Frank22
Oct 19, 2015
Undergraduate / Just overnight, the family I was familiar with has disappeared, leaving only me and my father... [14]
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
My mother was the typical "tiger mom". When I was small, she would take control of everything in my life. From homework in school, to what kind of friends I hung out with, to what I ate for dinner, everything was planned and organized. To be honest, I secretly enjoyed that. Due to her strictness, I was always the typical top student with the best grade and poor body. My father, on the other hand, spent most of his time away from home because of business. Despite not having both parents around all the time, I had a happy childhood.
Maybe because I relied on my mother too much, when she was killed in a car accident, I thought the world was coming to an end. Overnight, the family I was familiar with disappeared, leaving only my father and me to continue. My father, who was born with an adventurous personality, had to give it all up to be home to raise me.
It was difficult for him. He was never known for his tidiness but he had to learn to be organized for both of us. Just cooking rice was a challenging task for someone who had never cooked in his life. Sometimes, before I went to bed, I would found my father reading the user's guide carefully and cluelessly, trying to fix the broken refrigerator. Many times, he would be multitasking, answering business phone calls while making dinner. I, who used to be tamed, couldn't bear to let him shoulder all these anymore.
Not wanting to add his burden, I had to resume part of the "parenting" role. Since entering middle school, thanks to the understanding of school's teachers, I was allowed to attend parents' meeting alone. Knowing that my father would not have time to check my homework, I became best friends with teachers and senior classmates, as I would go to them for all of my questions. Realizing the importance of a fitted body, to keep myself healthy and stronger, I started to workout and swim, eventually becoming a triathlete and one of the best American football players in our region.
My father and I were both quiet men, so we did not have many deep conversations as my mother and I used to have. Both of us were trying our best to be a family. However, both of us were struggling. It was just not the same without mother.
Last year, I took part of the International Triathlon Tournament in Beijing. Despite all the training, despite the hours I spent in past half year, it was still a big challenge. Whether it was during the 1.5-kilometer swimming or the 40-kilometer biking, the thought of giving up kept entering my mind. But as I started the last part of the 10-kilometer running, I saw my father waiting patiently for hours with his camera just to capture the moment I crossed the finish line. Watching him tolerating the fierce sun just to support me gave me enough energy to finish the competition. After the race, I hugged him by instinct.
It was then I realized the unique dynamic of my family. It was difficult to not have a mother in the family, but both my father and I were trying our best to make up for her absence. While he had to take on the role of both father and mother, I need to take on the role of the parent to balance his pressure. I am thankful for him. In return, I try to give him my full support, volunteering to help his business's advertisements. When he is finished with his photography, I am responsible for post-production editing, producing advertisements for his company. We might not meet the traditional definition of a perfect family, but we found ways to care for and support each other. And I hope my mother, who maybe secretly watching us in heaven, is proud of what we have accomplished.
Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
My mother was the typical "tiger mom". When I was small, she would take control of everything in my life. From homework in school, to what kind of friends I hung out with, to what I ate for dinner, everything was planned and organized. To be honest, I secretly enjoyed that. Due to her strictness, I was always the typical top student with the best grade and poor body. My father, on the other hand, spent most of his time away from home because of business. Despite not having both parents around all the time, I had a happy childhood.
Maybe because I relied on my mother too much, when she was killed in a car accident, I thought the world was coming to an end. Overnight, the family I was familiar with disappeared, leaving only my father and me to continue. My father, who was born with an adventurous personality, had to give it all up to be home to raise me.
It was difficult for him. He was never known for his tidiness but he had to learn to be organized for both of us. Just cooking rice was a challenging task for someone who had never cooked in his life. Sometimes, before I went to bed, I would found my father reading the user's guide carefully and cluelessly, trying to fix the broken refrigerator. Many times, he would be multitasking, answering business phone calls while making dinner. I, who used to be tamed, couldn't bear to let him shoulder all these anymore.
Not wanting to add his burden, I had to resume part of the "parenting" role. Since entering middle school, thanks to the understanding of school's teachers, I was allowed to attend parents' meeting alone. Knowing that my father would not have time to check my homework, I became best friends with teachers and senior classmates, as I would go to them for all of my questions. Realizing the importance of a fitted body, to keep myself healthy and stronger, I started to workout and swim, eventually becoming a triathlete and one of the best American football players in our region.
My father and I were both quiet men, so we did not have many deep conversations as my mother and I used to have. Both of us were trying our best to be a family. However, both of us were struggling. It was just not the same without mother.
Last year, I took part of the International Triathlon Tournament in Beijing. Despite all the training, despite the hours I spent in past half year, it was still a big challenge. Whether it was during the 1.5-kilometer swimming or the 40-kilometer biking, the thought of giving up kept entering my mind. But as I started the last part of the 10-kilometer running, I saw my father waiting patiently for hours with his camera just to capture the moment I crossed the finish line. Watching him tolerating the fierce sun just to support me gave me enough energy to finish the competition. After the race, I hugged him by instinct.
It was then I realized the unique dynamic of my family. It was difficult to not have a mother in the family, but both my father and I were trying our best to make up for her absence. While he had to take on the role of both father and mother, I need to take on the role of the parent to balance his pressure. I am thankful for him. In return, I try to give him my full support, volunteering to help his business's advertisements. When he is finished with his photography, I am responsible for post-production editing, producing advertisements for his company. We might not meet the traditional definition of a perfect family, but we found ways to care for and support each other. And I hope my mother, who maybe secretly watching us in heaven, is proud of what we have accomplished.