Personal Narrative: My Educational Story

My education started not long after I was born in 1989. I attended Ruth Washburn Nursery School, for 3 years, but I don’t have a lot of memories of what I learned. 3 things stand out to me. This was a place of great fun!! I learned how to love running. I could run for ages. Secondly the plecostomus’s were the coolest fish in the fish tank! Lastly I remember the song that goes, “Love is something if you give it away, give it away, give it away.”

Over the past eighteen years I have been alive, there have not been any real challenges I have faced in my pursuit of education. I come from a family of immigrants that managed to find themselves a good life, away from the ghetto and the poverty line, through hard work. Both my parents had to move to a place away from everything they knew to learn English as a second language to give their children, myself included, a better chance at life, and I can gladly say their effort was not in vain. If there was one thing I struggled with in pursuit of my education, it would have to be myself.

Throughout my educational experience I noticed the discrepancies with regard to the advantages my peers possessed. In high school as I began exploring what career I wished to pursue, I experienced inferiority as my classmates who’ve taken the ACT three times, visited college campuses, and have had resumes ready since the 6th grade unintentionally mocked my lack of college-readiness. However, my ignorance wasn’t intentional, my parents never reached a high school education in Mexico, they couldn’t pass down SAT tips or acquire internship opportunities for me. I realized it's vital to pick up the pace to avoid being left in the dust akin to countless others in my situation. Henceforth, this statement resonates with my experience, I interpreted

My educational history is very diverse. I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to sixth grade, then went to public school from seventh to twelfth grade. The transition from Catholic school to public school was very complicated but at the same time it was effortless. I did not have to wear a uniform, go to church, or learn religion anymore.

At the end of my Junior year I was inducted in the National Honor Society. Prior to my Junior year as I mentioned in my scholarship letter I without a doubt had no clue to what I wanted to do, after taking medical science, and nursing assistant I knew I wanted to either become an Occupational Therapist or a Pediatric Nurse. Before being a part of Honor Society I didn’t even know it existed, so it truly caught me by surprise. Since the beginning of my junior year I knew that I wanted to challenge myself in classes more than before, that was what I did. When I received the letter saying I was to be a part this high honor it felt like the work I had done all year was paying off. It pushed me to want to do more, so I did. I applied at the UW nurse

Well my journey starts out just like most high schoolers. I graduated for high school in May of 2012. I got ready to start my next chapter in my life at Iowa Central Community College. I had no clue what I was going to major in. I knew only one thing that I wanted to play football in college, and get my education payed for free. Also I wanted to make it to the highest level in football to play at the FBS level. Some things I had to do to reach that goal where be a good football player as well as a great student. I shortly figured out that I was going to just do essential studies and graduate.

These problems felt crippling, but after working a retail job with a friend, I was able to slowly overcome my personal problems and gained confidence in myself. I later transferred to Oklahoma State University and majored in microbiology. While I was attending OSU, I should have been more selfish. Putting others ahead of myself contributed to the poor reflection of my true potential found within my transcripts. I lost sight of my future goals while time was split between work, school, and taking care my girlfriend at the time and her daughter. Through the difficulties of those years, I emerged as an infinitely better person and after our separation I gained a sense of self-realization. Life is full of tough choices and I feel confident in making decisions quickly and effectively. I returned to Tulsa from Stillwater with a renewed sense of self and a clear view of the future I

I find myself reading this short paragraph over and over(above). My topic sentence makes me happy and proud. Going back to school was the best thing I have done. I chose to talk about going back to school to the “future employer” because it shows I am motivated as well as dedicated. This class has brought a lot to my attention. The mannerism that is expected in the “business world” is to speak and write well. It is extremely important to know how to write (type) a meaning full and proper paper whether it is for school or work. I have noticed a great impact in my vocabulary and writing skills. My boss told me on Monday he is impressed with the new docs I typed up for our new clients (with no help from him). I was not excited about this class

Now let’s quickly close this protracted (slide rule scaled) essay by skipping over the gaping and barren caldera that is my Public School education, where I studiously avoided the pre-med Math and Science track - since I don’t plan on becoming a doctor or a mathematician, in favor of Castle’s (almost but not quite) nationally recognized Media Arts Program - since I do plan on pursuing the Arts, diving deep into the (Liberal) Arts and Languages - Pidgin, Spanish, French, English & Writing classes, to emulate the trail-blazing trajectory of my older (and similarly math-phobic) sister Maria, so like her I too might procure a Kenyon Film degree and secure my fame and fortune and everything that goes with it - I thank you all (and one day The Academy)

Finances were, and still are, tough so the full-tuition scholarship was attractive. After being awarded the Centralis Gold Scholarship, I was excited for the opportunity but was still not convinced the program would fit me. That was the point that I decided to drag my parents on another tour. This time we toured the Health Professions building and met with some representatives of the College of Medicine. Walking through all of the labs, viewing all of the new equipment, and talking to the students helped me reach a point of realization. At the end of my tour, I expressed my gratitude and thanked the faculty for their time. While standing in the main lobby of the Health Professions building, I looked at my parents and started to cry. My tears were full of emotion. That was the moment I felt at home. That was the moment that I realized the sky is the only limit. With the support of the Honors Program and the scholarship I was awarded, I knew that I could actually accomplish my academic goals here at Central Michigan University. That moment I had that day will be a feeling I will always

In the previous years, I have made the decision to work concurrently with my education. I have been working as a waitress in a local restaurant for years. My parents were opposed to my working since they wanted me to focus on my grades, but I wanted to lessen the financial burden for them. Both of my parents never received an education and they wanted me to solely focus on school to secure myself a better future despite our poverty.

Even though I was upset and confused about my future for multiple weeks, I began to reflect on my strengths. After multiple sessions of deep reflection, I discovered my deep passion for helping others going through similar tough situations. Through my personal experiences with physicians and my interest/success in medical science, I decided that obtaining a medical education will allow me to positively affect a large number of people. This was the most difficult personal decision I have had to make because choosing to pursue either route was risky. If I attempted to play professional soccer and failed, I would have pushed back my schooling.

In my life it hasn’t always been easy. Of course my educational Grit showed its true colors throughout elementary school and grade 9 where I flourished in every aspect possible. But in grade 10 onwards I had science teachers who either just joked around with the class and didn’t teach at all or a teacher that taught so much and when you asked for help, she wouldn’t help instead she would make you feel pathetic and stupid by telling the class every single day that “you are worthless” or that “you would never reach your goals” or my favorite “you are terrible in the sciences, you should stop now because you will never reach your dreams ever”. Then in the few months of summer vacation; being sexually assaulted by two friends as well as another

I was sitting at my desk my in the second grade class. It was a regular day just like any other day. With the regular teacher, the regular lessons, the regular student, and the regular words the students said. They would never talk about what the teacher wanted us to talk about but what second grader does? They would talk about movies they watched recently and music they were into that day. But what happened when they learned that I watched a different movie? What happened when I didn't like the music they did? What happened when I had my own ideas and didn't blindly follow whatever they thought was cool like a trained puppy? I was stupid. I was dumb. I couldn't function like a normal person. I would never be important. No one would ever like

Public school systems need to be more sensitive to their students. Parents play the major role in determining a child’s academic outcome, but the school system needs to notice children who don’t necessarily acknowledge their gift. These children need guidance -- I believe it is the schools’ responsibility to provide it to them. I have been through a situation that makes me feel strongly about the subject. My example is an indisputable case in point.