“The boy who is going to make a great man must not make up his mind merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win in spite of a thousand repulses and defeats.” While I am not a man, I can still make a great woman in Theodore Roosevelt’s opinion. I have had many struggles associated with all of my experiences, some struggles shared with others, some not, but I never gave up. I consistently overcome the obstacles I am faced with in each situation. I am a full time student, part time worker, and an experienced varsity swimmer. I look forward to the new challenges that will shape me while furthering my educational and personal growth. As a student at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, I would bring a comprehensive mix of academic, athletic, and real life experiences to the campus. Throughout …show more content…
I have tried soccer, softball, and even dance and gymnastics, but the sport I believe I have a real talent in and love the most is swimming. I have been swimming since the fourth grade, and have managed to qualify for very high level championships a few times because of my hard work and dedication. In high school I started off as one of the only two freshmen that made it onto varsity team my first year and to earn my letter. High school swimming has been a very big and important part of my life. I really have appreciated the companionship, the positivity it has given my life in harder times, and the overall team building skills I will walk away with as a result of my experiences. For the past four years I have been part of an outstanding team. This team setting has really reinforced my ability to appreciate every aspect of the diverse community I belong to because of all of the different skill levels, personalities, ethnicities and work ethics present. I have learned how teamwork is such an important part in a group’s success and how dedication and hard work is absolutely vital if you want to progress in
I have been swimming year-round on a club team since the age of six and when I was younger improving came relatively easily. However, around age 13, I hit a training plateau despite having the same work ethic and focus that I had previously had. I grew to despise swimming and at points I wanted to quit. However, unlike Junior, I had role models and mentors who were positive influences on me and who helped me to overcome this challenge. Primarily, I had several of my best friends on the team who convinced me to keep persevering and to not simply quit the sport that I loved so much just because I was no longer dropping time. For example, every day I watch my close friends Lizanne and Cate come to practice and give it their all, regardless of the numerous injuries and medical issues that plagued their swimming career; their positive outlook and dedication motivated me to try even harder than I had before. Moreover, I had by parents, something that Junior did not have; my parents were always there to support me after yet another disappointing meet reminding me that “you get five minutes for a win and five minutes for a lost”. My parents where my voice of reason as I tried to work through my issues; they were always there to encourage me, but also were very honest with me
There are many crucial elements college students must have in order to obtain success. The most valuable aspect of self-improvement for a college student to have starts with grit. Grit can be obtained through keeping one’s goals in mind, sticking to a schedule, and staying resilient to animosity. Grit is defined as using perseverance and passion for the goals one has. Someone with grit has courage, resolve and a strong character. Try to picture a person clenching their teeth while faced with a difficult tack, yet they conquer it anyway.
As I thought of this article, many of the issues I have faced as a single Hmong woman in her mid-twenties came to mind. Should I discuss the functional reasons why marriage is so important in the Hmong culture, especially for women? Or do I talk about the lack of eligible, older Hmong men? Better yet, should I complain about the attempts by my relatives to find me a good husband as if it were an unfortunate circumstance that I was single instead of a conscious choice? Thinking it over, though, I decided that all those questions boiled down to one fundamental truth – the Hmong community is still trying to learn how to treat the increasing number of Hmong women who, like me, are making the choice to stay single in their mid-twenties.
I have always had a strong belief that I could pass college like I did in high school. Always relying on those quick study sessions before a test or having the teacher going over the material right before a test. But boy was I wrong. In my first test I learned the hard way that studying is essential in college.
Each game, my passion grew. Each team, new memories and lifelong friends were made. Sports sometimes make me feel disappointment and at loss; but it taught me to be resilient to a lot of things, like how to thrive under pressure and come out on top. Being the team captain of my high school’s football and lacrosse team showed me how having a big responsibility to bring a group together to work as one is compared to many situations in life. Currently playing varsity football, varsity lacrosse, and track I take great pride in the activities I do. Staying on top of my academics, being duel enrolled at Indian River State College, working three nights a week, and two different sport practices after school each day shaped my character to having a hard work
I was in 1st grade when I found out that I had a learning disability. I still
Attending college is one of the greatest accomplishments of my life! After earning a high school diploma, I promised my mother I would earn a college degree. My mother would repeatedly say “earning a degree, working hard, and raising a family” were the pillars of life. Instead of following the “pillars of life” I decided to shake things up a little. She was astonished when I joined the United States Army. Now that I have retired from the United States Army after twenty years, it’s time to finally fulfill that promise. Obtaining a college degree will make a better life for me and my family. A better life sounds like a term that is used loosely in a crowded room full of broke people. A better life to one person can mean something totally different
Starting college is an intense and confusing event that plagues all recent high school graduates. It is like trying to run when all you can do is crawl, and for many freshmen, myself included, one can get easily overwhelmed by the daunting task of picking a major when less than two months ago some of our parents still packed our lunches for us every morning. The concept of entering college tends to be frequently skewed and expecting an eighteen year old to decide what they want to do for the rest of their lives, without having them actually experiment in different areas, has the potential to create a generation of adults who are aggravated and depressed in their careers.
When I made the decision to return to college to complete a bachelor’s degree in social work (BSW) I looked at many universities. I needed a university that was going to work with me not against me with the challenges of my already crazy life. Three challenges that I know I will be presented with during my time in school will be time management, distractions and support.
Determination is a quality that makes a person continue to try, to do, or to achieve something that is difficult. It is a person’s overall drive to never give up and continue striving towards a desired goal. If I was asked to describe myself in one word, I would choose determined. Throughout my life I have had many experiences where my determination has helped me fight through tough times. By having this quality it has helped me to win a girls bowling IHSA state title, be an all-state athlete, and also continue my goals for my education. Determination is important to me because I need it to achieve my goals and reach my highest potential. Determination starts with the decision to go for the goal and to make the commitment to attain the goal. Determination is also the continuous driving force to overcome the obstacles on the way to the destination. It focuses the mind on the end result. It strengthens the will to carry on, to arrive at the destination.
Throughout the years, I have had to deal with many trials, and challenges. Growing up BI-racial had a big affect on both my parents’ relationship, my relationship with my parents (which later on lead to their separation). There were cultural clashes within my household; my mother who was from Korea, and my father who was from Panama. I had learned to depend on myself, my friends, and most importantly, on God.
College is a unique and a great opportunity any individual can experience. People go to college for all kinds of reason. Well, whatever the reason might be, their going down the right pathway to success. It can be a bumpy road, but with my three easy step to be successful in college, that bumpy road of yours will soon be a smooth straight road ahead. Five steps to be successful in college is to take good notes, manage your time, study, be confident, and maintain a healthy habit.
Everyone has their experience of entering a discourse community, such as attending high school, entering the company and joining organizations. Being a newcomer, we have to work hard so as to get accepted. In ENGL 1301, I have to write a composition on how I successfully joined a discourse community. Therefore, I am going to demonstrate my process of transiting to UTA and prove that I have successfully joined the UTA community in academic and social aspects. There were three problems I have faced when the school started: balancing study and entertainment (academic), different learning method from high school (academic) and overcoming loneliness (social). Transition to college life was not easy, I have changed my time management (ethos), learning method (logos) and attitude (pathos) to
As a woman on active duty in the United States Coast Guard I have benefited from numerous experiences that have molded and prepared me for my academic career. As a Health Services Technician, I have had the unique opportunity to treat patients and truly help my fellow shipmates. Seven years of experience has shown me how much listening to someone’s story is treatment alone. I have selected Sociology as my major because I have learned that understanding how we operate in society is an essential tool when making an effort to really understand someone and more importantly understanding what tools are necessary to succeed in a particular environment. Sociology is a specialty that will aid in a future career in medicine because treating the person is as crucial as treating a disease. A focus in Sociology expands our imaginations, broadening our capacity to feel compassion for our fellow man.
Time flies so fast. Looking back, my high school is just like a movie, a lot of things happened. High School is four years of growing up and probably a time in your life where you go through the most changes. In high school you are able to discover yourself and find out who you are as a person. Each year is special and unique in their own way. My journey through high school was a tough one, especially because I decided to not only focus on academic work but also to invest quality time in extra curriculum activities. I wanted more than just academic excellence; I wanted to be a leader, I wanted to add value to every aspect of my life, I wanted a rounded education and not just mere schooling. My success story is what I will like to share with you; how I really made it and how this defines my personality. My journey in High School was scary, exciting, and successful.