Undergraduate / UC Prompt- OBSTACLES...Taking care of grandma [2]

The prompt is what is an obstacle you have overcome in life? And what have you learned from it? This is a super personal essay so be nice.

It's 4:30 AM and my alarm clock is blaring in my ear. I stagger out of bed, feeling sleep deprived from studying late for my exam. I splash frigid water on my face, feeling the sensation of pins and needles. I'm awake. I go downstairs and begin cooking breakfast for my grandma and myself. My dad has already left for work, and my mom is away on a trip. I help my grandma out of bed and help her to the bathroom. I bathe and dress her. All awhile, the savory aroma of the sausage I forgot was cooking fills the air. I wheel my grandma to the table, and run hastily to the stove. I glance at the time. 5:30 AM. I spoon food into my grandma's mouth and sprint frantically to the medicine cabinet to get her pills. I dart upstairs, change into my school outfit, and sloppily do my makeup. 6:30. Perfect. By the time I arrive at school, I'm physically drained. I look around and wonder if people went through mornings like mine.

There are times when I wish my grandma wasn't so dependent on me. Helping my grandma should be seen as a caring act, not a responsibility. Nobody ever thinks about seeing their grandparent naked, but I have to. My grandma has regressed into an almost baby-like state, and no one tells you how mentally straining it is to take care of an elderly. I'm a teen that is supposed to be carefree, but how do I balance being a teen and an adult?

With college, I know I am capable of of the challenges that will come my way. Success is built on external influence, not innate talent. Helping my grandma has made me stronger. I've established a hardworking ethic and have become wiser. With this hardship, I look at it with a silver lining. My grandma has taught me to value life for what it's worth, and to have courage to take risks. With this, I want to make my life purposeful, and that begins with following my dreams.

Undergraduate / UC Prompt #8-What sets you apart? Rough draft-notepad and italy [3]

I don't even know if this pertains to the prompt. Let me know if should rewrite or if there should be any corrections

One interesting fact about me: I keep a notepad near my bed. Second interesting fact about me: I once had a search team of teachers look for me in Italy. With any human, the suspense of the unknown and the need for instant gratification for information feeds off the soul of the curious. In fact, you yourself, still might be curious about the stories behind my facts. Undoubtedly, curiosity is the lust of the mind.

The explanation behind fact one is simple. I keep a notepad near my bed to write down the swarming thoughts that consume me late at night. Growing up, I had suffered from anxiety, and writing in my notepad lightened the ceaseless stream of thoughts that pressed me. Now, writing in my notepad is a nightly routine. By scribbling down my impulsive thoughts, I'm wired into a spiral of creativity and inquiry. It is with these scribbles that I have discovered unexpected answers to questions, ideas, and my interests. It is with my notepad that my mounting curiosity is relinquished.

Next, to explain my second fact is slightly more complicated. In short, I managed to break free from my group, and ended up in a narrow street in Italy without a tourist in sight. I won't admit that I wandered off voluntarily, because to say the least, curiosity possessed me. The tourist places were getting uneventful and I wanted to rampage through the real country. Although I was only lost for an hour until a teacher found me, I saw the holy grail of Italy's culture and way of life. If I were to be honest, I enjoyed being lost.

Without a doubt, uncertainty is frightening. But I've learned to embrace it. Curiosity is the heart and driving force for innovation, success, and knowledge. When we are curious, we see things with a new eye. Curiosity has opened up a world that is yet to be discovered, in which motivates me to find meaning in my life. Ultimately, that is what sets me apart. I have a burning passion to learn. To be and do the unimaginable.