Being A First American Student Essay

Being a first-generation Filipino-American student, I acknowledge the sacrifices that have been made by my family to put me in a place full of endless opportunities. My family came to this country with very little on their backs, but they were intrigued by the timeless pursuit of the American Dream. My grandparents cemented in my mind that you must be grateful for everything that comes your way, and as my uncle always says, “You get what you get, thank God for it.” This mantra along with hard work and dedication has been the foundation for what motivates me everyday to become a stronger individual in my daily life and in school. In 2008, I had the opportunity to visit the Philippines for my first and only time. The Philippines is considered
The struggles that litter my life will one day be victories that I will look back on and acknowledge with a grateful hug. I have learned that the setbacks that I experience every day will only help me becoming stronger in the long run, and that it is my duty to be proactive about my future goals. Coming from low socio-economic status as well as being a first-generation American college student, I believe that I will be able to offer valuable insight on what it is like to face adversity and overcome it. Values such as being more grateful and overcoming hardships are concepts that I want to share with my college peers to have a positive influence on the campus community. Joining the multicultural Act Six cadre, I would see it as a duty of mine to be an active listener of my peers’ unique stories and experiences. I also want to share my own experience with others to inspire and motivate those around me, and I am hoping to find more opportunities to give back to my community that has helped me reach my goals. One desire of mine is to become a leader that enables people into becoming proactive about creating a stronger sense of community, whether that be in the Act Six cadre or a college