Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Extra Adversity
I learned a lot in tenth grade but the most important lessons were not taught in my classes. The knowledge I gained was an understanding of my ability to overcome the challenges found in life. My classes were interesting and challenging and I looked forward to a great year of academics and sports now that I had recovered from two knee operations. Unfortunately, my life took a sudden and distressing turn when financial problems struck our family. My father lost his job due to the bankruptcy of his employer. My parents warned me that we might need to move to another state where my father could find work. It was difficult to concentrate on school when I was worried about moving and future college tuition. I worried about my father who was concerned about providing for us. He felt depressed over the loss of his job. This was only the second time that I had seen my father cry; the first was when my older brother drowned. As the oldest surviving child, I gladly took the responsibility for helping to care for my disabled younger sister and my asthmatic younger brother as their medical conditions required the presence of a responsible party. As the emotional burden I carried took its toll, I thought about my parents and their resiliency even after the death of their first child. They persevered despite their pain. They did not neglect their other children. I realized that it was my responsibility to overcome my distress and get back on track with school. I knew that I was strong enough to take back control of my life. With a positive attitude and a conviction that I could succeed, I found that my grades began to rise. My time management skills improved as I sought to study, play sports, help my family as much as possible and continue to volunteer in the community. I even found that my positive attitude and belief that I would succeed helped my father renew his faith in his own ability. This translated into a more optimistic approach to his job search. The adverse circumstances I experienced may have threatened to ruin my dreams, but I did not allow them to take control permanently. Despite the stress of my family situation, I learned to take responsibility for my own success and I mastered the art of multitasking and effective time management. My lessons were well learned. This past summer I was told by one of my university professors that I demonstrated an obvious capacity for organization, self-management, and discipline. My junior year grades also reflected my resolve to overcome my distress and succeed academically. It is my hope that the future will be relatively uneventful for my family so that I may focus my energies on my academics. Even if that is not the case, I am confident that I can overcome any obstacles that I encounter. I am a stronger person now and the lessons I have learned will guide me through the events that I may encounter in the future.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Open topic
I have always liked to scrutinize people. Posture, gait, gestures, facial expression - every detail is recorded with precision. Later, I replay the images and observe the idiosyncrasies that catch my interest. The individual fades; the details surface. Rather than a name or a face, I will associate a person with uneven lips accenting a confused look and a crescendo in voice the moment before every breath. I remember two distinct curves etched between my mothers perfectly slanted eyes, a telltale sign of frustration. Encounters with Americans always caused stress. Why couldn't the wai-guo-ren understand? 'One dolla, make love,' she tried again, with diminishing confidence. The stranger was still confused. The hyperbolic creases grew deeper and she signaled for me to translate. I stifled an urge to laugh and explained that she meant 'one dollar, for making luck.' My mother, in her excitement for our grand-opening, gave the first customer a free meal. She managed to forget the Chinese custom to showcase the first dollar earned (turn upside down for good fortune). After much embarrassment and explanation, we finally got that precious bill to display in a shiny gold frame. Monday through Saturday, from 7:00 am to 7:30 pm, my family can be found at 255 Peachtree Street, home to The Noodle Cafi. Hidden in corner of the busy Peachtree Center Mall food court, our 7-foot wide counter seems unfittingly obsolete and visibly offensive juxtaposed to the flamboyant entrance of the Dairy Queen next door. They have a seven register-counter, flashy neon signs, and enticing murals of tantalizing ice cream delights, attractive promises in the smothering heat of a Georgia summer. We have homestyle Chinese dishes, cooked in a one-person kitchen with ingredients patiently and tenderly readied the proceeding night at home, and my mother and I at the front counter. My father, the ex-VP of a telecommunications company, mans the fifteen-pound wok. My sister, who majored in neuroscience, bravely offers the vicious crowd samples of sesame chicken, directing modest traffic to our shop. I have a habit of watching her when I;m at the register. The brilliant red of her apron always offers a brief comfort to my eye. Red, rich in intensity, is more serious than pink and more vibrant than purple. Red, the bringer of luck and the nurturer of strength, is the only color I can visualize with closed eyes. Symbolic for fortune, marriage, and power, it is infinitely intertwined with my culture. Our Red is faded in patches, but the nuances of color add character. I see all this and my dignity awakens. Fate has placed us here, and we have survived and thrived. I feel protective and proud of our tiny store and all that we invest in it. A man is asking me a question in slow English. I can see in his kind yet condescending countenance he assumes I will appreciate the effort. I look at him and smile with finite patience. Doesn't he know? I'm the proud daughter of The Noodle Cafi.
