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.
Please provide feedback on my essay. What should I change? Add? Remove?
Everyone has had that phase in their childhood when their parents had tried to force upon them different talents and hobbies: piano lessons, martial arts, ballet, etc. There are some who take those talents to heart and grow up continuing to practice and improve on them, but numerous people end up loathing them. Although I wasn't taught how to play an instrument or trained in Karate, there was one thing I grew tired of during my childhood, and that was religion. All my life I have been raised as a Catholic, and ever since I was a little boy my family taught me about God, Jesus, and his creation. They sent me to several different Catholic schools in the Philippines where singing and praying were parts of our daily routine. They also taught me how to pray the rosary and drove me to pray every night before I went to sleep and every morning when I woke up. As the years went by, however, all those things became nothing more than a hassle to me.
Sunday became the day I enjoyed the least, not because the weekend came to a close, but because I had to attend an almost-two-hour-long mass. Some Sundays were relatively more interesting, I had to admit, when the priest discussed topics that caught my attention. However, those Sundays only occurred once every few months. Basically, I disliked Sundays. Catholic School was the same story as I also had to attend mass, but on different days. However, those days were more enjoyable since I spent them with my classmates. There was just something about being with friends that made even the most boring activities a lot more fun. Years later, at the end of my sixth grade year, I moved to another country. I was ecstatic about my first year of school in California, especially having found out that I didn't have to attend Catholic School (mostly because my parents couldn't afford to send me to expensive private schools). However, I was still enrolled into small, once-a-week kind of lectures for 4 years at our local church where we read parts of the Bible and discussed them afterwards. They weren't as bad as the actual Catholic school experience, but they were still dreadfully uninteresting.
During my freshman year of High School, however, my views were altered. On one weekend, I set out to the Santa Cruz Retreat Center for my church with about a hundred fellow classmates whom I had already met in public school. I expected the trip to be incredibly boring and for the first time, I couldn't wait for Sunday to come. Little did I know that I would quickly take back these words. It was one of the most unforgettable weekends I had ever experienced in my life. We, as a group, prayed together, held hands, and talked openly about deep topics of life. I felt closer to God than I have ever been. It was different from my previous weekly classes where we read from a book and had discussions (during which I had daydreamed about other random things) about its meanings. However, after the retreat I saw those weekly classes in a different light, took them more seriously, and realized that they weren't as boring as I thought they were. I also learned the importance of having close friends as a secondary family.
As I approach the end of my High School career and transition into College, I hope to maintain my connection with God and make new bonds with new friends. After all, life isn't much fun when you don't have anyone to spend it with.
Please provide feedback on my essay. What should I change? Add? Remove?
Everyone has had that phase in their childhood when their parents had tried to force upon them different talents and hobbies: piano lessons, martial arts, ballet, etc. There are some who take those talents to heart and grow up continuing to practice and improve on them, but numerous people end up loathing them. Although I wasn't taught how to play an instrument or trained in Karate, there was one thing I grew tired of during my childhood, and that was religion. All my life I have been raised as a Catholic, and ever since I was a little boy my family taught me about God, Jesus, and his creation. They sent me to several different Catholic schools in the Philippines where singing and praying were parts of our daily routine. They also taught me how to pray the rosary and drove me to pray every night before I went to sleep and every morning when I woke up. As the years went by, however, all those things became nothing more than a hassle to me.
Sunday became the day I enjoyed the least, not because the weekend came to a close, but because I had to attend an almost-two-hour-long mass. Some Sundays were relatively more interesting, I had to admit, when the priest discussed topics that caught my attention. However, those Sundays only occurred once every few months. Basically, I disliked Sundays. Catholic School was the same story as I also had to attend mass, but on different days. However, those days were more enjoyable since I spent them with my classmates. There was just something about being with friends that made even the most boring activities a lot more fun. Years later, at the end of my sixth grade year, I moved to another country. I was ecstatic about my first year of school in California, especially having found out that I didn't have to attend Catholic School (mostly because my parents couldn't afford to send me to expensive private schools). However, I was still enrolled into small, once-a-week kind of lectures for 4 years at our local church where we read parts of the Bible and discussed them afterwards. They weren't as bad as the actual Catholic school experience, but they were still dreadfully uninteresting.
During my freshman year of High School, however, my views were altered. On one weekend, I set out to the Santa Cruz Retreat Center for my church with about a hundred fellow classmates whom I had already met in public school. I expected the trip to be incredibly boring and for the first time, I couldn't wait for Sunday to come. Little did I know that I would quickly take back these words. It was one of the most unforgettable weekends I had ever experienced in my life. We, as a group, prayed together, held hands, and talked openly about deep topics of life. I felt closer to God than I have ever been. It was different from my previous weekly classes where we read from a book and had discussions (during which I had daydreamed about other random things) about its meanings. However, after the retreat I saw those weekly classes in a different light, took them more seriously, and realized that they weren't as boring as I thought they were. I also learned the importance of having close friends as a secondary family.
As I approach the end of my High School career and transition into College, I hope to maintain my connection with God and make new bonds with new friends. After all, life isn't much fun when you don't have anyone to spend it with.
