Personal Narrative: Defining Moments In My Life

Many pivotal moments appear in a human beings life to change the way that individual thinks. All human experiences shape the way a person becomes. The death of my 20 year old second cousin changed my perspective on life. It was not because he was close to me or had a huge impact on my life, but because such a young life ended so suddenly. I got to experience how that impacted and even changed certain people. I came to the realization that all those stories on the news actually happen to real life people. These stories seem so unimaginable, but from that point on, I realized that anything can happen to anyone in the simple blink of an eye. I learned that although every human envisions certain things to occur in their lifetime, many aspects cannot

I was born and raised in New York City and lived there until the summer of 2008. In the 14 years of living in New York City, I had numerous events that influenced my life. Each event serves as a memory of something that once was. Trying to decide which memorable event from my past to write about is difficult because many of the events in my life have shaped me into the person I am. To narrow down an event, I am choosing to write about my experience of attending Green River Preserve summer camp located in North Carolina, where I learned to appreciate nature and all the living things around me.

I am an undocumented student at UC Davis. When I am asked a simple question such as, "describe your personal experiences", I ask myself: Where do I begin?

I remember the first day I walked into Subway as an employee, rather than a civilian as if it was yesterday. The aroma of fresh bread and chocolate cookies filled my lungs immediately and I thought to myself, this might not be so bad after all as a first job. The employees then greeted me with half smiles and showed no interest in meeting me. I then experienced mixed emotions. From that point on, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Joss Whedon once said,“Identity is something that you are constantly earning. It is not just who you are. It's a process that you must be active in. It's not just parroting your parents or the thoughts of your learned teachers. It is now more than ever about understanding yourself so you can become yourself.” It was very difficult to find my place and identity and that was a big struggle for me to make friends. That is why to this day I get attached very easily to anyone that i care for. I believed in these words to be true, ever since I was a young girl.

When I was about 10 years old I would always feel my heart start to speed up and suddenly it being hard for me to breathe or catch my breath. It happened irregulary for about 2 years and I was afraid to tell anyone. It stopped for a few years until i was a senior in high school. I started to get this feeling again almost everyday. I finally went to the doctor because I thought there was something seriously wrong with me, but every time they ran test nothing would be wrong. It was starting to get really stressful for me and especially my mom because i’d always wake up at random times of the night crying or not being able to sleep much at all. After various test my doctor finally told me he thought I had an anxiety disorder and what I was having

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you someone else is the greatest accomplishment.” This quote is by Ralph Waldo Emerson. He was a man who always put his education as a top priority, so I highly admire him. As I read this quote, I realized that my greatest accomplishment is something that I am constantly progressing and excelling in, my education. There are three reasons that I will explain as to why my education is my greatest accomplishment. First, education has never been a factor in any of my family member’s lives. Secondly, it took a long time for me to get on track with my educational values. Lastly, I will explain how far my education has gotten me.

I was making a grande vanilla bean frappiccino while other customers were waiting in line to have their order taken. Business was slow that day, but heck, everyday at my job was a slow one. I would think to myself, Why the hell am I still working here? when this place gets no business at all. Of course, I work at Starbucks, not the ones that you see on the corner of the streets, but I worked at the one in Target.

The 2 key details that defines me the most is strong dedication and ambition for personal growth. I am at the heart of a person who greatly enjoys science, math, and technology. In order to obtain something, one must give more, or at the very least, an equivalent value. Payment is the act of giving in order for a return. I dedicate my time not for recognition, but for myself. I am always trying to consume the knowledge that surrounds perplexing subjects. It gives me a reward as I start to understand all the mysteries that once seemed puzzling. I have participated in many activities to satisfy my obsessions. TJ is a fire that kindles me as I sit near it, but I must stoke it if I am to keep it alive. TJ has the challenges and resources

My Proudest Moment Ever since I was little I’ve been what you would call a “high achieving” kid. I did well in school, I did well in sports and I did well in my community. I was always the first one to class, and the last one to leave the field. I was the kid that all my friends’ parents compared their children to. I was the kid with a room full of trophies and awards.