I can’t really think of any specific experiences that have shaped me into who I am today, but what I do know is that my friends, my family, my culture, and where I grew up have all been significant factors to my values and beliefs. Although I was born in Poland, I currently live, and have been living for 15 years, in a small apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens along with my parents and younger brother. Throughout most of my life, I had to learn things the hard way. I’ve met various types of people. Some were good people, some not so great, and what I’ve learned, especially during my years in high school, is that in the end it all comes down to you. Nobody is going to hand you something on a silver platter. You have to work for what you want and appreciate what you do have. Over the past 3 years, I’ve dealt with many struggles, dealing with my family and personal life, and over time, and I mean a long time, I was finally able to overcome them and deal with them, and this definitely transformed me into a stronger person. My true friends definitely helped me with this and without them, I don’t know if I would even be attending Baruch today. I hope that throughout my college career I will meet life-long friends, as well as receive an education that will help me find a decent job when I graduate, so that I can pay my parents back for all the back-breaking work they’ve done to get me to this point in my life, and to maybe start a family of my own.