mattehww
Nov 20, 2010
Undergraduate / UC #1 - My parents are my example [4]
Thanks alyssalenai, I'll try and work some incident in
Thanks alyssalenai, I'll try and work some incident in
mattehww
Nov 20, 2010
Undergraduate / UC #1 - My parents are my example [4]
UC Prompt 1
"Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations."
I'm not sure if I should focus more on my passion for chemistry? Help would be appreciated! Thanks!
As the first child in my family born in America, I've known that my life would be different from my parents, who both risked their lives to flee from Vietnam when they were teenagers. Time after time have I asked them to retell their stories of running in the middle of the night to sneak onto small fishing boats to brave the treacherous Pacific Ocean for the United States, the land of opportunity. They escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs-my mom did not even have a pair of shoes, but their lives are now a daily reminder of what can be accomplished through hard work, dedication, and clear goals in mind.
Until last year, it never hit me just what my parents suffered through and did to build lives for themselves in America. I didn't realize the perseverance my dad had to work full-time during the day, to go to school at night, and to raise a family. He struggled with English and cultural shock, but persisted for eighteen years to earn his Bachelor's degree.
That realization clicked in me a little over a year ago, opening my eyes to the future I had ahead of me, if I was willing to put in the work and effort. For most of high school, I was lazy and unmotivated, and only studied hard because of my parents' unspoken expectations. However, I began to throw myself into my academic studies. I yearned to find my passion that would grant me the same dedication and perseverance my family possessed. I sought to discover what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
I realized that passion and dream in the chemistry laboratory. I first found inspiration in my chemistry teacher, who helped me to discover a subject I loved, one that I naturally excelled at. For the first time in high school, I began to truly enjoy going to school and learning. I no longer had to be reminded to put away the games and study, as I had found a new source of pleasure, a brand new video game. My family and I were amazed at the marked transformation in my outlook toward school. Now, after three years of lab experiments, I have finally discovered that I fervently want to become a chemical engineer. I have a clear vision of what I want to do with my life: discover breakthroughs in technology that will be able to impact peoples' daily lives.
These dreams however, wouldn't have been possible if I had not had my parents as role models and examples. I was struck by their dedication, commitment, and an unyielding vision of the person they each aspired to be. Seeing how much they had accomplished, from aliens in a foreign country with no possessions, to parents with a home and all they could wish for, made me realize the unlimited potential I have, and gave me the motivation to seek out my own passion and dreams.
UC Prompt 1
"Describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations."
I'm not sure if I should focus more on my passion for chemistry? Help would be appreciated! Thanks!
As the first child in my family born in America, I've known that my life would be different from my parents, who both risked their lives to flee from Vietnam when they were teenagers. Time after time have I asked them to retell their stories of running in the middle of the night to sneak onto small fishing boats to brave the treacherous Pacific Ocean for the United States, the land of opportunity. They escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs-my mom did not even have a pair of shoes, but their lives are now a daily reminder of what can be accomplished through hard work, dedication, and clear goals in mind.
Until last year, it never hit me just what my parents suffered through and did to build lives for themselves in America. I didn't realize the perseverance my dad had to work full-time during the day, to go to school at night, and to raise a family. He struggled with English and cultural shock, but persisted for eighteen years to earn his Bachelor's degree.
That realization clicked in me a little over a year ago, opening my eyes to the future I had ahead of me, if I was willing to put in the work and effort. For most of high school, I was lazy and unmotivated, and only studied hard because of my parents' unspoken expectations. However, I began to throw myself into my academic studies. I yearned to find my passion that would grant me the same dedication and perseverance my family possessed. I sought to discover what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
I realized that passion and dream in the chemistry laboratory. I first found inspiration in my chemistry teacher, who helped me to discover a subject I loved, one that I naturally excelled at. For the first time in high school, I began to truly enjoy going to school and learning. I no longer had to be reminded to put away the games and study, as I had found a new source of pleasure, a brand new video game. My family and I were amazed at the marked transformation in my outlook toward school. Now, after three years of lab experiments, I have finally discovered that I fervently want to become a chemical engineer. I have a clear vision of what I want to do with my life: discover breakthroughs in technology that will be able to impact peoples' daily lives.
These dreams however, wouldn't have been possible if I had not had my parents as role models and examples. I was struck by their dedication, commitment, and an unyielding vision of the person they each aspired to be. Seeing how much they had accomplished, from aliens in a foreign country with no possessions, to parents with a home and all they could wish for, made me realize the unlimited potential I have, and gave me the motivation to seek out my own passion and dreams.
