Nathan Berg

Period 1

9/11/19

College Essay

People raised in the same culture have very similar lifestyles and beliefs. If you look at

some societies around the world the way of life is drastically different from each other. I was

raised in a household of two different cultures. My mom being Asian and my dad being

caucasian. This influences my life in a very beneficial way because I get to learn things about

both cultures and I am exposed to many different outlooks on life. I have always been open

minded due to this. The Asian side of my family is always harping on me about my grades and

the other side of my family is always asking me how basketball is going and what I should do to

improve. It makes me well rounded because I strive to be better in both athletics and schooling.

Also seeing how two different families that have been made in completely different cultures

makes me more appreciative of the world and it’s different cultures. All in all, I am thankful for

being biracial because it has made me a more well rounded, appreciative, and hard working

person.

First, I want to talk about both of my parents and how they taught me who I am. My

parents are a perfect example of the culture shift in America that is occurring and I am the

product of this culture shift. My mom is the breadwinner in the family even though she is an

immigrant.We also live in a predominantly white area. Being raised in this makes me realize

how fortunate I am to have been born in a multicultural household. It makes me want to move

with the culture instead of fighting to keep traditions the same. This has also made me realize
how important families like mine are for the evolution of society in general. But I know from

experience nothing comes easy. Both my parents have worked their tails off to give me the

opportunities that I have been given. This makes me want to follow in their footsteps and work

hard in whatever I do as well.

My mom’s side of the family is very traditional and they try to keep the culture that they

were raised in from Korea. Although some of their ideas and beliefs are “old school” I still

appreciate that they continue to live by these traditions and I try to make them proud as much as

possible. For example, when my grandparents were growing up they believed that the man in the

family is usually the breadwinner and the woman stays home and takes care of the children. But

ironically my mom is the breadwinner in my family and she still finds a way to come home and

cook us dinner almost every night. This is a good example of how two different ways of life have

been exposed to me making me more open minded. Now, the way I see it no way of life is the

“wrong way” to do it. Whether the man or the woman is the breadwinner it doesn’t really matter

as much as long as you are happy and proud of what you are doing.

My dad’s side of the family is a classic American family who grew up through the late

90’s. They are definitely a more expressive family. I always have rich memories of them joking

around and showing affection without caring who sees. My dad has five siblings who get

together regularly to do something together. They might not be as traditional as my other side but

they have taught me just as much. I think more than anything I have learned the value of social

skills and kindness. Every member in the family has always been super kind and generous to me

no matter what. This has taught me how important being a good person down to your core is. As

i've mentioned before they are also very sports oriented. They have a lot of expectations for me
when it comes to athletics, so it pushes me to improve and make them proud. It is one of the best

feelings in the world when you perform under pressure in front of your family. I couldn’t be

more grateful for my dad’s side of the family because of who they have helped me become.

In conclusion, being biracial has given me so many outlooks on life and it has made me

better for it. I am appreciative of both sides of my family and the things that they have taught me.

Although it could be looked at as being conflicting and I know that at times I have questioned

who I am as a person. But if it wasn’t for the support of both my families I am confident in who I

have become and thankful for my parents balancing how they raised me.