Final College Essay

Rachel Vallario

In the space provided, please write a concise narrative in which you describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will affect your college experience or your contribution to the UF campus community. You may want to reflect on your ideas about student responsibility, academic integrity, campus citizenship or a call to service.

I have spent my whole life trying to climb trees. Each challenge I faced was a new tree that brought stronger feelings of frustration.  Albert Einstein suggested looking at life from a new angle. He said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Everyone is a genius in his or her own way…even me.

Growing up with learning disabilities was never ideal. There were a lot of times when I felt discouraged, frustrated, and just wanted to be “normal.” My four older sisters excelled very easily in high school. They made me want to achieve higher and do better. My brain could never think as fast or as sharply as theirs could. I found myself jealous of the students in class during test reviews set up like a Jeopardy game. By the time they pushed their button and answered the question, my brain had just finished processing what the question was asking me. I could answer the question; it just took me a little longer to come up with the answer.

My parents were a great support system when it came to my learning disability. They spent countless hours helping me and comforting me when I was frustrated from feeling like everyone was smarter than I was. They always told me that I was smart. I was smart in my own way. I would nod in agreement, despite the fact that I felt that anything less than an A on my spelling test would mean that I would go nowhere in life. Now, as I look back at the people I was once so jealous of, I laugh at my way of thinking. Those kids who got A’s on every spelling test and pressed their button first in Jeopardy, and those kids who had it so easy in school, are not necessarily the ones who are heading towards success. It is often times the kids that had to work towards finding their own strengths that are pursuing a bright future—kids like me. I had to work harder at what came easy to others but this acceptance of myself, my strengths, and my weaknesses is what I consider to be my greatest accomplishment. As a UF student, I will work hard and persevere. The journey will be even more appreciated because of the extra time and effort I put into everything. I am prepared for challenges, but I am also prepared to overcome them. I am devoted. I am passionate. I know my weaknesses, but I also know my strengths.

If not being a good jeopardy partner or never making that A on my spelling test (even though I studied all night for it) makes me a better student, I’m okay with that. I’ve realized that as a fish, I might not be able to climb that tree, but I’m pretty good at swimming through rough waters.