Personal Experiences: Essay on My Background

My background has shaped me to be the person I am today. I am from a humble background. Therefore, I have seen the struggles that my parents had to go through for me to get the resources that would enable me to get the relevant education. When I just started school, I could see the way my parents would work three jobs personally to be able to get the funds to put me through school. They always tried to act as if everything is okay, but I could see that they were stressed about where the next fees would come from, my school necessities, and even what we would have in front of us. Therefore, this I vowed to work extra hard for their sacrifices not to go down the drain.

In addition, I grew up in an environment that did not have many graduates. Most of the older people only cared if they made it to the next day. It is because nobody was ever sure of what they will eat or how they will cater to their needs. Almost every month one of our neighbors was thrown out because they were unable to pay their rent. However, my parents always tried to ensure that they turn these unfavorable circumstances into motivations. I remember when I was in middle school, my father came home after work all exhausted and I started wishing that I had a Play Station 2. He outright told me he could not afford it. However, he completed his statement by saying, Let your present not define your future. This statement lingers in my mind every time I feel that I have hit rock bottom.

From my upbringing, I realized that I was lucky to have parents who value education. This is the complete opposite of the parents of my childhood friends. I guess this is why they did not go to campus. A considerable percentage of them ended up dropping out of school altogether. It really pained me since some were very smart book wise. This may be the main reason why I opted to major in sociology at Texas A&M University.

Being a sociology major, I can understand that society better. With this knowledge, I can come up with steps that would augur well with them. I will know how to approach them, what factors I should address, and the steps that I can take into account before I come up with the relevant policies. In particular, the sociology theories have given me vital information on what constitutes the society. In addition, the major helped me understand how to carry out sociology researches. How to use various methods such as questionnaires and one on one interviews.

Consequently, my experiences experience as I grew up and the opportunity that I got in school has made me a better sociologist. With the right resources and support, I will be able to put whatever I have learnt into practice. Furthermore, I have seen what lack of motivation can do the youth in the society, I will strive to partner with the professionals in order for them to guide the youth to the right direction. Truth be told, the youth need guidance in order for them to be able to go to make something out of themselves. Most of the individuals I grew up with are now casual workers and already have families since that is what they picked up from their parents and guardians.

Conclusively, the way I was brought up and the opportunity that I was given has made me a better person in the society. The hardships that my parents went through and the advice that they gave me in the process are what has made me who I am. Consequently, I will strive to use this information to better my society as a whole.