Personal Narrative: Overcoming Adversity

The lessons I learn from failure always advance me into a later success. There has been frequent incidents or occasions in my life where I experienced failures. My past overall has been crammed with failures. During these periods, I continued to force myself into achievement. You must, as you admit the mistakes and you proceed forward, omitting the key is you need to achieve greater and comprehend the faults.

I went to a shopping mall, and had a look at some clothing, but I didn’t find anything that’s suitable.

Sometimes hardships and challenges are one of the best thing that could happen to you. In my junior year football season i rushed for over 1200 yards and was only the 2nd to rush over 1000 at this school, i was first team running back all region and i had article written about me and how i was gonna have a big senior season so i had a lot of pressure on me. My senior year comes and right before my football season started i tore a ligament in my knee that could possibly end my season. I was devastated i couldn't do what i love to do, i went to an orthopedic to figure out my options and it was either call it a season and get my surgery or i could deal with the injury and do what i can for as long as i could. I didn't want to let my senior season go just like that and i didnt want to let down my brothers that worked all my 4 years together with day in and day out.

My life began in privilege. From magnificent dollhouses, professional family Christmas pictures, and white picket fences, it all seemed so simple. Five-year-old me did not understand for the longest time what adversity was and how it would ever affect me. Twelve years later, I’ve come to realize that the adversity in my life has created diversity within me.

Imagine being at the peak of your high school career, personally, academically, and athletically. For me, that was my sophomore year. I was selected to be on the homecoming court, I won a free class ring, and a free corsage and boutonniere for prom. I was on my way to a 4.0 grade point average. I was pulled up to Varsity basketball, I became the 100 meter hurdle regional champion, and I qualified for two events at the Division 4 State meet for track and field. In one split second, a clip of a hurdle, that was over. My first race of the day was the preliminary 100 meter hurdles. Once the race started, I was calm, focused, and determined. I was starting to make my way up to the front of the pack when I clipped my trail leg on the eighth hurdle.

Growing up with a father in the military, you move around a lot more than you would like to. I was born just east of St. Louis in a city called Shiloh in Illinois. When I was two years old my dad got the assignment to move to Hawaii. We spent seven great years in Hawaii, we had one of the greatest churches I have ever been to name New Hope. New Hope was a lot like Olivet's atmosphere, the people were always friendly and there always something to keep someone busy. I used to dance at church, I did hip-hop and interpretive dance, but you could never tell that from the way I look now.

I have had to deal with adversity a lot in my life. Whether it be losing playing time, or not even getting a fair chance because my family isn’t involved in the program. I’ve faced adversity in more than just sports; I grew up without a dad and it’s gotten to the point where I don’t have a mom either. Although I have had to deal with many hard experiences, I believe it's made me stronger, better person.

As I read chapter one from Your College Experience: Strategies for Success, I agreed with their reasoning based on my experience. College is important, not just to me but to the nation. It is a system that enables people, including myself a first generation low income student to work hard to achieve the American Dream. My overall goal is to graduate and be qualified for a career to support my family to do this I need to plan smart goals and overcome challenges.

Going into my junior year of cross-country and already making it to state the previous year, there was no way I wasn’t going again. Well, as many people have experienced before me; I was faced with adversity. Now some people decide to hide from it and others seek to conquer the task. I had to choose between the two when I started experiencing growing pains in my right hip.

As I got turned onto my back, fighting for my life, the referee’s hand slaps the mat, and my career of wrestling was over. Throughout all the times I worked out and practiced as hard as I could, my only desire for wrestling was to go to states. Knowing I had the potential, my wrestling coach used life lessons to motivate me throughout the obstacles I faced. Although I never went to states, the lessons I’ve learned from the sport apply to any desire I have in life today. Furthermore, I’ve learned that “some desire is necessary to keep life in motion” to accomplish the goals I have in life.

Until I walked onto the stage to take a bow, I didn’t realize that I just danced, acted and sang a solo. It took me a long time to get to that fifth grade Christmas play where I wasn’t shy anymore. Due to the fact that I wasn’t Darth Vader anymore, so I didn’t need a mask strapped onto my face to breathe at night. Asthma, respirators and surgeries were what my childhood consisted of and I would have time to, at most, socialize with my family. Years after my final surgery, my currently bubbly-self erupted from within and many of my friends never knew how I was before.

From my adversity and hardship I unveiled who I am and what I am capable of. I ventured outside my comfort zone; challenging myself to start new conversations everyday and foraging friendships faster than a tempest. I also started to express my curiosity and discovered the metamorphosing world in which I live by throwing myself into the wilderness with Outdoor Ed. Most importantly, I embraced others and helped them be happy, to stop them from feeling alienated like I did. l saw that I held the power and I hoped that I could help others see the same.

The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

I've been fairly busy as of late. Notably, yesterday was a pretty interesting day. I'm not exactly feeling well, think I'm coming down with something. How often is it that a Jedi contracts a cold? Just not feeling as spry, I think. My stomach is churning as I type, something is missing, think I might have to take a reprieve sooner rather than later. Maybe I'll be gone for a cycle, maybe I'll be gone for a year. I don't know. I just know that I need to focus on other things. That's not the point of this entry, however.

Sweating, feet shaking and heart racing. Looking around in fear not wanting to be called on. Paralyzed with fear of been asked to do simple tasks such as reading or talking. As children we all have fears, weaknesses, as well as obstacles. My biggest obstacle was not so big. Coming from a different country, every single day showing up at school not knowing anyone or knowing the language, becoming a complete stranger, an outcast. A ghost among the world, wondering without knowing a single thing about this bizarre, unfamiliar place. Homework i couldn't understand or even be able to read. Seen my parents working hard to find a place to live and not been able to help me because just as well we came from a different place, almost seemed like a