Social Factors In My Family

In my family, there is a substance that is frequently used to subside ill feelings. Though the substance is one of the poorest ways to deal with emotions, it has become a tradition to use it. Studies have exhibited genetics as a role in alcoholism, almost forcing it as a tradition upon my family. Social factors also are behind this disease that can cripple lives. When people ask who is a part of my family, I never know how to answer. The problem when genetics play a role, is that half of mine come from someone I barely know. Do I count my biological father as family? Or do I count my step-father? Or my mom’s boyfriend of 12 years? I know I can count my mom and my half-brother, but how about my three step-siblings and step-mother? The common …show more content…
That alcoholic problem has given me the aspirational capital I need to get through life. Specifically, because of my mother having sole custody of me, she has been the main driving force behind the transferring of the issue onto me. There are serious examples of my mother’s alcoholism blindsiding me with waves, crashing and knocking me to the ground. However, the little things are the driving force behind my mother’s providence of adversity. For example, there was this music festival my senior year that I was attending. My friend and I had plans to go home, change and grab what we needed, and then take the train downtown to the festival. I had made plans with my mother to drive us to train station so we could get to the festival as soon as possible. I even told her to make sure she was sober enough to drive. To my “I wish I was surprised” face, she told me that she is too drunk to drive me. Thankfully, friend who drove me home was able to come back and give my other friend and I a ride to the station. Another example is when I was in my living room, on that same red couch, watching tv. My mother was arguing with her boyfriend in her bedroom Now living in an apartment, sound travels easily, so I decided to turn up the TV in hopes of blocking out the yelling. My mom marches down the hall with her face as red as a Soviet Union tomato. She truly had the audacity to politely scream at me, and go on a irrational rage for …show more content…
That aspiration is slowly becoming true because I am optimistic about my future, and that optimism stems from my aspirational and familial capitals. Project SOAR is giving me the chance to mentor at-risk youth and practice my skills. I am growing each and every day as a mentor, and this essay has helped. I never gave much thought as to why I want to mentor, but it can be circled around to my mother’s alcoholism. Some families do not have a strong role model and if I can provide one to a kid, even if just for once a week, then it is all worth it. My newly found understanding will help me better connect with my mentees. I appreciate the position more now and can use my past to better advise my mentees. I also appreciate my mentees more because looking back at all the negatives from my family’s alcoholism, I gained a lot people could learn from. My mentee’s are going through troubles, whether at home, school, or socially, but there are positives in those troubles. If I can find those positives and what my mentee’s have to give, then they can teach me just as much as I can teach