College Admissions Essay: The Best Memory

Going through adversity is one of the toughest things anyone can do. But, feeling like you are going through it alone is a completely different animal. I’m sitting in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Chicago, and studying advertising at one of the top institutions in the country, DePaul University. Yet, despite all the effort, and years of hard work it took me to get to this moment, all I can think about is one cliché line I heard in a song awhile back, “home is where the heart is.” Years from now I know that I will be able to look back at this moment and say that I got through this tough time, and I became a better version of myself. But for now, all I can do is stay patient and keep lacing up my walking shoes.

Rewind fifteen years back, is when I blessed my parents with myself. To be more exact it was the sixteenth of September, also known as the Independence day of Mexico. I remember very keenly that my dad would always be so proud of that, he would even purposefully say my birthday is the Independence day of Mexico, instead of my actual birthdate. I guess considering he is an indigenous Mexican, it’s pretty normal for him to be proud of his ethnic background. I was born into an already large family; I had my mother who is Colombian and dad who is Mexican, my two older sisters, and my one older brother, and my younger sister that came two years subsequently to me. As a young kid the personality traits I acquired were that I was always very shy; I was an introvert all around, as well as a perfectionist (not anymore obviously), I liked making new friends, I liked being helpful , I liked being organized, and strongly believed that every good deed would be rewarded in the future.

I remember waking up that day and that feeling in my stomach, knowing what was about to happen. Growing up I knew about my father's sickness. My family, I recall, was always supportive. No one ever thinks about how one day, everyone you’re around for years, can just vanish. I cherished my friends as I was growing up. I lived there for a majority of my life, up until fourth grade. I remember sitting at a neighbor's house and having the mother come into the room and inform me that I need to be home swiftly. As I ran home, my head was crowded with thoughts to the point where I could not even think about why I was supposed to be home quickly. That day marked the transition of what would be the biggest change in my life. As by dad became sicker,

Everyone has a legacy. A legacy is like a message in a bottle, something you leave behind to be discovered again. It’s a story that people are remembered by, whether it’s a work of art or a famous quote. It’s an impact you leave for a place or a person. A legacy is like a treasure chest; all you have to do is unlock it. I want to make my own legacy so I’ll be remembered for something. It doesn’t matter what it is, I just want to leave a positive mark on this school.

Looking back at the years that I have completed in high school is a funny but a true life changer. If I was to go back to one year of high school I would want to go back to freshman year. One reason why I would want to go back to freshman year is to talk to myself. Another reason I would want to go back it tell myself to listen more. The last reason would to see if I could improve myself in any way.

Back in elementary school, I generally had a great distaste for everything science; I preferred math. Science seemed too simple and I disapproved of the slow-moving pace. One day a year the school hosted Science Matters Day, my favorite people, Scientists, were invited to visit; they brought all kinds of fun activities. One of my favorite memories of all has to be the day they made a hard-boiled egg sink into a bottle. The experiment was still simple, but it was different from anything we had ever done before. This experiment included the use of a flame to produce heat and create pressure. I thought it was interesting, and I was hooked.

Gurneys carrying patients zoomed past us. As the ER doors swung open, my steps started to slow. I thought back to the day before. There was a semblance of a smile on her face when my family surrounded her bedside. What she did not see, however, was the nervousness, the sense of panic; we did not know if the surgery would be successful. The nurse led us to the blue curtains that divided the ER floor, shifting them aside to reveal my older sister. The one that had to live with my aunt in India because we could not afford the medical expenses here, the one with a condition that left her speechless and motionless, the one I always fail to mention when I get asked “how many siblings do you have” because I am too embarrassed to talk about her, but at that moment I was only filled with joy. She had lived through the surgery, she was going to be

It is not for the first time that I stand on the crossroads of making a much calculated decision. A judgment call, not a product of mere intuition but of much introspection, soul-searching and self-examination. When ever I find myself apt to embark on a new journey I look back to evaluate my-self; trace the sequence of events that ultimately lead me to a follow a particular path. In retrospect I find myself fortunate to have been groomed in an all-rounded education system. A system that transformed a child who was reluctant and shy to even engage in a conversation to someone who made it a passion to step-up on stage to educate others.

I went to the appointment on that Monday, and being a bigger hospital, I was even more terrified. We checked in, and luckily found a spot to sit in one of the waiting room. The room wasn’t filled with sadness or negativity, it was somehow filled with laughter. There were many children, therefore some of the parents had brought coloring book for them. I just wanted to know what these children were at the hospital for. They seemed to be the most charming children ever, and I just couldn’t understand why whatever they're going through was happening to them. My parents had left to buy coffee,

There are heroes all around us. Some may wear capes or/and a mask while others would like to stay behind the scene. Think of it as a superhero and their sidekick. Everyone admires the superhero but very few recognize their sidekick. So, when I was asked who’s my hero at school, I automatically thought of my favorite teachers or ones who I am close with. But I began to question myself, who is the one that comes by every single classroom and cleans, takes the time to fix any mechanical problems, or cooks enough food to make for over 500 students. And I then discovered who my heroes are; the cafeteria workers, janitors, and maintenance people.

After eleven years worth of education, I’m finally on year twelve; senior year. This year is my year, the year that I find out more about myself and step foot out into the real world. Reality has hit me like a freight train this year and I’m realizing that I’m an adult now. It is time for me to get out of my comfort zone and start shaping my future. There is so much more life ahead of me that I need to prepare for; this calls for a game plan.

He keep me warm through the night and he would always let me have the wool blanket. But one night, Aedan really didn’t feel well, he was crying and holding his stomach. It was the first time I saw him cried, he always used to be this tough boy where noting could hurt him. In panic, I started searching the whole boat in hope of finding a doctor. It took such a long time, but I finally managed to find one. When the doctor looked at the pain that my brother suffered, he was already able to tell that those were the symptoms of a disease name typhus. The doctor even told Aedan that his friends had also that disease and it’s probably from there that he caught it. That night was probably the most painful night of my life. My father told me that for safety measures he would sleep with his son and I would have to sleep with mom instead. I didn’t mind sleeping with mom, but I had this feeling that she couldn't breathe, it felt as if someone was choking her. I also felt her heart pounding into her chest as I cuddled into her arms. That’s when she told me that my brother didn’t have much time left to survive. I started sobbing into my mothers’

On a summer afternoon in July 2009, my husband and I were attending a graduation party for my brother Sebastien who successfully finished High School. During the egg race, Rod received a phone call from his parents that his sister and her three children were in a car accident. At first, we were told they were fine and that they were being taken to Denver Health to be evaluated and that we would get a call later regarding what had happened. That, however, didn’t sit well with me, knowing that Denver Health is a trauma facility and that they were in an accident, I told Rod we needed to go and he agreed. Walking into the hospital was almost like something out of a television show or movie, each girl was in her own room, each with different injuries and with a million

If someone asked me where I am going to be in ten years, this would be my answer. I will have a great, high-paying job, and beautiful wife and family, and a nice sports car parked in front of my lovely house. When I look into the future, I see myself being successful and happy. Even though I always pictured myself this way, I never worried too much about how I would get there. I feel the Suffolk University can lay the groundwork for making these dreams into reality.

The hospital reeked of sadness, grief, and appalling hospital grub. My family and I sat in peace, trying to grasp the dreadful news the doctor had just shared. 2 weeks to prepare for what would forever be one of the hardest days of my life. I crumpled up the pamphlet immediately with tears streaming down my face. A billion questions flooded the mind of an 8 year old. Why would this happen to her? Why can’t they just make her better? What am I supposed to do without her?