Prompt 2
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?
Putting an engine in a car may not seem like much of an accomplishment at first, but for me the experience was life changing, especially since I had never done so much as an oil change! This is why I am very pleased that, with a friend's help, I managed to change my car's engine. Through this experience, I learned that I can overcome any difficulty.
About one year ago, my car's engine overheated after a long distance drive. The engine was damaged to the extent of not function at all. But I needed the car; I needed transportation to school. The only solution was to purchase another engine, which I ended up doing. To save money, I decided to install it myself. I removed usable parts, from the old engine such as the air intake, starter, cables, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, and anything of that sort. I sorted, labeled, and organized the parts. I was meticulous.
I have learned to work strategically and efficiently. I think back and give thanks for the chess games I played because they taught me to think before making a wrong move. Organizing all mechanical parts was essential, so that in the end bolts would not be missing or unpaired. For example, I would leave the bolts mounted on the engine and numbered the pieces of tape matching its item.
The engine arrived in about one week and we immediately started working on it. My friend, Efrain, recommended changing all the seals so it would not leak oil, and we did. We prepared everything else so the new engine would be ready to drop in. This included, of course, removing the old engine. We attached the transmission with a new clutch to the new rebuilt engine. When we were confident that the engine was perfect, we began mounting it into the car. I had to knock over any fear that came upon me because I would not let any fear stop me from finishing this job. When working underneath the engine, held by one hydraulic jack, the fear of it dropping concerned me. My determination, however, gave me the strength to see the job through. But mounting the engine was only part of the job. After successfully mounting the new engine, I had to reattach every reusable part in its proper place. Thank goodness I was so organized.
Of course the project took months to finish, but I was learning while working. After hard work, time, and money invested on the project, the moment of truth arrived. Oily and covered in a whole day's worth of sweat, I jumped into my car, overwhelmed by anxiety, to start it. If it did not turn on, I would have been devastated. Four months worth of arduous effort and hard work would have gone to waste. But when I turned the key, I heard the engine come to life and rejoicing, I revved my engine! In that moment came a flash back of what a great time I had working and learning mechanics. I also realized patience and organization were key factors to success. Knowing that I can be highly organized and can give hundred percent at every subject, no matter how difficult it might be.
Word count: 539
Good afternoon :)
Avoid beginning your sentences with conjunctive/transitory words such as "so," "but," or "and."
In regards to content, you do a great job of explaining the experience and why it made you proud. How does it relate to the person you are today? How are you different because of this experience? Is it a good change or a bad one?
Regards,
Gloria
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