Personal Narrative: Unwavering Intelligence

My path to acquiring intelligence is a testament that disproves the general belief that smart people are innately intelligent. Indeed, there are people who see information once and are able to recall it verbatim, but that is not the case for everyone, not even Asians. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just “brains” that aid a person in academic education. In order to succeed, a person needs have unwavering determination. My life’s story is all about determination, although my academic records might indicate that I must be smart. Like everyone else, my formal education began when I was five years old. However, unlike a majority of my peers, I did not speak English. When I was a baby my parents and family members only communicated with …show more content…
But that intelligence was only possible because of my determination. The struggles I faced with language barriers, especially because I do not have as strong a vocabulary as many of my peers whose parents used “big” words around the house, have made me more observant. I listen closely to my teachers and peers and work really hard to build my vocabulary. Amy Tan states that, “[t]he language spoken in the family, especially in immigrant families which are more insular, plays a large role in shaping the language of the child” (Tan). Amy Tan provides a widely accepted belief on the problems that arise from having “limited” English and she proposes that this affects intelligence test scores. In a way I agree with her, because I feel like my English skills will never compare to many of my peers, but that is fine. This “setback” has been one of the main sources of my academic …show more content…
Unlike many people, I am unable to knowingly not do homework or skip studying for a test or quiz. I do all of my homework and review for every graded assignment. This is so that I can push myself to do my best because I feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that I am not letting my struggles hold me back. My parents have always wanted me to get the highest grades, a low “A” is equal to a high one on a transcript, but that is not how they have raised me. I can work at a minimal level in order to obtain the lowest level “A,” but I am inclined to do my best. A man named Glenn Cunningham was burned severely and it led to paraplegia, but he never gave up on his potential to walk again, and although I cannot relate to his dilemma on a personal level, I immensely admire his perseverance. Stephen wrote a short story on Cunningham and says, “Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up... and then – to run” (Stephen). Cunningham pushed himself to the limit, and eventually he defied the odds and set a world record running. I also push myself even when it seems that I can not do it anymore because my dream is to be educated. My parents wanted to continue their education and they weren’t able to, and now I have opportunity to show them their sacrifice was worth it. This determination has motivated me to never give up, and this grit is what defines who I