My High School Experience Essay Sample

Some said high school would be the best four years of my life, but having to go through circumstances that are not in my favor, I would have to argue the opposite. Looking back at all the memories during my high school career, certain experiences shape me into who I am today. Not having the average family home created barriers to live through. Having an abnormal family, going through mental issues and family hardships are not my ideal dream life, but these experiences have molded me into someone who knows how to persevere through experiences that feel impossible to overcome. 

Growing up without my biological parents’ presence allowed me to grow closer to and find a normal family life with my sister. My kind of situation creates the likelihood of unsuccessfulness, compared to growing up in a more stable home. I used to live with my biological mom and brother, while my older sister lived in a different city. My school schedule would barely miss my mom's work schedule. She left for work before I woke up for school and returned after I put myself to bed. I had all my physical needs, but somehow was missing a mother’s nurturing. My sister came to visit me and my brother every once in a while, but one day her visitations were not enough. There was just a feeling of not ever wanting to say goodbye to her again. Choosing to move in with my sister was the moment that changed my whole high school career. The shift was an easy adaptation because I felt as if my sister has always been the one to take care of me. She provided the nurture that I was lacking growing up. A nurture that a mother and father should be present to provide. I consider my sister and her husband to be my own parents. Even though they were a great support system for me, I always had a feeling of being forgotten. Constantly trying to prove myself to my parents that taking me in was worth their time, and that my biological parents are missing out on an amazing little girl, is mentally draining. In all that, I gained a personal trait that I would rather not have: validation. Academic, male, personal, and family validation tends to run my life.  Having a constant struggle with self-esteem took a toll on my mental health.

A substantial part of my high school career was centered around my mental health. Being told my mental health and stress was not important because someone’s mental state was worse, affected how I treated my life. I started to invalidate my own thoughts and feelings, as if I did not need to keep myself mentally healthy because having the amount of stress I had was normal for everyone. Stress keeps me going, affecting a considerable amount of my life. Stress eventually got to a point where I could not function. My grades and health dropped from losing interest in school, family, and friends, causing me to be irritated with anyone and any inconvenience.  My irritation started to spread throughout my house causing my family to lose interest in being around me. I felt like I was not present in my parents' life,  and I did not matter to them. I knew this was not true, but this feeling led me to desire change because my family is what is most important to me, and I value their opinions. I thought to myself if I kept this act up, where would I go in life. I do not want to be an adult that lives off their parents' dime.  Having my parents provide their time to me, is why I want to be on a path that can provide back to my parents’ when I am older, as a way to thank them. 

My dad is another significant part in supporting me through high school, until I faced him being deployed overseas. He was gone for about seven months, leaving my family and I to fill a void that was nearly impossible to prepare for. We would talk with him frequently, but his absence still weighed on my mom, little sisters, brother, and especially myself. I have been told a girl’s father is the most important man in her life, but what they do not say is that my father figure needs to be biological. My dad’s absence gave me anger, as if he chose to leave me,  just like my biological father. Obviously, the situation was not that way at all because of the military obligations he has, but I felt selfish to explain that to my family. I had this feeling to make sure my family was okay, before I took care of myself. My life was supposed to solely be about keeping my grades up, and my performance, but doing so was hard with my circumstances. There was no preparation to have him ripped away from us , but somehow I managed my school work and mental health to come out stronger on the other side when my dad returned. 

Going through challenges is a path I have grown familiar with, because I found that they bring out the best in me. So following the easy path in life is simply not an option. I have embraced challenges since the first day of high school. Now, with a 4.2 weighted GPA, Vice President of Student Council, Historian of my senior class, and senior year ahead of me, I feel ready and confident to conquer any circumstance life wants to throw at me, including this essay.