Lessons Learned From Obstacles

Prompt #2: Learning from obstacles. You're trying to show colleges your best self, so it might seem counterintuitive to willingly acknowledge a time you struggled. But overcoming challenges demonstrates courage, grit, and perseverance! That’s why the last piece of this prompt is essential.

Overall, my first semester has been going pretty well. The semester is going like a roller coaster up, down, and fast. I have some bad days and some good days. Through this semester, I have many challenges I faced which I honestly did not want to face. Even though I just wanted to dodge or run away from the challenges, I still face them and fought through them. Some challenges I face this semester, hopefully not in the next, are procrastination, time management, and laziness. I have not only gone through challenges; I have also gone through successes. I am proud of turning assignments on time, passing tests and quizzes, completing my SCR points, and being involved in clubs. Being in Biomed has helped me grow as a student in the area of knowledge.

“The time I have eagerly waited for has come here I am pinning my hair up, and putting my long black robe on. Looking into the mirror I smile at myself and think about all the times I would constantly tell myself I am capable of doing much more than what they say I can and I here proving them wrong, my mother rushes in to tell me it’s time to head over to the ceremony. Unfortunately, my father might not make it because of the fact he is working late and will not make it back in time. When we arrived, I walked over to my seat and took my position, it was a bittersweet moment, but surely my father would be immensely proud of my accomplishment tonight. During the ceremony, I feel my stomach turning and my heart beating

A few weeks went by and it was like a roller coaster of happy and horrible moments. I found a few comfort moments with my dad but he didn’t comfort me the way my mom did. I tried to make the best with staying with him.

In the video, About Divorce, viewers gain insight on how children feel when their parents are going through the process of a divorce or they are already divorced (Listen 2 Kids, 2016). During this time, the children in the video shared how they felt when they found out their parents were going through a divorce. Common emotions ranged from feeling sad, confused, guilty, or they believed that their parents argued and decided to separate because of them. They talked about how at times they felt stuck in the middle while the parents argued. Also, how they experienced “adultification,” which is when children take on additional responsibilities while their parents go through this. This could range from preparing their own meals or caring for their younger siblings.

When I was little, I was really close with my dad. My mom had worked nights, so I saw and spent most my time with my dad. I wanted to do everything my dad did. I wanted to be just like my dad, even though I was a girl. I went to my dad for everything when I was little. When I was scared or sick, I would cry for my dad. As I was growing up, my dad’s hobby was going out and riding snowmobiles with his friends. As the years went on my dad’s like for this hobby grew, and he was gone most of the nights in the

I am typing this essay as I sit in a nice, warm chair on a flight from Los Angeles to Beijing. It is the start of my winter holiday during my junior year of high school. Sitting here on the plane, my mind flashes back to the day when I first arrived in the United States. I was with my mother, looking forward to a whole new life in this amazing place. And now I close my eyes; all the things that have happened in the past two and half years thrill through me as if I am racing in a time machine. My memories are filled with happiness, excitement, sorrow, regret… basically all the emotions that exist on Earth. A lot of things have happened in these two and half years. And, most importantly, I feel I have grown

Happily, we began our ride to the Church Convention. The two days flew by and by the time our aunt dropped us off at our home on a Saturday with a beautiful starry July night sky, I thought Nothing could possibly make this day bad. Everything has come out just perfect. As I was thinking this, I entered our house and was about to go upstairs when I turned around and saw my dad’s pale face.

Packing up the last items in the house, I anticipated his arrival, but he never showed. The last thing I did in my grandma’s house was beg her to wait just a little bit longer. With disappointment, she said no, and it added to my sadness I already felt. It was the first influential transition I went through, and it forced my head into an emotional mess.

The ring of the phone momentarily halted the ever present tears. “Hello,” I said softly, “Oh, hi.” It had been at least a year since I had last spoken with my father and I didn’t quite know what to say. Trying to keep the crack out of my voice I told him of the impending divorce. “I love you,” he said. “I never knew,” I replied. I could hear the tears falling compassionately on the other end of the phone. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just never knew you loved me.” Tears prevented either of us from speaking. Then we shared a little more and hung up. A particular sadness circled but I didn’t want to reflect on it at the time.

Sometimes an event can have a strange and great impact on you, even when it doesn’t affect anyone else. For me, it was on my Mom’s 29th birthday. My grandparents, Dad, brother and Uncle Brandon were all there. My grandma brought a cake and it was spectacular. To five year old me it looked awesome. It was generously frosted with smooth white frosting that was also piped around the edges, but especially alluring was the huge red frosting flower in the center of the cake. It was calling my name. “Can I have the flower?” I asked my mom, fully expecting her to say yes- not because I was a spoiled brat but because she always let me have the huge globs of icing that chain supermarkets love to slap on their cakes, she wasn’t really a fan of sweets anyway. She always says that she would rather have seconds than dessert. But instead she said, “No. It’s my birthday.” She was just joking, she probably would have given it to me. But at the time I didn’t see that. I mean come on, I was five- that icing flower was one of the most important things in my life at the moment. All I could see was my dream with that lovely sucrose flower killed. My ticket to happiness stolen. My heart split in two. (Okay, I wasn’t THAT upset, but I did want it.)

Just as I thought I was finished opening presents, my mother comes from the kitchen and says “I have one more surprise for you too”. Then she rolls in two brand new bikes from the kitchen. My sister starts screaming, jumping up and down saying “OMG thanks mom you’re the best I love you so much.” My heart starts going a mile a minute and I start to smile harder than I ever had before, because this is my first bike

I stood outside, patiently waiting for the activity bus to arrive. My body was exhausted from doing volleyball drills, I just wanted to go home and rest. That is when I heard a familiar voice coming from the parking lot, it was my mother. We lived 45 minutes from town and I knew something was wrong for her to make the trip in to pick me up. As I walked over my gut wrenched into a ball. The possibilities of things she could say ran threw my mind and sent my world spinning. The solemn look on her face grew clearer as I started walking closer, my mother 's lips moved but the words didn 't register at first, then the message finally got through, parents were getting a divorce. The drive to my grandma house was only 20 minutes from my school, but it literally felt like a lifetime. The car was packed full of clothes and other valuables, My brother and i sat squished in the back, quiet as my mother made phone calls. We had nothing more than the clothes that surrounded us and my mothers single paycheck. This is the day that changed my life, and would play a big role in the person I would become.

Illustrating this day, I remember being in the car excited, heart beating rapidly, the ride seemed like forever. My mom informed me that she will be there the whole time and that everything will be okay. She also told me that we’ll be meeting up at the park. Perfect, at this point I was more elated than before. When my mom and I arrived, I remember seeing a man approaching us and hugging my mom, then he hugged me. The hugged was longer and it felt awkward and graceful. As we pulled apart, I saw my dad’s hands start to shake, but I pretend not to notice.

Cringing I noticed the blood that stained the carpet after my sister cut the tip of her finger off in the door hinge. (We cleaned that carpet so many times but not all of it came out) As I made my way to my room I remembered the family pictures that used to hang on wall. Looking around my room it started to sink in that I will never see this room again. The walls still had the pin holes from when I had hung up my High School Musical Posters in the 3rd grade. “Hey turd let’s go!” my brother, Justin, yelled. “Don’t tell me what to do!” I replied even though I knew I better listen to him. As we were walking out of the house for last time my heart was breaking. We would never get to carve pumpkins in the dining room or dye Easter eggs in the kitchen. I know we can do all of those things at the new house but it wasn’t going to be the same. The front yard where we used to flag football is getting smaller as we drive away. Soon all I can see is the city I once lived in. Silently saying goodbye i turn around in my seat and get ready for the long drive.