Read my UC prompt 1 response

kbaker4
Fri, 29 Nov 2013 18:06:03 +0000

I know this is highly advised against but the deadline is soon and I would appreciate any thoughts. This is my first draft and I know there are loads of grammatical errors so bear with me and thank you to anyone in advance!

Prompt:
What is your intended major? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had in the field — such as volunteer work, internships and employment, participation in student organizations and activities — and what you have gained from your involvement.

Homelessness is not a fear that plagues most teenagers but when you have lost the only home you have ever known you know no other fear. In 2009 my family, like many others, fell victim to the mortgage crisis that left so many displaced. Living in a society where we define personal wealth as the home you live in and the possessions you own only marked the tumultuous time with a sense of embarrassment. While tossing some of my most worldly possessions into a dumpster, because I had no clue if I were going to have a home to take them to, I felt hatred. I felt hatred that I had to leave my room of nineteen years, hatred for others who had no idea of the pain I was feeling and hatred for my parents for letting this happen to me. I did not speak to my parents for days and when I finally did I had no kind words but all the while I was consumed with an immense amount of guilt for knowing no other way to express these feelings.

Through all of this my dad still got up at 4:00 am every morning to commute two hours to work, work for 12 hours then commute all the way back home only to exhaustedly fall asleep and wait for the 4:00 am alarm to sound once more. With all of the harsh looks and unkind words I slew in his direction he never let his smile fade. When our final rental application was rejected and we were up against a timely eviction our only other option was to be split up between a mens and womens shelter. This was the first time I saw both of my parents break down and I realized I was not going through this alone. We were going through this together. My guilt from my actions now turned into shame as I watched this man, the man that I ridiculed for months, my father, scrambling to keep his family together.

Despite not knowing where any of us were headed I stayed my fathers main priority. My father maintained my education was of the utmost importance and that no matter what the circumstances were my classes came first. Against his wishes I chose to seek employment to help provide for my family and I. I was fortunate enough to find work at a local supercenter working as a pharmacy clerk. Once the monotonous insurance forms and new jargon became routine to me I found solace. Suddenly all of the college courses I was taking found direction. This was when I chose to pursue a career as a Pharmacist and the first step to getting there was to become a chemistry major.

I am now fortunate enough to look at facing such adversity with a positive light. It has has given me personal wealth that surpasses any possessions I could ever own. Through it all I was able to experience a career field in which my compassion and growing knowledge is able to help others. While my role in the pharmacy may not be of great significance to some I am still rewarded knowing that I make patients feel like coming to the pharmacy is a social occasion; it is a place where I know their names and they know mine. Most importantly it gives me the opportunity to make my biggest supporter, my father, proud. Even when we were unsure of where the future was taking us and I treated him so unkindly he did everything in his power to make sure that my education was my focus. Without him I would have never had the opportunity to write this. For that, I am forever thankful.