-I was born on a cold winter night, when even time seemed to stand still, in my native

Bennington, Oklahoma. I do not remember much of my early childhood, but my mom said that I
was a very active, curious, and communicative child. I would ask dozens of questions each
minute, even without waiting for the answers. I suppose this is why my parents offered me
books and educational movies as early as my third birthday

. Fortunately, my thirst for knowledge did not come to an end when I was at school. I was
passionate about history and science. This passion helped me gain profound knowledge in
these areas, and I was admitted to the college of my dreams. Today, I am a student at a law
school, and I feel very happy about it.

I am certain that my degree will become my ticket to a better tomorrow. I want to become a
renowned lawyer in the field of employment legislation. I study hard and devote my free time
to reading scholarly reviews and watching interviews with recognized specialists in the field.

Of course, I understand that life is not just a bed of roses, and challenges and hardships are an
integral element of life. Since my parents could not help me cover my college expenses in full,
paying off my student loan has become an important challenge for me. I combine a part-time
job and full-time study to earn my living and my education. I feel triumphant at the beginning of
every month when I receive my salary and plan how I will spend my money.

I have come to believe that two main factors determine success. First of all is a person’s own
determination and will to succeed. Are you ready to make sacrifices to achieve your goal, like
working and studying at the same time? Are you prepared to recover after failure and proceed
to your goal again? Without strong internal motivation, it is nearly impossible to become
successful.

Equally important is the support of people around you. Being determined to succeed does not
mean alienating everyone and stepping on other people in order to achieve your goal. On the
contrary, success is about recognizing your weaknesses and accepting support from people who
genuinely want to help you. For instance, if it were not for my parents’ support of my
educational endeavors, I would perhaps not be attending law school today.

- TIMELESS….I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. On road trips, we competed over who sported the
most hawks first. Our favorite competition was, upon seeing each other, who could say the
words “I love you best” first. If I got him first, Dad would reply, “I’ll get you—just wait.”

My dad died the night before my 50th birthday. The next day, Mom brought me a gift, saying,
“This is from your dad. He bought it for you five years ago.” Inside was a beautiful gold pocket
watch. Engraved on the inside were the words I love you best—Gotcha.