I Am The Common Entrance Exam And Gained A Place At School

I grew up in extreme poverty, and discovered how to be disciplined with money because my limited funds needed to go a long way. Without any guidance, I was left to learn by trial and error, and like most people,

Facing a reality of my inception into an underprivileged life with small business owners for parents and siblings much older than I am, still struggling to find stability in their lives. I constantly questioned how I would turn out. I understood at a young age the perplexities of my family's struggles, that I lacked all the resources such as financial assistance, lack of insight, and encouragement from my family. Thus, leaving me ill prepared for my future and for the rest of my life to come.

As a senior at Red Cloud High School, I’m a member of National Honor Society, captain of the cheer squad, lifeguard, swimming instructor, and part-time employee at the local grocery store. I’ve come to learn from a young age that money doesn’t grow on trees. When growing up, it was just my mother and I. While living on her single parent income, I learned money doesn’t grow on trees. My mother worked a minimum wage job, facing financial struggles at times. Her willpower drove her to get the job she has today. My mother married, and I have a little brother now. As his big sister, I always wanted to be someone he could look up to. At the age of fifteen I became a lifeguard at the community pool. The next year I took classes to be a certified Water Safety Instructor, so I could teach swimming lessons to local children. That same year I applied at the local grocery store, to have a job during the school year.

I was born in Barron, Wisconsin to my Mom and Dad, Jennie and Jesse Nitchey. When I was brought home While I was being born my parents where in the process of building our three story house that we still call home today.

As a child, I never realized the obstacles my family went through and why they wanted me to be the best student at the school. My parents tried their best in sheltering me from the truth but I always knew we were struggling financially. Growing up, I witnessed my parents struggle to find jobs and a stable house

I grew up in poverty with a small family, which consisted of my mother, sister, two step brothers, and my father who has a no contact order with my sister and me. Many of my peers often complain about how much they hate school and would rather be at home. But for me school was my escape from another world. A world I have no choice but to withstand. A world where shootings are common, where drugs are everywhere, where police patrol every Tuesday and Thursday; the darker side of Seattle. With both my parents being immigrants coming from war-torn countries we had no choice where to live, to eat, and to learn. As a family, we had no help from anyone so we had to keep our head up and persevere.

I was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and I was the first child of my family. When I was one we moved to Arizona for a year. Then when we moved back to Indiana my sister was born, and now I have three brothers and three sisters. My life has taken taken some twists and turns and now I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan as a manager of agents for artists, performers and athletes.

Ever since I was a young child, my parents always told me to try my best in school, they always told me this for the reason that they never had the opportunity to have a good job because they never finished school. This event is shaping me to care a lot regarding my education. In addition to that, another event that has shaped me to become the person I am today is that since my parents don’t have good paying jobs they have to work hard to take care of me and my siblings this event has caused me to become a hard working person and to seize all opportunities to live a good life because I don’t want to struggle like my parents.

Growing up, my childhood was “easy” my family had enough money that we never had to worry about anything. My father was a self-made man who created his own carpentry business at 18 years of age and

My childhood was split over two different and unique cultures. This special upbringing presented me with challenges that lead me to continually reflect on my life and identity throughout my childhood. I had to adapt to different educational systems as my family moved back and forth between Syria and the United States. However, that only motivated me to work harder and seize the opportunities that surrounded me at every point of my life. I learned to treat obstacles and hardships as chances for growth and development.

My mom came from a poor family. Her family didn’t have a lot of money. She was the oldest of five kids. Her mom had to work a lot to provide for all of them. Her mom kicked her out when she was 13. She’s been on her own ever since. She didn’t have any money or a job. She had to stay with a friend. So, she finally found a job when she was 15 and she has been working ever since.

Growing up I came from a family of two sisters and a brother. My parents worked hard to be sure that there was always a roof over our head, food on the table, and clothes on our back. My worked for various companies until he was able to obtain his degree as an electrical technician. Today he maintains his own business known as McGhee Electric. My mother also took on various jobs to make ends meet. She began work as a cosmetologist and

From the time I was born until the age of twelve, my family struggled with the basic necessities of life. My father worked endless hours in a factory, and yet somehow came home with a smile on his face. As a young kid, I never knew we were struggling. The thought had never occurred to me. As I got older I started to realize that my single father was working his life away to care and provide for his two little girls. He completely put aside his well-being because as long as his girls were cared for, nothing else mattered. Life was never easy, but as a young adult today, I have come to accept that my background has been a prerequisite for greatness, for it is our backgrounds that define who we are. The way we are raised, the way we are taught to believe, and the way we are taught to act, make us who we are today.

It never really hit me until arguments over finances would echo through the house as I tried to study, or nights, where I would come home and there was no food to be put on the table especially with my mom working double shifts night after night. I felt guilty for even asking for a penny if it wasn't going towards our survival. As a result, it caused me to give up many things and miss out on opportunities. But through everything, I never complained because I knew there was always someone out there going through far worse than I was. Therefore, I decided that I was not going to shape my life around temporary situations and would create a new way of looking at my circumstances. I was bound to not let go of my vision of going to college and graduating. I was bound to persevere through my obstacles. After battling being in tough socioeconomic status, I learned that being poor doesn't define who I am or what I could be. I learned that being "poor" is simply a state of mind. I'm not poor. I may be in a low-income socioeconomic status, but I'm not poor. In fact, I had something that couldn't be limited by dollar signs...my mind. I made it my goal to leave all my hopes and wildest dreams in this world, and to leave no opportunity

This amounted into years of heart ache for my sisters and I. The aftermath of this lifestyle resulted in me being filled with resentment and trust issues, but was also the driving force in me wanting to help people. So, I chose to take my circumstances and use it as a platform to become someone who did not resemble my mother. In 2001, I left home to attend college, it would be a lie if I said I left for the sole purpose of obtaining an education. Going to college for me was an escape from my unhealthy surroundings.