Overcoming Strengths: The Challenges That I Changed My Life

Most people would view the obstacles that I have faced so far in life as setbacks, but I have always overcome these challenges in ways that strengthened me and built my character, coming out ahead in the end. To start from the beginning, I grew up without knowing my father, and without him knowing I existed either. He was schizophrenic so when my mother found out she was pregnant she cut off their relationship before he could find out due to a fear of harm that may have come to me due to his illness. Luckily, my grandfather served as a father figure for me in many areas of my life for several years. My mother’s adoptive parents basically raised me when I was a child because my mother was constantly working. My grandfather became my closest …show more content…
My step-father was verbally abusive towards me and my mother, and eventually my younger sister once she was born. Thankfully my mother divorced him by the time I entered high school, but during the time before this happened I learned to channel my anger at the situation into working hard at school. I also began playing the clarinet in middle school and found that I had a passion for music which became another outlet for the stress that was put upon me. My passion for music led me to join the marching band in high school in which I gained a leadership position for two years and learned how to build my confidence and also how to communicate well with other …show more content…
My family is currently in a very poor financial situation. This is because my mother did not obtain a four-year degree and therefore has a low salary with two children to care for, and also because my mother had to file for bankruptcy a few years ago due to the reckless behavior of her ex-husband in handling money. This financial situation has caused me to become solely responsible for paying for my college education. I currently have a job to help with this situation, but I have not had enough money to fully cover everything that is necessary. I have already to take out a private loan just in my first year and with my plans to go to graduate school the debt will surely continue to be piled on. Every dollar that I receive from scholarship money is a little less stress I have to deal with when it comes to paying back money for my education in the future. I have worked hard my whole life to overcome the obstacles I am faced with, and my current obstacle, finishing my education, is one that I would immensely appreciate and be forever grateful since this obstacle will be the one that determines my