My Reasons For Volunteering Had Been Selfish

I failed a chemistry class, even with tutoring, meetings with the teachers, and at home tutoring from my roommate who was attending EWU as a Biology/Chemistry major. The disaster of that course, diminished my thinly restored confidence and I fled. I took up an opportunity to become an expat and live in Lebanon. The first summer I was there, I witnessed the war between Palestine and Israel, only a country away. The impact my experiences changed how I viewed privilege and what I had taken for granted back home. I felt ashamed at what I had so readily given up in self-pity and comparatively meager issues. Thus, after teaching English for a year and traveling, the profound realization of how imperative my education was towards helping the world become a better place sank in. I wanted to go farther than I ever had but this time I was going to do it right. My life became an awareness of the worlds pain, its need, and my insuppressible desire to solve it. I moved back to Chewelah after nearly a year and a half in Lebanon, and with a wholly renewed

"We should live to give to others, rather than, live to receive from others,” are the words that my wise seventh grade English teacher repeated in class, while nudging at my chair to sit up and pay attention. Not knowing these simple words would impact and change my perception on life in many ways. First, I have learned to be dedicated and to never give up. Second, I have learned to have determination to walk through the wilderness, with uncertainty and to rely on God. Third, I have learned to have perseverance to push through the unfortunate events that have occurred during my academic career. I appreciate the reader of my essay, for giving my application a chance, to provide a binocular view of my individuality. Welcome to a brief story of

I was able to accept the fact that I am an incredible human being. No matter the negativity that surrounds me day by day, I like to focus on positivity. In all honesty, believing that one’s existence has a meaning and purpose changes everything. There’s no need to become somebody else to cause attention or be looked upon. The real person I am now enjoys helping other people. Perhaps when I was younger, I never had that support or outreach, but I wouldn’t want that for anybody else. At my current high school, I decided to join the nursing program because I believe those at a bad state deserve all help. I’ve as well stepped out of my comfort zone and joined JROTC, adventure team, radio, ACE, Arizona Center for Empowerment, volleyball, service learning, American Sign Language, Physics Club, HOSA, FBLA, and varsity color guard. Now, I am an outgoing and cheerful person. I’ve learned that there’s no need to force a false personality to become someone else. My name is Dalila Lucero, and I am proud to announce that I am perfectly

We are always told live our lives to the absolute fullest, without any regrets. My grandmother always told me to keep my regrets to an absolute minimum. I may have put myself in a variety of distasteful paths over the last couple of years, I will admit; and I believe that I can only succeed from there. I haven't necessarily had an event or experience to write about, instead, I’ve had a pretty generous handful of them. From the beginning of my freshman year, up until now, my life has been quite a maze. I also know that I have had nobody to blame but myself, and that has helped me realize that my life and the path I take will be solely up to me. I have seen the power that my choices and actions can have. My entire life has been one large experience; it has taught me maturity, responsibility and appreciation for the ones who want to see me

Writing the personal narrative and seeing my views on how I have impacted a few communities has encouraged me to reflect on how my parents have impacted how I interact within Macon’s community. Moving away from home and coming here has not had a significant impact on my life like I thought it would have. As a freshman and a sophomore, I was not as active as I would have liked to been in my college career. I did not really have a good understanding of why I was attending college, and being introverted made it difficult for me to settle in the new community that I was in. I preferred staying in my room and was not involved in the activities on campus or in the Macon community. This changed when I began to work as a tutor. I became more interactive

Health care providers are nothing short of heroes, yet they remain humble in their abilities. As a volunteer at a senior living facility, I was humbled each and every day by the patients I cared for, however one moment in particular remains clear. Sadly, one lady had not been able to recognize her daughter for quite some time despite our efforts of looking through old photo albums together. The task seemed hopeless, but I felt deep down that she was making progress. One afternoon as the patient’s daughter walked in, the patiet had a quizzical look upon her aging face. “I know you,” she stated confidently as she rose up to embrace her daughter. My heart leapt with pure happiness as I saw tears of joy begin to fall down the daughter’s face. I believe that never losing faith and remaining positive are important aspects in life and especially in medicine. We worked together to reach this special moment and nothing humbled me more than having played a part in

When I was seven years old, my mother died of a drug overdose and my father went to prison for nine months. I always lived with my grandma and grandpa and they pushed me to excel in everything I did. They pushed me because they knew I began to comprehend that I was living in a drug filled house and community. They wanted more for me. When I was nine years old, my dad also died of a drug overdose. I was devastated. I felt like an orphan and I felt like an outcast. From then on, people in my community had awful opinions about myself, as well as my family. I made a pact that I was going to push past everyone's preconceived expectations for me and be the absolute best version of myself. As the years went on, I started to revolve my life around

Starting in October, and continuing until March, I completed over ten hours of service to those in need. In late October, I participated in the fall festival by “scaring” younger children who went on the hayride. Later, in February, some of my friends and I played bingo with the elderly at Sunrise. In February, as well, I visited my great grandpa, who I rarely see, with my dad and spent time with him. As I began to notice that my neighborhood was becoming dirty, in March, I spent about an hour picking up trash in, and around, my neighborhood. Since the beginning of the year, every Tuesday at lunch, I helped a fourth grader with reviewing what they were currently learning, otherwise known as peer tutoring. Through my actions, I helped others

From the moment I walked across the graduation stage to the last moment in DeMolay, life had leaded me on a culmination of experiences. I had a profound revelation that because of all the poor circumstances I had learned to overcome. I was stronger and more prepared for the next era as an adult, and a leader who had empathy for those who didn’t have certain privileges. School was simply not easy, I didn’t not have positive role model that I could look to when conflicted with moral decisions. Kids of course looked at how I dressed and the length of my hair to judge my character. I paid no mind as I saw my future in the lyrics of each uplifting song I would play in the morning. Expression and empowerment were the culmination of a resilience and

I recall when I was a mere five years old, when my mother and I were talking about my difficulty in making friends. “I know you are different, but you will find your way,” she told me through a tired smile. Back then, I had no idea how I was different or why it had to be that way. My mind started putting the pieces of the puzzle together in elementary school. I never finished my assignments on time. Not because I didn’t do them, but rather I found myself overwhelmed by each little detail. I remember my frustration as I wrote an essay on Egyptian mummification. All the other students were perhaps on their second or third page of the essay. Meanwhile, I had just crumpled up my third piece of paper to restart my essay. It didn’t do this because my essay itself was bad. Instead, every time I made mistake and crossed it out, the only thing I could focus on was that single pen scribble and how it ruined the rest of my paper. I had to get a new paper and start over, or risk feeling like the world would collapse in on me if it didn’t look

Being involved in church my entire life has made the world hunger and economic poor situations to be brought to my attention several times. I had never really made an effort to do something about it besides the occasional gift basket we would send overseas. But then my friends at my church told me about a breadline in my area and how the experiences there have changed their outlook. This made me want to join and try it myself. I thought it was not only important for me to become a better person but, to help those in need.

Ever since I was a child, I’ve always had dreams and desires that I want to accomplish in my life before I get to old or die. In the eighth grade I had desires to become Valedictorian of my class by senior year. I wanted to speak at graduation in front of all my peers as a respectable young man. By the end of my sophomore year I was told that I was Valedictorian of my class for the time being. People soon found out and told me I had no chance, I wouldn’t stick with it, and that I couldn't do it because I wasn’t smart enough. This negativity only motivated me even more to accomplish my dream. I stayed up countless nights til two or three in the morning to do homework and study because I worked until eleven, every night. By senior year, my high

Over the course of this quarter and challenge, I have learned about how important the past is to your current self. Our focus text, A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, showed this statement and taught me its importance. Saroo states that his “experiences have undoubtedly shaped who I am today” (Brierley 217). Like Saroo, I too believe my past and experiences led to the formation of my current self. My past influences how I think, how I speak, and how I deal with emotions and situations. Because of reading A Long Way Home, I learned the incredible journey of Saroo’s life and how his past changed him. Applying this to my life, I think of the neighborhood I grew up in, so much like Hobart, and how it affects me presently. Growing up in Mt. Pleasant

What differentiates me from the thousands of other hopeful students applying to colleges across the nation. Why am I any different than the average high school student writing the same college essay that ultimately determines our future? The answer being my background and identity that originate from those around me. Family and friends have personally affected me in constructive ways through learned experiences and lessons as well as my taught beliefs. I am the physical and ideological embodiment of those who’ve been a part of my life.

Some events in people's lives can really change how they perceive their lives and how they act, for better or worse. Personally, I am not one to be extremely impacted by events, but some of the events I have experienced really did leave a lasting effect on me as an individual. Life changing events are not always negative, but in my case the events that changed my life had not benefited me. I do believe that these events matured me, but I still do feel devastated that these events had to have happened in the first place. The death of my grandfather and the divorce of my parents are the two events that made me lose my innocence and feel as if I had to mature.