Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are? *
"You will never be successful in life," my classmate, Mike told me with a smirk on his face. Mike didn't think that I was smart enough to make it into university, needless to say, become a professional engineer. He was a schoolmate of mine for 3 years and believed that I could never make it into a university and that a leopard could never change its spots. I strongly disagree with this saying and I am determined to detach this notion and stereotypical thought in others through myself as an example.
The bare minimum grade was something I strived for back in school. Then, school was never of utmost priority in my life. Having the minimum GPA to graduate in order to keep my worried parents off my tail was sufficient for me. I was indulged in all sorts of activities in my life, but nothing academically related. Busy with my social life and working hard in my part time job, everything then seemed to fall in place for me. It was only the day I received my diploma signifying graduation that made me realize that the picture I had painted before me was not impressive at all. Looking at my transcript, it showed a graduating GPA of 1.7279. Definitely something not to be proud of, it made me ponder, "Was this really me?"
Right after graduation, I was enlisted into the army. My experience in the army changed me drastically. It pulled me back to earth and made me realize that only through hardship and sacrifices could rewards then be reaped.
Today, I can safely say that I have grown wiser and more mature. I know that this is the last hurdle before I step out into the working world and my future depends on this. With my studies and future prioritized, I am more than ever determined to succeed. I know that in this road to success, I would have to overcome many new obstacles. Many times, whenever I feel discouraged by an incident, I would reflect back on my past and tell myself, "I've been to the deep end, there's nowhere to go but up." As I imagine my future, I can see myself equipped with a UC Berkeley degree in my hands. I would visit my old friend, Mike. He would then already be well aware of the international acclaim that I had received through my innovative creations and research papers. Then, I would relish the moment when my friend, Mike acknowledges that I had indeed succeeded and I would whisper to him, "A leopard can definitely change its spots".
"You will never be successful in life," my classmate, Mike told me with a smirk on his face. Mike didn't think that I was smart enough to make it into university, needless to say, become a professional engineer. He was a schoolmate of mine for 3 years and believed that I could never make it into a university and that a leopard could never change its spots. I strongly disagree with this saying and I am determined to detach this notion and stereotypical thought in others through myself as an example.
The bare minimum grade was something I strived for back in school. Then, school was never of utmost priority in my life. Having the minimum GPA to graduate in order to keep my worried parents off my tail was sufficient for me. I was indulged in all sorts of activities in my life, but nothing academically related. Busy with my social life and working hard in my part time job, everything then seemed to fall in place for me. It was only the day I received my diploma signifying graduation that made me realize that the picture I had painted before me was not impressive at all. Looking at my transcript, it showed a graduating GPA of 1.7279. Definitely something not to be proud of, it made me ponder, "Was this really me?"
Right after graduation, I was enlisted into the army. My experience in the army changed me drastically. It pulled me back to earth and made me realize that only through hardship and sacrifices could rewards then be reaped.
Today, I can safely say that I have grown wiser and more mature. I know that this is the last hurdle before I step out into the working world and my future depends on this. With my studies and future prioritized, I am more than ever determined to succeed. I know that in this road to success, I would have to overcome many new obstacles. Many times, whenever I feel discouraged by an incident, I would reflect back on my past and tell myself, "I've been to the deep end, there's nowhere to go but up." As I imagine my future, I can see myself equipped with a UC Berkeley degree in my hands. I would visit my old friend, Mike. He would then already be well aware of the international acclaim that I had received through my innovative creations and research papers. Then, I would relish the moment when my friend, Mike acknowledges that I had indeed succeeded and I would whisper to him, "A leopard can definitely change its spots".
