The prompt is what is an obstacle you have overcome in life? And what have you learned from it? This is a super personal essay so be nice.
It's 4:30 AM and my alarm clock is blaring in my ear. I stagger out of bed, feeling sleep deprived from studying late for my exam. I splash frigid water on my face, feeling the sensation of pins and needles. I'm awake. I go downstairs and begin cooking breakfast for my grandma and myself. My dad has already left for work, and my mom is away on a trip. I help my grandma out of bed and help her to the bathroom. I bathe and dress her. All awhile, the savory aroma of the sausage I forgot was cooking fills the air. I wheel my grandma to the table, and run hastily to the stove. I glance at the time. 5:30 AM. I spoon food into my grandma's mouth and sprint frantically to the medicine cabinet to get her pills. I dart upstairs, change into my school outfit, and sloppily do my makeup. 6:30. Perfect. By the time I arrive at school, I'm physically drained. I look around and wonder if people went through mornings like mine.
There are times when I wish my grandma wasn't so dependent on me. Helping my grandma should be seen as a caring act, not a responsibility. Nobody ever thinks about seeing their grandparent naked, but I have to. My grandma has regressed into an almost baby-like state, and no one tells you how mentally straining it is to take care of an elderly. I'm a teen that is supposed to be carefree, but how do I balance being a teen and an adult?
With college, I know I am capable of of the challenges that will come my way. Success is built on external influence, not innate talent. Helping my grandma has made me stronger. I've established a hardworking ethic and have become wiser. With this hardship, I look at it with a silver lining. My grandma has taught me to value life for what it's worth, and to have courage to take risks. With this, I want to make my life purposeful, and that begins with following my dreams.
Holt Educational Consultant - / 14,835 
4783 Annika, indeed, this essay is quite personal. It is well written and portrays your difficulties in life. I know that you love your grandmother very much and that you are torn between feeling love for her and feeling trapped by caring for her. However, I believe that this essay should be saved for either an open topic essay piece or a background essay prompt. It would fit perfectly there and would truly highlight your background and the person you have become because of having to deal with this situation. Perhaps you can develop a more obstacle related story for this prompt instead?
You see, when you are asked to write about an obstacle you had to overcome in life, you are being asked to analyze how you deal with situations that prevent you from currently achieving your dreams, ambitions, or aspirations in life. Why won't you let these obstacles get in your way? Or, if you have already overcome the obstacle, how did you do it and what did you learn from the experience?
In this case, there is no clear obstacle in your path. Rather, the existence of your grandmother portrays you as a selfless person who is willing to give up some of her freedoms for the benefit of someone she loves. Definitely, this essay is not about an obstacle but about a background story of your development as a good person. Since your grandmother is currently living, then your story with her involved in it is still ongoing and unresolved.
