Growing Up in Trenton by Raymarie

Growing Up in Trenton by Raymarie - May 2022 Scholarship Essay

It's hard to infer how my upbringing has shaped the person I am today. Each part of my childhood affects me in different ways. But being raised in Trenton, NJ shapes the way I interact with others the most. Growing up in Trenton forced me to become aware and mature at a young age. We grew up to having SWAT teams raid our neighbors and gunshots being normal. Solely seeing police in situations where someone was robbed, killed or drug-affiliated made law enforcement appear scary. This made everyone who grew up here automatically defensive. I’ve always been hesitant when speaking to strangers and was taught by my mom to never put my guard down. This makes trusting others and forming friendships difficult. But being raised by Dominican immigrant parents has positively shaped me. The first language I ever learned was Spanish. My parents are not fluent in English and I only speak to them in Spanish. I taught myself English through television shows and movies I watched until I got to Pre-K. As I grew older, I became bilingual and able to read/write in both languages. By the age of 10, I was making phone calls and filling out paperwork on behalf of my parents. This made me gain adult skills like booking appointments, filling out W-2s, or writing checks. I know that as a young adult I will be grateful for these experiences and the knowledge they have provided me.