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Prompt: In this second essay, please reflect on how your past experiences have transformed or strengthened your personal values, opinions or intellectual perspective. (550 words)

********Please concentrate more on the fact that I took charge to create work for my mother and I, and how I eventually overcame obstacles to become a good student and student leader. Feel free to change the essay completely to make it more creative. Make sure you include what I learned from all of my experiences. The first paragraph may need more work to be more creative.********

Becoming an adult, in my estimation, stems from two separate concepts. The first is that an adult is an individual who takes initiative in order to complete a task. The second concept is based on the idea that an adult approaches difficult or even unpleasant tasks due to the fact that they must be done. In my life, my journey towards becoming a legal immigrant, worker, and successful student was a series of trials that propelled me into adulthood at a younger age than most.
The informal accomplishment I consider to be indicative of attaining adulthood stems from when I fled from my mother’s abusive boyfriend, along with her, to a shelter for domestic violence victims. The reason I consider this to be the time I transitioned into adulthood is due to the fact that my mother and I understood that there would be difficulties ahead, but we put our safety above the promise of food and shelter by our abuser.
There were immense difficulties that surfaced immediately during our flight from abuse. For example, I was 15 years old at the time and had no means of garnering personal agency due to my immigration status and age. Moreover, my mother and I were faced with tremendous difficulties stemming from her inability to speak English. When it became apparent that I was going to have to take a greater role in our protection and survival, I decided that the best opportunity available would be to find a way for us to support ourselves. While living with Nick and working for his cleaning business, he taught me how to write proposals, invoices, and even determine how much to charge for maintaining each building. Later I put those skills to use in negotiating cleaning contracts for my mother and me. Having secured a tentative place to live and a means of sustenance through work, I had achieved a semblance of adulthood through sacrifice and facing my fears. However, learning to be a business operator of sorts was only a single factor that soon spawned other problems that I overcame with great difficulty.
The first major challenge I still faced during this period of time came from the fact that I was battling depression and lacked the time, energy, and motivation to be successful in school. College was not an option I ever considered since no one from my family completed a degree beyond high school. Moreover, I faced the problem that my English capabilities were limited. I constantly read encyclopedias as a form of entertainment and learning, however, which kept my intellectual curiosity alive.
My difficulties did not end with struggles in school. While still under Nick’s control he prevented us from appearing at the immigration court in a different state, prompting a release of our deportation orders. As illegal immigrants we spent the next few years working six days a week, between ten and twelve hours each day, while getting paid well below minimum wage. Even though the setbacks were numerous, the fact is that I worked hard and never gave up on improving myself.
After a great deal of work, I have been able to advance my master of the English language. Furthermore, with the passage of the Dream Act, I am able to attend school and work for a decent wage. Moreover, I have vastly improved my grades and become heavily involved in my community college and beyond, serving as the Higher Education Commission Two-Year College Segment Chair, Student Government President, and numerous other positions. Having been at the brink, I have pulled myself back through hard work and determination. Demonstrating these qualities has made me an adult, and I will continue to strive forward until I become worthy of my past dedication.