For an individual to be a success, it is imperative to possess qualities beyond intellect. A person must have character to flourish in both their career and life. Throughout life, several experiences have molded me into a person of resilience, empathy, composure, and open-mindedness. Such values have allowed me to reach my goals and serve my community. These assets, in supplement to my intelligence, render me an exceptional student and employee.
The ability to be resilient is at the core of who I am, and the challenges that have created this strength have taught me empathy. Throughout grade school and high school, I faced bullying. Eventually, I molded myself to fit in with the popular crowd; with my new friends, I attended a party and tried alcohol at only age fourteen. There, the star football player asked me to talk with him, unaccompanied; he led me into a room and shut the door, and at that point I began to feel suspicious. But that suspicion was too late; overcome by alcohol, I fell unconscious. Being so immature, I had no idea how to cope with the event and concealed it from every person possible, even family. The students who knew about it and even parents harassed me; I tolerated endless derogatory remarks. Ashamed and humiliated, I skipped class and isolated myself from others. Later, I sought counseling and discovered that I had been suffering from depression. I vowed that depression and the sexual assault would motivate me to be an advocate for those in