmother) [6]
2nd to last draft- common app essay"You don't have to be a 'person of influence' to be influential. In fact the most influential people in my life are probably not even aware of the things they taught me," (Scott Adams). My great-grandmother Caramie "Meme" Roberson was one of those people, especially for me. She seemed to just be telling a story about her life and the hardships she faced, while unknowingly teaching me lessons that would shape my life forever. When I was born, in 1993, Meme was 90 years old and every moment from then on in our relationship was precious because of the limited amount of time we had left. Throughout the subsequent thirteen years, I was blessed to have spent a significant amount of time with her and learn many lessons from her. My great-grandmother, a farm girl from Haiti, with no formal instruction, taught me to understand the importance of education and the significance of family.
Meme was a woman of great courage and determination and refused to be limited by the circumstances of her life. Despite being a widow at the age of 40, Meme successfully raised her children, and later numerous grandchildren; my own mother included. As I later grew up under her wing, I realized that these burdens never fazed her. Meme always had an uplifting spirit that made people gravitate towards her no matter where she was. By her example, she was a vital influence as to how I lived my life.
Meme made sure my education came first. When I lived in Massachusetts, she considered me her "little helper". Every day I would ...
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