Sample Personal Essay

Student Name
Hispanic Culture Influences on Identity
Culture. Millions use the word but do any of us really know its meaning? Culture is defined as the beliefs, customs, and arts of a particular society, group, or place. The culture that is slowing growing and expanding is the Hispanic culture. Many are intrigued to know what the Hispanic culture consists of. Some of the better known Hispanic traits are the passing down of traditions, close sense of community, tight-knit families, and strong values. I am part of the Hispanic culture and grew up in a predominantly Hispanic community, therefore I live by these traits everyday and I see how they influence our decisions, way of living and future. Being a Hispanic has shaped who I am today, a hard working, family oriented, and independent individual. My cultural background has greatly influenced me to be a hard-worker. My parents taught me to always work for what I wanted, which was something they were also taught. They made sure I learned and lived by this value; they were the perfect example since they ran their own successful business. I remember always having to complete a chore before I got my allowance. For instance, when I was in middle school, some of my friends, who weren’t Hispanic, had cellphones and I, of course, wanted to have my own. I begged and begged for one, so my parents reasoned with me and said I had to earn enough to pay half of the cellphone bill and they would pay the other half. I would earn this money by working with them on the weekends at their business. After my first weekend working, I joined my friends in school showing them my new and well-earned cellphone. The feeling of working to pay my own cellphone could not be compared, because I felt proud that I had earned my cellphone through my hard work and determination. I had seen how much work and time it took my parents to earn money to pay for what my friends were easily given. Because of this, I see how my Hispanic culture shaped