College Admissions Essay: My Path To Determination

In my childhood, From the television screen, those scenes of dynamic high school lives and dazzling extracurricular activities fascinated me, I thought The United States must be the heavenly wonderland compare to the world I come from, a nation where mechanization and examination-oriented education are prevailed; a cold dead place where people halted steps once their basic livings were guaranteed yet challenging development of individual identities was lost behind.

Riding a unicycle is probably pretty interesting. I originally wanted my parents to get me a pogo stick for christmas because they never got me one when i was little, but they couldn’t find an adult sized one in their budget. So they figured something else that is equally strange would suffice, and it really seemed to fit my personality.The reason I started my essay with a reference to my unicycle is because it shows some good aspects of my character. Since riding a unicycle took multiple months for me to master, it shows that I am persistent, even if I fall a few times. Though riding a unicycle is interesting and fun, it’s not my main priority. I’m extremely passionate for film and theatre, and there are a few things about me that really do a fantastic job at getting me ready for a career in acting.

The pursuit of attending college has been a personal desire and goal for as long as I can remember. While maintaining a rigorous academic course load, I also had a passion for excelling in my music endeavors. My superior GPA and yearly testing scores broadened my career choices but made it difficult to discern whether I wanted to pursue something in the field of medicine, education, or music. The academics, experiences, and activities that I have been involved with throughout my life, definitely have shaped and encouraged me to think deeper about what it is that I would truly love to excel in on the college level and pursue as a life-long career.

I have loved sports my whole life, even at a very young age. I would watch it with my dad, and he would take me to sports games. I loved to play basketball in the backyard when I was little. I have always loved cheering for my favorite sports team. I love watching the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Two years ago my dad surprised me with Vikings tickets. I was so happy to get to go to a game. Sports has always been a big part of my life. Two years ago, I got a new view of sports when I started umpiring.

I was born on September the 7th of 1994 in the San Francisco Bay area, not very far from Silicon Valley. The year I was born President Bill Clinton signed the North American Free Trade agreement with Mexico and Canada which helped to stimulate economic growth about twenty years ago. Living in California made my Dad the open-minded liberal that he is today, and because of his love for discussing politics I was raised listening to him have friendly debates with my very republican grandpa over every economic issue from climate change to healthcare. For about a year and a half after I was born my parents, older brother Daniel, golden retriever sandy, and I all lived in a classic colonial style home just south of Santa Clara Valley. My father was the breadwinner in our family working as an engineer for Portola Packaging. A job he was offered not long after graduation from a small private engineering school in upstate New York called Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. My mother also worked full time but as a loan underwriter. After being offered a great relocation package by Portola to the east coast my parents quickly decided to pack up our house and move to Pittsburg Pennsylvania. In addition to being closer to our extended families they also believed that raising a family in Pennsylvania was far

My past, present, and future. This is the journey of my life. Where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where I’m going. My journey began on July 28, 2000, at St. Margret’s South Hospital in Dyer, Indiana. Lance Collins who is a paramedic, and Christine Collins who is a registered nurse, became the proud parents of the 6lb. 9oz. 21 inch long baby boy, who they named Liam Hunter Collins. On November 30, 2002, I became a big brother when my sister Taylor Collins was born. I have been a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana and I’ve had some pretty amazing adventures and accomplishments so far. I became a proud pet owner when my bichon frise Max, came to live with us on April 5th, 2006. On June 30, 2006 my dad took me to my very first Taekwondo lesson. I quickly fell in love with martial arts, I worked really hard, dedicated myself, and I received the rank of 1st degree black belt when I was only eight years old. I have been playing

This forced me analyze my life thus far, to recognize my fears and what I hold dear. It’s only been sixteen (one month till seventeen) years in this carcass, but I already feel like an entire life has flown by. It was like a prerequisite of actually watching my life flash before my eyes. This project was nice to sit back and look at what a social mess I am (one of my most favorite pastimes). But also, only being sixteen, I don’t hold what many would believe to be true values, dreams, fears, and identity. Nevertheless, this is what I have so far.

At the age of 39, I decided to return to school and finish my undergraduate degree. Being a single mother I wanted my kids to see how hard work and dedication can really pay off if you commit yourself and push through any adversities, you will win. I received my degree in Healthcare Management and I have been working in health insurance for over fifteen years. Working with people and helping others is my passion. I love to see a smiling happy face.

Who am I personally, after 50 years of being me, I am still a work in progress. I grew up in a tiny ski resort town, on the Appalachian Mountains, in New Jersey. My father grew up in New Jersey, but my mother is from Havana Cuba. My father never graduated from High School, but my mother did. They did not believe in higher education, especial for girls. They wanted us to get married and start a family, I always knew that was not for me. So I followed my dreams and traveled the world. Meeting exciting, educated people all along the way, my travels showed me all the things that I had been missing out on living in a tiny town. By traveling, I learned how to live independently, be frugal, and enjoy life, that is what made me a strong woman. My weakness is, that I wear my heart on my sleeve, I am temperamental, and no confidant.

The city of New York is where I reside, mostly when I'm not flying around the world in my elegant, exclusive, exorbitant jet; I'd always mention with a wink. I'm living the dream. Waking up to the warmth of the sun as my alarm, the view of the alluring country from my apartment and Mr. Awares, my butler the man who dresses me... haha okay, I’m not that lazy. Where do I see myself 10 years from where I stand now? A question I could never answer until 10:03pm or was it 10:05pm? Well, who knows, I fell asleep.

To bottle the essence in this premier moment- the liquid of success and pride, the raw emotion in that moment that has propelled my character to it's actualized state of being- would have been a fantasy amongst reality. I open my tear dotted eyes as my ears resonate the echoes of confetti cannons and cheers from the arena. My muscles ache with joy, and my mind is chasing the realization that is at hand. I have just won a midwestern color guard championship. The golden haze of chaos that ensues is one that has forever imprinted on my mind, a haze that lingers in my peripheral vision, in constant search of a worthy emotion to compare to. The prime success in this moment alone- has been the sole fuel in the flame of my determination and strive for achieved ambitions.

Just when everything was finally going great as far as my college goes I hit the biggest rough patch. Starting my freshman year of college was the biggest accomplishment thus far in my life at the time. I had set such high goals for myself and then failed at them drastically, unintentionally at that. As being the first generation college student in my family, coming to college was a must for me. Growing up living in a paycheck-to-paycheck household was not the worst but I knew somewhere out there were better opportunities that I need to take advantage of once my time came. I wanted more for myself but until this screw up. I came to the real conclusion of what that better was. Better was getting myself together so I could be one-step closer the gold behind the psychology degree I will receive in May 2020.

As I prepare to enter my college years, I’m excited by all the options I have, whether it’s possible majors, clubs, and career options. I have to admit, though, that all of this is extremely overwhelming. As the first person in my family to attend college, it’s been hard for me to get advice on what to do. I’d love to be apart of LUCES because I will benefit from the sisterhood and guidance that it can provide for me during my time at Loyola. In my family, I’m expected to set an example by being the first to go to college, and I would love to do so with sisters who relate to my experience. On top of this, I want to be a mentee apart of LUCES because the program fosters a community of diverse minds and ideas that’ll give me a well rounded experience at Loyola.

The “Seven Secrets of Success” lecture brought an uplifting perspective to what building upon your goals looks like beyond a day-to-day basis. Beginning with the first ‘honest truth,’ living intentionally, having a goal-based attitude can only benefit you when you plan and have a way to reach your desired outcome. The second piece of advice given was to ‘choose the right tribe,’ in other words, the energy you keep around you is the energy you put out into the world. The power of both negative and positive impacts from our friends and peers affect us much more than we realize. A piece of the lecture that particularly resonated with me was the mention of linking one’s identity to a high performing person or group, also called ignition. Our environments (as well as genetics) influence our success.

Some might call it “nosey” or “annoying”, but I've always favored the term “curious”. From a young age, my thirst for knowledge has been unquencable and well-known to those around me. My parents, teachers, and any other adults within an earshot were plagued by my constant questions. By the age of six, I had become obsessed with finances. I felt like I needed to know every last detail of people's fiscal affairs. Unfortunately, my six-year-old self was too young to realize that this was considered distasteful. Often at night, while my dad sat at the dining room table to pay his bills and balance his checkbook, I would accompany him. My interrogation into his finances was unrelenting, and most of the time he would comply. Whether he wanted me