ANY and ALL tips/edits/constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
ESSAY QUESTION 1: Consider something in your life you think goes unnoticed and write about why it's important to you.
When I was younger, I always wanted to be like all the other "stereotypical" white American kids who ate their "American" food, wore certain clothing, and spoke strictly English. I remember that it was to the point that I would insist to my parents to stop speaking Spanish so that they would speak English with me in public settings. At my young, ignorant age, I thought that the only way to be accepted amongst my peers, I had to be just like them and completely abandon my family's culture.
In the past few years, however, I have learned that this is not the case. It was not until middle school that I fully decided to accept who I was as a person. I began to embrace the heritage that my family came from and took the initiative to learn more about my culture and work harder on learning spanish to eventually be able to speak more eloquently. Every other summer, my family and I take a trip to Colombia to visit our relatives, and the last summer turned out to be amazing because of how much I desired to learn about the country; the time I had spent to increase my fluidity in the spanish language turned out to truly pay off when I could fully converse with people, understand jokes, and make great friends. Looking back, it still baffles me why I had wanted so badly to assimilate and be just like everyone else. Now that I think about it, it is one's unique traits that makes someone more interesting.
I am aware that I am not the only person that has experience struggles with their identity between cultures. Similar situations to mine are prevalent with other first-generation students, but the struggles often go unnoticed by many. If we are not visibly discriminated against with racial slurs or being physically separated from others, it is thought that we are being treated equally. However, it is the silent discrimination such as that from judgemental eyes as we listen to our "strange" music or wear traditional clothing that makes us distinct. In addition, why is it so wrong when we even enjoy certain aspects from other cultures? Just little comments such as, "Kpop is stupid" when only "Gangnam Style" is what they're familiar with that can turn out to be more offensive than intended. It would be fantastic if people could learn to appreciate the differences between cultures and the beautiful melting pot that diversity can create, rather than shunning them.
The unnoticed internal conflict of being different and having distinct tastes still, to this day, affect me. Whether it is the fact that I enjoy listening to music of several languages or am attracted to men of different ethnicities, there is always someone to judge. I hope that, one day, an even wider range of people can also learn to embrace who they are and where they come from-- not just for themselves, but also to make their parents proud.
Thalia, this is an essay that depicts the conflict that every bilingual child faces in his or her life. You perfectly described the way that you were conflicted as a child when it came to choosing who you were. You wanted to be like your friends, but somehow, you also knew that you had to be who your parents taught you to be as well. So when you said that you insisted that they speak English in a public setting, I could almost see the way your parents looked at you. Unlike other essays to this effect though, you managed to present a well grounded and thought out conclusion to your story. The fact that you learned how to be a "stereotypical " white American kid while still holding on to your roots and what makes you special has made this essay highly successful. It is an essay that you should be proud to present to the admissions officer. It is truly a unique story about yourself that could go unnoticed by most people.
