Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from
childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family in 650 words or less.I have this essay and my other twin essay, I'm debating between the two of them for my common app. The other essay I've spent a lot of time on editing; if that's the better essay I will not waste any more time with this one. I was wondering which one "seems" like the "better" essay, and I would love to have someone edit this one if it seems like a better idea. Thank you :)
This summer, my mom had surgery for a fractured arm, fractured fingers, and broken back all in a month's span. Shockingly, none of these injuries were related; my mom fell off her bike, walked the dogs, and had an ongoing disc problem respectively. Looking down at my mother laying in bed with a cast on each arm and a back brace made me quickly realize that I was incorrect in my childhood belief that my mom was an undefeatable superhero. She looked much more fragile when her tall 5'9 and well-muscled body w as hidden under casts and covers. It was my turn to take care of her the way that she had taken care of me and my sister for the past seventeen years.
While I have always helped make dinner and run the household, now it was completely my responsibility to do these things. My mom needed help doing the things that I always took for granted: getting up, using the bathroom, showering. It was equal parts sad seeing her inability to do these everyday activities and gratifying to understand how much time my mom spent taking care of me when I was younger. I also realized just how much time it took to be as healthy as my mother; I found myself up in the wee hours of the morning chopping multitudes of raw vegetables, blending them together, and then serving my mom. I became my mom's personal chauffer, carting her around to the grocery store, vitamin shop, doctors appointments... the list goes on.
I'd love to say that I did all of these things with a huge smile and undeniable sense of enthusiasm and compassion, but that would be a lie. I complained... a lot. I wasn't too thrilled that I had to spend more time in my house taking care of my mom rather than spending time with my friends. And when I was home, I just wanted to curl up with a book or run, not do laundry or clean Fireball, our Green-Winged Macaw's, cage. Not to mention, my mom was not the easiest of patients. She has a pretty low pain tolerance, and it was a struggle to get her to abide by my system of writing down how much of each pain medication she took and when. My mom also tried to do too much too fast; the day after her back surgery she decided to go for a walk and the neighbors had to bring her home after she passed out. I felt a mother's disappointment at my mom's stupidity as I helped bring her back into the house.
Taking care of my mom this summer was certainly difficult, but it has been a gratifying experience at the same time. I spent far more time with her than I would have had I not had to take care of her, and we've had a lot of fun. We spent hours giggling on her bed while I painted her nails or brushed her hair. My mom bought Netflix which was very exciting, and we laughed over numerous romantic comedies. We scoured through college information books, excitedly imaging the future me in completely new places. My favorite moment of all though, was reading my favorite book "On the Road" aloud to her. Without the use of her hands, my mom was incapable of reading, but there was something really special about sharing my favorite story with her the same way that she read countless books to me when I was little.
Taking care of another person other than myself has shown me what adulthood is all about. I used to think that maturity and independence marked an adult, but I've come to learn that putting someone else's needs and happiness before your own distinguishes an adult. I look forward to further cultivating the adult I will one day be in college, always remembering the help that I received along my way.
childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family in 650 words or less.I have this essay and my other twin essay, I'm debating between the two of them for my common app. The other essay I've spent a lot of time on editing; if that's the better essay I will not waste any more time with this one. I was wondering which one "seems" like the "better" essay, and I would love to have someone edit this one if it seems like a better idea. Thank you :)
This summer, my mom had surgery for a fractured arm, fractured fingers, and broken back all in a month's span. Shockingly, none of these injuries were related; my mom fell off her bike, walked the dogs, and had an ongoing disc problem respectively. Looking down at my mother laying in bed with a cast on each arm and a back brace made me quickly realize that I was incorrect in my childhood belief that my mom was an undefeatable superhero. She looked much more fragile when her tall 5'9 and well-muscled body w as hidden under casts and covers. It was my turn to take care of her the way that she had taken care of me and my sister for the past seventeen years.
While I have always helped make dinner and run the household, now it was completely my responsibility to do these things. My mom needed help doing the things that I always took for granted: getting up, using the bathroom, showering. It was equal parts sad seeing her inability to do these everyday activities and gratifying to understand how much time my mom spent taking care of me when I was younger. I also realized just how much time it took to be as healthy as my mother; I found myself up in the wee hours of the morning chopping multitudes of raw vegetables, blending them together, and then serving my mom. I became my mom's personal chauffer, carting her around to the grocery store, vitamin shop, doctors appointments... the list goes on.
I'd love to say that I did all of these things with a huge smile and undeniable sense of enthusiasm and compassion, but that would be a lie. I complained... a lot. I wasn't too thrilled that I had to spend more time in my house taking care of my mom rather than spending time with my friends. And when I was home, I just wanted to curl up with a book or run, not do laundry or clean Fireball, our Green-Winged Macaw's, cage. Not to mention, my mom was not the easiest of patients. She has a pretty low pain tolerance, and it was a struggle to get her to abide by my system of writing down how much of each pain medication she took and when. My mom also tried to do too much too fast; the day after her back surgery she decided to go for a walk and the neighbors had to bring her home after she passed out. I felt a mother's disappointment at my mom's stupidity as I helped bring her back into the house.
Taking care of my mom this summer was certainly difficult, but it has been a gratifying experience at the same time. I spent far more time with her than I would have had I not had to take care of her, and we've had a lot of fun. We spent hours giggling on her bed while I painted her nails or brushed her hair. My mom bought Netflix which was very exciting, and we laughed over numerous romantic comedies. We scoured through college information books, excitedly imaging the future me in completely new places. My favorite moment of all though, was reading my favorite book "On the Road" aloud to her. Without the use of her hands, my mom was incapable of reading, but there was something really special about sharing my favorite story with her the same way that she read countless books to me when I was little.
Taking care of another person other than myself has shown me what adulthood is all about. I used to think that maturity and independence marked an adult, but I've come to learn that putting someone else's needs and happiness before your own distinguishes an adult. I look forward to further cultivating the adult I will one day be in college, always remembering the help that I received along my way.
