So I decided to write about learning to appreciate new change/ new experiances. Any suggestions or feedback? Thanks!
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If you were to offer me chocolate ice cream nine years ago, I would have refused
with hardly a glance. I developed an early aversion towards new experiences after trying too many flavors that weren't enjoyable. Born in Los Angeles, my parents moved to Japan soon after, leaving me with my grandparents in China. Within a few years I was back across the ocean living with my mother. Over the next few years I attended six schools in three states, but being pulled from place to place without the understanding of American culture made me resist change even more. However, one day, at the age of nine I was placed on a road toward learning to deal more confidently with changes after being forced to taste a new beginning.
The prelude to my fresh chapter began with a silent car ride to an unfamiliar place that I would soon call home. My mother's decision for me to live with my father was an unexpected one. I immediately knew I would have to leave my friends and the familiarity of the environment behind, but there weren't too many alternatives. As my father strolled through the streets of Cambridge, I couldn't help but notice how much better everything was; from the houses to the quality of the tap water. However, it was not what I knew as "normal"; the demographics weren't what I was used to, and I hadn't seen my Mexican father in years and had never met his American wife. Nevertheless, as time passed, chronic homesickness slowly was replaced by the tentative feeling of comfort.
My new beginning led to the discovery of new flavors that weren't available before. Through a combination of self-motivation and guidance from my stepmother, I started to get my first "A's" in school; I made friends with interesting and diverse people including a Swiss boy who speak fluent German. There was more structure and safety in my new life, but at the same time I became aware of the importance of succeeding in school and knew what was required of me.
For the first time, I discovered things I enjoyed and stayed committed to. Since my mother was an Olympic swimmer for China, my stepmother enrolled me in swimming programs early on. The coldness of the water and the new people I didn't know made me feel uncomfortable at first, but ever since I've been swimming in, lakes, oceans, and for the high school team since. Most importantly, it thought me a sense of commitment that I applied to everything else I did.
Learning to appreciate change was initially forced on me, but now I welcome new experiences knowing they bring knowledge and opportunities. To me, college offers an opportunity to taste new experiences and mix flavors to create something new. I am not sure what I like these days, but I know what I am ready to fully experience any opportunity available to me because I know I can succeed.
