Undergraduate / 'The only thing left was the future' - AN ASIAN GIRL GOING TO COLLEGE essay [4]

FRESHMAN PROMPT
I don't have a story about the tragedy of losing a parent, or being forced to support myself as a teenager. Instead, I have lived in the most stable and healthy environment that any teenager could possibly grow up in. My dad works a 9-5 job and my mom spends most of her time being a modern day housewife. My dad works to give me the Mac book that I'm typing this with, the brand name clothes that are a "must-have," and of course the smart phone with the unlimited texting plan. I have lived in this suburban bubble for 17 years, where the biggest issue I had was not having a license. So this past month, when my dad was sued for the company that he had nurtured and grown for over twenty years, the suburban bubble that I was so accustomed to suddenly disappeared.

As my dad explained to me that he had lost his company, I could not help but think, "What's going to happen to me?" Selfish- yes, but coming from someone that has been sheltered her whole life; it was a natural thought to have amidst the chaos that erupted inside the home that I have lived in for seventeen years. In those seventeen years, it was the first time that I saw my dad cry. He was, and still is my family's rock, our protector, and our provider. Those tears did not just come from losing something that he had worked so hard to build, but they also came from places of regret, disappointment, and fear for the future.

After all the tears subsided, the only thing that was left was the future- the one thing that we were all the most scared of because it was so uncertain. Most people at the age of 54 would crumble at the thought of starting fresh, but my dad saw this as an opportunity to do something better with his life. Now, my dad is moving on from the job that has supported an entire family of four and is moving to Korea to pursue other ventures and start a new chapter in his life. I never thought that I would have much in common with my dad, in terms of life goals. But this experience affected both of us. With college approaching next fall, starting a new beginning in my life seemed incredibly intimidating; especially since I have been living in my little "suburban bubble" for all my life. But seeing my dad starting over at an age where life seems like a routine, it gives me the courage to face college and my future straight on. I will be faced with new challenges and new successes; and I am perfectly ready for this new beginning.

Undergraduate / 'losing my first election' - 2nd UC PROMPT [3]

This is for the second U.C. prompt!! And I would really REALLY appreciate suggestions to really improve this essay.

My heart was pounding as I chewed on my lip because my fingernails were no longer an option. I waited impatiently for my Associated Student Body advisor to finish announcing the other winners in the cabinet election. Finally, she said the words that I had waited months to hear, "Our 2011-2012 Vice-President is..." The words that followed were definitely not the words that I had anticipated to hear and needless to say, I had lost.

Since then, I have been an Associated Student Body member for three years now. I can honestly say those three years have shaped me to become the independent and driven person that I am today. I found the immense amount of work and pressure that goes along with A.S.B to somehow be rewarding. I took the criticism I faced as a young member, and used it to better myself and look for innovative ways to better the school's environment. Staying inside the gym to set up for the Homecoming dance until 2 a.m., memorizing lines to perform in front of the entire student body at rallies, and organizing huge events, were all factors in inspiring me to follow a career in Public Relations in the Communications field. After finding so much love and passion in a high school activity that was only supposed to impress admissions offices, it made losing the election, that much harder to accept my failure to be a part of the Associated Student Body cabinet.

A flashback of the year before haunted me as my junior year came to an end, and elections for the 2012-2013 cabinet approached. I knew in my gut that I would forever regret not running, so my campaign to become the 2012-2013 Senior Class President began. I had my work cut out for me, as my other two opponents were considered to be the "popular" students at my high school. Every day until the day of elections, I woke up early to tape up publicity posters and talked to students about the real impact I could make as the Senior Class President. As the days dwindled down and voting ended, I was back in the same room where my advisor had delivered the bad news, just a year ago. She started off in the same manner as I heard, "Our 2012-2013 Senior Class President is... Jessica Yoo!" I had won. It was my name that she had called. It was I that was finally going to have the opportunity to lead and inspire younger members, just like I was fortunate enough to experience. The struggle that I went through losing my first election, gave me the time that I needed to learn and become more secure in my role in A.S.B. As Senior Class President, my role has definitely evolved, but the dedication and work that I put into getting this position, is still the same and applies to different areas in my life because I know the possibilities with those two traits are endless.