“Don’t be a victim, have integrity, have a dream, and no dream is too big.” This is what my mother has always taught me. This is the lesson that has shaped my life, my ambitions, my goals, and my relationships. I am a first-generation American whose mother decided to go against the odds and move to the United States of America, looking for a better future and more opportunities. Being a first-generation American, many hardships and circumstances have allowed me to be what I am now. It all started twenty-one years ago when my mother decided to move from Beijing, China to the United States. She could not speak English and had no idea of the new American culture, yet she dreamed big seventeen years ago, when I was born, she started working seven days a week as a single mother and only provider to raise me. She sacrificed her aspirations so I could have the privilege to get an education and use my mind.
Her hard work, her dedication, and her discipline are my inspiration. Today, she owns a small beauty salon. She works diligently as a hairdresser so that I can go to a private school and get an opportunity to maximize my potential to live the American Dream. Inspired by her hard work and discipline, I can learn and incorporate these characteristics into my life. She constantly reminds me “Don’t be a victim, have integrity, have a dream, and no dream is too big.” These words are values that I incorporate into everything I do. These words have helped me develop a personal motivation to study and pursue my interests, i.e., Golf and music.
For me, Golf is not only a sport. Golf has taught me self-reliance and helped me mature into an independent adult. It has also helped me understand the importance of being vigilant, dedicated, and focused on achieving success. I have become more disciplined, systematic, and organized as I have grown up learning golf. Currently, I am a successful golfer. I have also learned to value time.
While my mother has always emphasized focus and dedication, she has ensured I stay connected to my roots and culture. Therefore, she sends me to China every year to learn about the culture, traditions, and values. As a result, I have the necessary exposure to American values and Chinese culture. Traveling has made me more confident and open-minded as well.
Since my mother is my inspiration, and I am thankful for her hard work, I have always tried to be her ultimate support and help. Since I was fifteen years old, I always helped my mother pay bills, file documents, do laundry, cook food, and clean the car. There is a Chinese saying “相依为” that means, “Each life is dependent on one another.” This describes the relationship that my mother and I have very well; we both need each other to be successful. She works hard to support me while I do everything I can to help wherever I can.
Everything I have lived up to all started with my mother’s decision to move to the USA. It was my mother’s dream, dedication, and strength that I am now living a prestigious life. Higher education from a prestigious institute like Harvard University will help me progress. I believe that admission to Harvard University will help me to become a successful individual – personally, professionally, and socially. For me, education is an important aspect of one’s life that requires dedication, focus, self-confidence, and ambition to become fruitful. Since I firmly believe I have these virtues; I want an opportunity to get admission to a prestigious institute where I can learn and develop skills for a better profession, future, and personal satisfaction. I want to acquire higher education not only to be competitive but also to become an analytical and critical thinker who has the ability to contribute to society and my nation constructively. I believe that Harvard University will be that opportunity that can help me become a useful and worthy individual.
