I, Rashida Jamila Callender, was brought into this world as a righteous and beautiful being. My tall and slim physique is unfortunately my most distinguishing feature among those who do not know me very well. This noticeable characteristic is a result of my parent’s height. My younger sister is also tall; however, she has not fully learned to appreciate what she was given. I try my best to encourage her because I do not like to see her depressed. For me, it is natural to help her or any person in need because it is morally right. My caring and persistent personality is a result of my parents and the environment I originated from.
While growing up with parents from the Caribbean, I have learned to treasure life and use life’s offers to my advantage. Both of my parents stressed education; they incessantly reminded me that I would not succeed in life without it. My mother used to say, “If you don’t do it now, you’ll regret it in the future.” My father constantly said he wished he had the opportunities that the young people have today. I believe that this was his motivation to make sure that his children excelled in anything they performed. Everyday my father checked my homework and if he found a mistake he would mark an “X” on my assignment. Back then I was embarrassed when I had to turn in my homework because the imprint of the “X” and the smudges of the erasure would still be present on my assignment. My father’s harsh criticism and my mother’s responsible demeanor have shaped me into a hard working, strong-minded, and responsible teen.
Witnessing city life everyday was also a major factor in the development of my personality. Seeing people begging for food and money, and watching my friends throw their lives away made me think about what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I did not want to live my life in horror and fear. I wanted to excel and make myself an example and show others that it is possible to make something good of your talents. If you are able to differentiate between having fun and being serious, you will go far in life.
In the future, I plan to take the moral lessons that I learned and apply it to my career. I plan to share my knowledge with others and continue to be sincere and persistent. My goal is to aid people with activities in leadership and responsibility.
