Last year, I struggled in many different areas of life. During that difficult time, I turned to my uncle for advice. The conversation eventually shifted from the topic of success, to my fear of failure. He told me to look at my family history and noted that their trend of success is in my nature. The potential to succeed, because of those who came before me, along with my own struggle, helped mold me into who I am today.
Overcoming struggle is an overwhelming theme in my family. Each new generation endured a different obstacle. At thirteen years old, my great grandparents fled Palestine (before it became Israel in 1948) to Cuba in search of greater opportunities. Despite only speaking Arabic, they owned a successful furniture store by the time they reached their thirties. Following that, my grandparents lived a life of leisure until Fidel Castro gained control of the Cuban government. Suddenly,
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During my junior year, I struggled with balancing both school and my sport, swimming. Instead of excelling in both, I performed below my expectations. After that discussion with my uncle, I realized that this significant struggle would only be my first, and that overcoming it was my responsibility. I tried, failed, and repeated that sequence many times until I learned how to succeed. I averaged three hours of sleep a night, aching so much from pain caused by training that I had trouble sleeping even when I wanted to. I wondered if anyone besides my uncle and mother would care enough to help me. But each time I failed to excel in both school and swimming, I came back with even more determination, attempting a different approach until one worked. This struggle molded me into a tenacious person, one who refuses to put up with mediocrity. Now, in the first quarter of my senior year, my grades are better than ever and I’m training to swim at a highly-competitive