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this I believe
- 1. THIS I BELIEVE:MOTIVATION 1 This I believe: Motivation By Mame Thioye Sall UCSP 615 University of Maryland University College April 5, 2016 Originality score = 0%
- 2. THIS I BELIEVE:MOTIVATION 2 I was born and raised in Africa by parents who valued education so much that they always reminded me this sentence: “Believe that you will succeed, and you will make it happen”! This core advice is my motivation. Since I was the oldest of seven children, my mom stressed out that I should always be the perfect example for my siblings because they will always look up to me. She always told me: “if you succeed in your life, your younger siblings will do their best to become as successful as you are; so always try your best to become the perfect reference for all of them”. Since success was linked to education, my mom did her best to inspire me my entire life. In Senegal, the system of education is very challenging. Children and teenagers have to pass many exams to move up to the next grade. They have to pass two exams to go from elementary school to our U.S. equivalent of middle school. Then they take two very challenging exams to go to high school. The baccalaureate, which marks the end of high school journey, is the most stressful exam, the one that give students access to college education. Before each of my exam, my mom would make sure I know that failure was not an option. She made sure that I had tutors to help me study. She would ask if I needed any additional material to help me understand my classes. She would make sure that I had the perfect conditions to study and succeed. Moreover, she would be the best person to support me and push me forward by constantly reminding me: “You can do it”! Growing up did not change my perspectives and core motivation about success. I got married and had four children. Finishing my studies and earning my degree seemed almost impossible while raising 4 children, taking care of a household, and assuming marital and social
- 3. THIS I BELIEVE:MOTIVATION 3 responsibilities. As a mom, I am now raising children so they can become exemplary people with very high standards. When they look at me, I want them to see me as someone who values education, as someone who has earned a college degree. I want to be the perfect example for them, so they know that if they really want to achieve something in life, they can always reach their goals if they are motivated, and determined. In order to prove my worthiness to them, I need to become successful. When facing the challenges in my life, I just kept thinking about my parents’ core conviction that if I truly believe in myself, I can reach the stars. Every time I became overwhelmed, I took breaks from school. Those breaks could last up to three semesters and then making my getting back to school really challenging. Even though at times I almost gave up finishing my degree, I deeply needed to succeed. Therefore, I went back to college after each break. After many sacrifices and hardships, I was able to graduate with a Bachelor degree in May 2015. Believing that I can success is what keep me going forward. My college graduation is a great accomplishment for someone like me, who, despite being in foreign land and lacking mostly the extended family support, has come so far. Now, I am studying for my masters in Biotechnology, with a specialization in bioinformatics, and I believe that one day I will have a PhD degree. I believe that with hard work, motivation, and dedication, I will make all my dreams become a reality. I believe that one day, I will be someone who will positively affect many people's lives. I believe that when other people look at me, they will see someone who makes it happen against all odds. They will see someone who succeeds.