Narrative Essay by Karen

Narrative Essay by Karen - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

The English language is a very complex language to use whether it be reading, writing, or speaking. I found this out at an early age when I went to school and was completely lost in the first week. This struggle was a journey in itself. I remember learning the English language and not understanding any part of it. I remember getting something down and then having to learn it all over again. Mastering literacy was a gradual change; there is always room to grow, and honestly, you can never truly stop learning.
My understanding of English has improved solely out of need; understanding and bettering my language was for the benefit of my family, especially my parents. While I was born and raised in America, their situation had them living as immigrants in a world where Spanish is not the official language. I had to translate for them constantly and to support them as best as I could, I pushed hard to learn English as a second language. I wanted to be understood. I wanted to not be completely lost. By the first grade, I was fluent.
School was a challenge because there were language barriers I could not cross, but that didn’t stop me from persevering through it. Going from someone who did not speak the language to mastering enough to be the best in the first grade was an accomplishment I didn’t take into account until I was old enough to acknowledge it. While this can also be seen as my way of assimilating into the culture that was my elementary school, and in the future, American society, I was finally able to understand, read, and write.
Reading and writing today is not much of a challenge anymore as much as a bore. I can write very professionally; my test scores reflect that. One is a perfect SAT score and another is an AP English test I was able to pass. My ACT demonstrates what a strong reader I am as well, with a reading score of 34; near perfect. While my assimilation into an English speaking society has improved my skills and made me into the person I am today, it has negatively impacted me in other areas. This includes my first language. I do not understand it as much, nor do I know how to speak or read it too fluently. I am not doing as well in my Spanish classes as I am in my English ones. My native language has taken a toll, and I cannot express the sorrow I feel at the loss of such an important part of me.
I regret nothing, however. At the end of the day, mastering the English language has only proven to be very beneficial to my everyday life. I can constantly prove myself to others; I love the idea of being able to provide aid to my comrades when they ask for it. Being the eldest, I have set an example for my younger siblings and have led them to pursue a rigorous education. While this experience made me stronger as an individual, I would not wish this upon anyone else. The struggle is real.
As a first-gen child, I believe that taking opportunities to grow is extremely important and necessary to fully appreciate the struggles our parents were subject to. While it’s a process that not everyone has to go through, I cannot deny that it has helped shape me into who I am as a person today. This has also made my achievements so much more worthwhile. I am very aware of what I can do now, and while it may not mean anything to anyone else, it shows me my potential and my ability to accomplish things.