Personal Narrative: My First Year At New York University

My first year at York University was a very difficult one due to circumstances that significantly hurt my ability to perform in school. During this time I could not work to the best of my ability because of problems at home that involved both of my parents. My parents would argue almost every single day and this affected me emotionally and mentally. These issues slowly began when I was in the twelfth grade, and then progressed rapidly throughout my first year at York University which affected all the courses that I attended that year. I also left many extracurricular activities such as coaching and tutoring because of these problems at home. I was under an immense amount of stress, and most importantly I was scared during these times. It was
nearly impossible to study because my parents were extremely disruptive when they argued. I could only be at the library for short periods at a time as my parents did not want me out of the house for too long. I could not talk to anyone about what was happening at my household, and holding all of that fear within prevented me from focusing during lectures and labs. The situation with my parents was all I ever thought about, and this is because I truly loved them both. It really hurt me to see what was happening with them, and I felt that they did not pay attention to what it was also doing to me. In the summer of 2013, my parents eventually listened to my concerns and received the help they needed and resolved their issues. In turn, this changed how I felt mentally and this motivated me to meet the potential that I know I have to make them proud. This change can be seen with my grades after my first year.