Personal Narrative: My Experience At Florida State University

When I think back on the many obstacles I have overcome in life, the most challenging would be when my younger brother became a victim of gun violence during my last semester of undergrad at Florida State University. We were both enrolled in school at the time, living over 400 miles away from home. As you can imagine, the pressure of being the first in family to graduate was already high, and on this tragic day I had to juggle being a full-time student with a full-time job, while caring for my brother. There were many times I did not think I would be able to do it all, with our parents so far away and unable to travel to us, I was his only support system. Despite the stress I was feeling, I had to remain strong; not only for my brother, but for my parents who did not think he’d survive.

Although he survived, the trials

were not over. My brother had to partake in a long recovery process filled with many doctors’ appointments, medications, and physical therapy. During all of this, I was trying to make it through school. I had to miss quite a few weeks of school and was not able to work. My grades began to suffer tremendously and the path to graduation started to seem so far away. The hardest part was I did not have time to worry, all due to the fact that my brother needed me.

Consequently, all life-threatening situation will change a person, whether they are experiencing it first hand or not.

Though this was one of the scariest times in my life, I am thankful for the strength I gained from it. This was a true test of selflessness, perseverance, and determination. I would not wish this experience on anyone, but it showed me that I could overcome anything. It is no secret that graduate school is challenging and often, what I have seen is that students find it difficult to juggle courses and happenings in their personal life. I went from having a one-track mind only focusing on graduation, to taking on a task that forced me to balance multiple things and overcome challenges in stressful situations. This experience has prepared me to be successful in furthering my education, as well as expanding my professional life. My family and I went through a lot that year, and it was all worth it when we were finally able to celebrate my education and my brother’s recovery. I know with the challenges I have faced, I have the skills necessary to be successful in online and graduate level courses no matter what circumstances come my

way.