Undergraduate / The only option I see (College Personal Statement) [6]

This is my personal statement for college. I am a high school senior and I'm terrified of writing essays. Please take a look at what I've written, it's my first time using this site.

Sitting quietly on the ledge my grandparents's porch I stared out onto the Palestinian street. The inky black sky seemed even darker here than it did in Ohio. My parents and other family members joined me on the porch.

My father pulled out a couple of chairs for my mother and himself. He plopped himself in one and waited for my mom to sit down. Quietly, my dad thumbed through half of the photos and stopped at one small photo.

"This one was on our wedding day," he whispers. Looking over his shoulder I looked at the tiny picture. My mom was seated on a chair dressed in terrifyingly overwhelming white dress. She looked so washed out and scared, her makeup slightly shiny from her sweat. It was a typical wedding photo, except for one major detail. My mom was only 15.

Now as I remember that small photo, the anxious look my mom had on her baby-face angers me. She was much too young to even consider marriage. Then it hits me...marriage was the only safe option. In some families it still is considered to be the only option. Ever since I saw that photo, I've wanted other girls to realize that even though marriage seems like the only option it really isn't.

My mother has taught me that life is not definite and I decide my future. I want to become a role-model to other Arab girls just like she has been a role model to me. When people meet a Muslim girl who wears the hijab, people tend to think that they are docile and oppressed. In reality it's the exact opposite. I don't want to get married; I want to be able to work and provide for my family. It's important for other Muslim girls like myself to realize that we are independent and intelligent people. In the ninth grade I won Best Oralist during a Moot Court competition. When my family and I were preparing to leave, a woman had stopped us, asking to take a photo. While I stood next to her daughters preparing to take a picture, I hid my trophy behind my back. The woman stared at me.

"What are you doing? Stop. Be proud of what you just accomplished!" she smiled gently. We took the photo and quietly walked away. As I moved towards the door I heard her whisper, "I'm so proud of her! She, a girl with a headscarf,won Best Oralist and did better than my own children." When I heard this I began to blush, she was proud of what I did! She was proud because I showed every single person who sat in the courtroom that a Muslim girl with a hijab, can and will achieve more than what is perceived.

Ever since that moment, I've made it my goal to show that Muslim girls are more than just underdogs and that they have the option to go to college. I will show those who doubt me that being a Muslim girl isn't a hindrance; it is something to be proud of. A person has more than just one option. Not only will I be a first generation college student, I will become the first female biomedical engineer from my village. I need an education; without it I will ultimately will get married. When I had first taken my ACT I had gotten a 25. My mother and father told me that if I don't receive a better score my future will be centered around a husband and kids.

I still have that small photograph with my mother's nervous face; it serves as a reminder. That little photo reminds me of where I've come from. That little photo helped me realize that more than one option exists, and it's ultimately up to me to find that other option. And for me, education is my option.