A few years ago, my brother became seriously ill and required full-time care from my parents. During his illness, my family spent much time traveling to various doctors and hospitals around the United States. This experience forced me to become completely independent and self-sufficient. I did anything and everything I could to support my family during this nightmare. As they traveled across the country to various medical facilities looking for hope, I became fully responsible for myself, the house, and our dog. It was challenging at times to keep my mind on my class work, but I knew that I had to continue to excel in school for their sake and mine.
The skills that I honed during this time were responsibility, courageousness, work ethic, empathy, and an unstoppable determination to persevere despite adversity. This experience severely impacted my life in many different ways. Not only did it force me to become more mature and ease into college more smoothly, but it also changed the way I look at life. I now realize the truly important things. I struggle with anxiety, but this difficult time has led me to worry less about the material and superficial things, and more about what matters the most; the health and happiness of my family, my friends, and myself.