Troi Oliver

November 30, 2021

College Essay

Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have

faced and its impact on you.

A significant experience and risk I’ve taken recently was moving away from my Mom

and brother and all that was familiar to me in Carson, California to Tolleson, Arizona to live with

my Dad for the first time since I was six yrs old. Soo, let’s rewind back to the beginning of last

year, January 2020.

I had been asking my parents about changing schools for a better high school experience

and then out of nowhere Covid-19 came and shook everything up. This was the last semester of

my sophomore year and California was on a “stay at home'' order by the governor of California.

These were strange and unheard of times. My decision to move came right during the mist of

these uncertain times. I recall contemplating over and over, whether I wanted to move away, and

visit my Dad a bit more in Phoenix, Arizona, or possibly finish my last two years of high school

there. During that summer, prior to heading into my junior year, I knew things started to get

serious as my parents went into action to start the process of changing schools and states was

when I realized that my future was really important to me. Personally, making this decision to

move now would be the best and the first hardest decision ever for me to make. I knew making

this move would be a great start to independence before I'm off to college to start my life’s next

journey on my own. Even though I had to decide quickly with the reality that I only had until the

end of summer to move there, settle in, enroll in a well educated school that's right for me, my

mind was set even with all of these considerations. This was an extremely overwhelming time

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November 30, 2021

for me. Thankfully I have a supportive family, with extremely supportive parents that helped me

decide. So, we all took the risk and figured it’d be a great new chapter, or lets even call it a new

adventure.

The move was made and I’ll admit, in the beginning it was difficult: But change and

growth is never easy. So I took it head on, disregarding the fact that I was moving to a new place,

a new environment and with only one friend, who is also my dad. I’d be forced to meet new

people, make new friends and become familiar with new surroundings, or so I thought. The

Corona virus had changed all of my plans of making new friends and having new experiences at

my new high school, Tolleson University High school. The virus had restricted schools from

gathering in person and I was forced to learn a new school all online. With this additional

change, I found myself struggling. Online school for a Preparatory school was harder than I

thought; While being new to the school hadn’t helped much either. During my 11th grade school

year, I went through many ups and downs adapting to the school’s AP and Honors curriculum. It

was a struggle being able to align with the standards and expectations of the school from home

and the expectations I’ve placed on myself. However, I was able to bring it all together by

reaching out to my family support system and using the tools of the school to assist in managing

that stressful school semester. I concluded my junior year with a perfect GPA score of 4.0. With

the additional help of attending summer school for my advanced chemistry course.

Now here we are, fast forward a year and a half later and now I’m in my senior year still

maintaining my grades. School is back for on campus learning. I’ve finally had the opportunity

to make new friends and build new relationships with my teachers and school staff. At this point

I can honestly say I’m quite proud of myself and excited for what’s next. I have shown myself

that with determination, support and the will to do my best, that I can be successful and get it

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done. Time is flying by and before I know it, I’ll be sitting alongside my friends, family, and

teachers in my cap and gown preparing to walk across my high school stage to receive my

diploma. I hope to look out at the audience and feel a sense of satisfaction and inspiration for

what I’ve accomplished and what I will accomplish.