There’s a saying that goes, “In this world, there’s always going to be people better than you, so stop comparing yourself to others and be the best you can be.” I have always thought of this as foolish. Why couldn’t I just try and be as good as them? My own stubbornness pushed away the logical view of this quote and instead, challenged it.
During the summer of 2017, I had a job. I worked for the Forest Service clearing out trails on mountains, building fences, or anything that needed fixing in nature. There was plenty of people who surrounded me, co-workers and leaders. We worked outside in the scorching temperatures of the desert sun. Being in such harsh conditions, I noticed that others could easily adapt to the strain of the sun and workload. Knowing this I tried adjusting as good as they did, pushed by sheer selfishness.
One day, we were hiking to a job site out in the middle of a ranch. Bald hills and small shrubs littered around us as far as the eye could see. The trek was a 3 mile hike one way, which sounded quite small. However, I had to carry my backpack full of lunch, waters, snacks, and safety equipment, and I was carrying a tool called a McCloud, similar to a rake, that weighed around 10 pounds. The beginning of the walk wasn’t bad, it was around 9 a.m. and the heat was at a comfortable temperature. The trail had many steep hills and slopes; at times it was hard to continue up them. As I looked around I saw a lot of my co-workers not facing these struggles. In
Put the gun down! Put the gun down! Pow Pow Pow. The gun shots cracked into the air as loud as thunder. One after another. We live day by day not knowing our end. In the blink of an eye our lives can be changed forever. Its life, yet even in knowing this we never expect tragedy to find us. We never expect it to affect our lives and the people we know and love. I’m going to share with you the day tragedy found my life.
In late September of 2010, was the year I learned a new word “Depression”! I was in 1st grade and everything was fun because I had no responsibilities or worries. I didn’t know how to feel grief for a long time because I was always happy. I didn’t know that a family member could own a child.
Hello, Dr. Taft, I look forward to another exciting semester with you, and my cohorts exploring my inner and outer world. Let’s start with my family constellations it begins with my stepmother, and my father, my older brother Steven along with myself. At the time, I did not know that Ann was my stepmother, and I did not find out until I was older, and she had two sons who lived in Arizona. A few years later her eldest son Tommy would come to live with us, and the life that we were accustomed to would change the outcome of all our lives.
This is the opportunity for you to tell us more about yourself, your readiness for college, and your activities and accomplishments. Explain any personal experience, responsibilities, or challenges that have impacted you or your academic achievements.
I stare at the TV with incomplete fascination, my pencil tightly gripped in between my fingers.
In the year 2008, I attended elementary school enrolled in the third grade. I enjoyed outdoor activities with a burning passion, and I had many friends. One weekend my best friend Dimitri slept-over at my house, and he and I decided to go on a bike ride with my younger brother. Unfortunately we only had two helmets that functioned properly, but since I always put friends first, I gave my helmet to Dimitri. We were having a great time racing up and down the block until my brother found a pair of rusty broken scissors lying on the side of the road. An awful idea entered his mind at that moment and he decided to throw the scissors at me. During his first attempt he missed and I sped away and yelled at him. Ignoring me, he threw them and missed
It was cold on the night of November 14th. My friend, her boyfriend and I were walking to Walmart, planning on getting cake ingredients for my friend’s grandmother’s birthday. On our way there my surroundings seemed rather quiet for it being Angola. I felt like something was wrong like something had happened. But I continued to toss the feeling aside and just walked the path that leads to the parking lot. I couldn’t help but look in between the trees that held pitch black darkness. I was worried that was where troubles may lie, I was wrong. My real problem all started with a simple phone call.
I was only thirteen when I first began to ask “who am i?” My parents would tell me stories of where I’m from, and how Sudan is like. My little brain couldn’t grasp the idea of having family, people that look like me, in the other side of the world. Going there was a dream for me, I had this vision in my head, this adventure I thought waiting for me, and so, I began to nag! “Can we go this summer daddy?” became one of my favorite things to say. I asked and asked, until I got what I wanted.
Whenever I fight, except with the girl at the school, there seem to be a part of me that is turned off. Everything around me disappears and the only thing that matters is the person in front of me. I’m not angry with them, I don’t want to hurt them, I just don’t want them standing in front of me anymore. The bell rang and he got to swing at me once before I ducked under his straight right and hit him with a right hook. As he turned, next came the left cross followed by a straight right and he was out.
Time passed as I remained in that kitchen chair. Until the doorbell broke me out of my continuous, horrific train of thoughts, that is.
The universe sometimes chuckles at people who make plans. Not many teenagers expect relocation during high school, particularly to start off their senior year. I was one of those teens that should have. I always enjoyed my sheltered existence in a protective bubble in a place that I had lived in my entire life. The universe not only chuckled at me and my plans, it laughed. And laughed. And laughed.
A horrendous thing that happened to me was the time when I broke my foot. The positive side of that is that I learned my lesson. I was at my grandparents house about 3 years ago, and my little cousins and I were playing tag. I then leaped off 2 steps and landed on the rocks that were a few feet from the stairs. My foot started hurting horribly and my parents came to check on me. I limped all the way to the couch and had to put ice on it. We then left and I went straight home my parents did not think that it was broken or sprained. For the next 3 weeks I had went and was running and jumping on it my foot hurt continuously, especially when I had to run the 3 miles. So finally, my parents brought me to the hospital and the doctors gave me an
he first thing I did when I was first placed into my mom’s arm was wink. It was the most peculiar thing ever. She and my dad were both confused, thinking about what that wink would symbolize. Little did they know they had a daughter who would continue to stimulate their brains and logic. I was always an outgoing, awkward child. I was also very conscious of expensive things. I, as a “mature” 3 year old, once told my brother, “Anna (that’s Telugu for older brother), be careful! Is epensive( expensive on three year old speak)!” Every where I would go, I would say hello to every person that crossed my path; if a person didn't respond, I would pester them to the point that a response seemed like their only savior.
When an individual asks “What was a moment that has changed you forever”, it can be extremely difficult to answer. Such a broad question brings up many notable moments that widen an already large selection of memories. But, if I had to pick one that makes me smile every time I look back onto it. It would by my very first concert. It was not only my first time seeing my favorite band live, but it was also my first real experience seeing music played live. Reflecting on all the laughs and memories I made that day only assured me that I would remember it forever. The stories that came along with it are also quite fun to tell.
Vacations, a time to drink fruity drinks and tan on the beach with the sun on your face. Vacations should be a fun and happy time for everyone. Instead of having the time of my life on my trip, I experienced Titanic 2, in my own way. I got burned, almost died tubing, and got into some illegal trouble with a taxi service. Worst of all, got told something that has changed me forever.