The world is not always a kind and comfortable place to live. Most of us are faced with turmoil and struggles in certain points of our lives, but these struggles shape us into who we are today. I am no exception to this statement. The events of my life from childhood until now have shaped and guided me on my path in all that I do including my aspirations for a quality education and a successful future.
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As a young child, I was raised in a successful and affluent household. My twin brother and I lived comfortably with both of our parents. Unfortunately, my comfortable and happy home soon fell into a different place that severely affected my future. My father developed drinking problems, which at the start were hidden by my mother who tried to keep our happy home together. Eventually, my mom could not keep it together anymore and she was forced to file for a divorce and seek custody of my brother and me. For seven years, my parents were in and out of court battling for us, which proved to be a very stressful and disheartening situation for us all.
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My father’s drinking continually got worse and my mother had to take over the family business. The battles over property, the alcoholism and the exasperating stress of the situation finally caused the business to go under and for the first time, I was really poor without hope to repair this mess. The once beautiful and happy family that I was proud to call my own had fallen to so many unforeseen circumstances; jobless, broke and drunk. I never thought I would use such adjectives to describe the ones who gave me life. My parents had lost everything and because of this, my brother and I were forced to rely on each other and more importantly, ourselves.

During high school, this stress severely affected every aspect of my life. I was forced to find a job because I could only depend on myself to survive. This struggle made these years very difficult for me as well as for my brother, but out of the turmoil came many positive traits, which I will carry with me throughout my lifetime. I learned to be hardworking, diligent and ambitious in all that I do.

This story of my childhood and adolescence will give much insight as to who I am today. I have become very independent, understanding and mature because of these circumstances. I wish to continue my education and make something out of my life. I know that becoming successful may not always be easy, but I believe that I possess the skills and aspirations to do so. I would love to make my parents proud of me and allow them to see that although they may have lost many material possessions, they are responsible for bringing me into this world and that my success stems from this great gift that they bestowed upon me.

​My family’s situation has improved, but the lesson that I learned will never leave me. I have strength, determination, compassion and motivation and with these skills, I can do anything. I attribute all these positive characteristics to the struggles that I endured while growing up. Without the struggles, I would not be the strong and successful person that I am today. I feel the sky is the limit when it comes to my future. After going through so much, I feel there is nothing that is too big for me to handle.