Growing up I had a Dominican family who always enjoyed cooking, especially during

special occasions such as holidays, birthdays, and family gatherings. My mother was a very big
influence when it came to my passion for cooking, always making meals and trying to make new
things away from her comfort zone. In my sophomore year of high school, during the start of the
pandemic, I would have to cook for myself almost everyday while being home alone. I would
cook different kinds of food such as Dominican food, southern cuisine, and Mexican food. This
helped shape my future ahead of me and what I wanted to do as a career which is culinary arts.
Throughout my life I’ve had a lot of obstacles big and small especially growing without a
dad and losing him to cancer when I was about five years of age. I also faced personal obstacles
and even fought through depression due to bullying and self doubt. What I did to help myself
during these hard times was turn to those I love and appreciate for guidance. I also turned to a
therapist who I still consider to this day as a “hero”, someone who saved me from myself. What I
learned from going through this experience was that there are always gonna be obstacles in your
way but it takes one person to overcome all of them big or small.
A time that I felt thankful in a surprising way was in my eighth grade year when my
friend told my school counselor about my depression I had at the time. I began to feel regret
about telling my friend about what I was going through and instantly felt embarrassed towards
my counselor since I was always a happy and cheerful person. She soon found me a therapist
who saved my life and continued to give me help in areas aside from my depression. In the end I
was very thankful to my friend who had the courage to go get me help themselves no matter how
I would feel about it.
In my Junior year of high school I had a lot of different experiences and obstacles that I
think helped shape me into the person I am today. Things such as losing my grandfather to covid,
family issues, and even some personal issues really put me into a hard spot. That school year I
overcame a lot, worked on myself as a person, and improved my academic grades. I believe that
all this helped to really see things from a different perspective which I know will help me out in
the real world.
As I grew up I had many different experiences and obstacles that taught me a lot that I
know today. Such as seeing things from another point of view. My passion for cooking, turning
to family, friends, and also my therapist really helped me overcome these issues. In my Junior
year of high school I feel that it helped me grow into the man I am today.