Undergraduate / "stress and dermatitis" UC prompt 1 [5]

UC prompt #1 is "Describe the world you come from- your family, community or school- and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations."

All my life my parents have criticized my actions and behavior. Even the smallest of activities are reprimanded-from my already-appropriate Sunday church outfits to my extra-curricular activity in St. Anthony Church as altar server leader. Every night, I sat and struggled through homework after strenuous basketball practice in my hot, crowded room that I shared with my mother and father, and tried to block out all the noises that come from The Filipino Channel on television, Mom and Dad mentioning how less Catholic I was becoming, the sound of Auntie Roselyn's tilapia-frying, cousins Tin, Jay and Bunso's arguments on who got to play with the laptop, Uncle Joy who tried to end all the chaos with his children, and my younger sister Kat who went in and out of the bedroom collecting pillows and blankets for her futon out in the living room for the night. I felt that my parents insisted too much of me, as their eldest of two girls. Pressure skyrocketed also because I had to live with nine people in a 700-square-footed, two-bedroom apartment. I was convinced that I would not be able to get the "good-enough" grades and to become the "grounded and successful" person my parents expect me to be.

In the midst of all this, I was diagnosed contact dermatitis. Although the dryness and peeling was mild around my eyes, I spent plenty of time in front of the mirror trying to figure out how to get it to heal faster with the Neutrogena Continuous Hydration Cream, Petroleum Jelly and Aveeno moisturizer, though it became worse and stressed me out even more. Again came my parents with the nagging, but this time I finally realized that all the criticisms thrown at me were for my own well-being. I became completely selfish and allowed this trouble to rise over me. The only way, I thought, that I could get back on track was with faith in God and to follow my parents' advice and become the suave and savvy daughter my parents wanted me to become. Promptly, I helped out around the house and succeeded in school as a way to thank my parents for all good they have done. I also had to enjoy the company of my extended family from the Philippines and welcome them the way I was introduced to America when I relocated from Guam in 2008.

Eventually, both the redness, dryness and peeling around my eyes and at home healed after a slow process just like how things healed at home.

---i need help with the ending and epiphany