experience that changed my life essay sample

Essays About Life-changing Experiences: 5 Examples

Discover our guide for writing essays about life-changing experiences that combine three different elements: narrative, description, and self-reflection. 

Each of us has gone through life-changing experiences that shaped us into the individuals we are today. Because of how powerful they are, these events make for fascinating topics in writing. This subject doesn’t only let us tell our life stories, and it also pushes us to evaluate our behavior and reflect on why an incident happened.

Attract your readers by creating an excellent introduction and choosing a unique or exciting encounter. Paint a picture of the events that describe your experience vividly and finish with a strong conclusion.

5 Essay Examples

1. long essay on experience that changed my life by prasanna, 2. life-changing events: personal experience by anonymous on studycorgi.com, 3. my example of a life-changing experience by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 4. life-changing experience: death essay by writer annie, 5. a life-changing experience during the holiday season by anonymous on studymoose.com, 1. life-changing experience: defined, 2. the experience that changed my life, 3. life-changing events and how they impact lives, 4. everyday events that change a person’s life, 5. the person who change my life, 6. books or movies that changed my life, 7. a life-changing quote.

“Experiences can be good and sometimes terrible that results in a positive or negative impact on one’s life. Life is full of many unexpected challenges and unknown turning points that will come along any time. People must learn and grow from every experience that they go through in life rather than losing yourself.”

In this essay, Prasanna discusses her father’s death as her most challenging life-changing experience. She was cheerful, immature, and carefree when her father was still alive. However, when her father left, she became the decision-maker of their family because her mother was unable to.

Prasanna mentions that she lost not only a father but also a friend, motivator, and mentor. That sad and unexpected experience turned her into an introverted, mature, and responsible head of the family. Ultimately, she thanks her father for making her a better person, and because of the devastating incident, she realizes who she can trust and how she should handle the real world. You might also be interested in these essays about choice .

“In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments.”

This essay contains two life events that helped the author become a better person. These events taught them to trust and appreciate people, be responsible, and value family. The first event is when their best friend passes away, leading to stress, loss of appetite, and depression. The second circumstance happened when the author postponed their studies because they were afraid to grow up and be accountable for their decisions and actions.

The writer’s family showed them love, support, and understanding through these events. These events changed their behavior, attitude, and perspective on life and guided them to strengthen family relationships.

For help picking your next essay topic, check out our 20 engaging essay topics about family .

“I thought it was awkward because he looked and acted very professional. In that moment I thought to myself, ‘this person is going to have a great impact in my life!’. I was very curious to meet him and get a chance to show him my personality.”

This essay proves that you should always believe in yourself and not be afraid to try something new. The author recalls when they had many problems and met an extraordinary person who changed their life. 

When they were in sixth grade, the writer had life issues that caused them to be anxious about any future endeavor. The author then says they don’t usually open up to teachers because they fear their reactions. Then they met Mr. Salazar, a mentor who respects and values them, and the writer considers him their best friend.

“When the funeral was over and he was laid to rest, I had a feeling I can’t even describe. It was almost an empty feeling. I knew I had lost someone that could never be replaced.”

Annie never thought that she’d go through a life-changing experience until the sudden death of her father. Her thoughts and feelings are all over the place, and she has many unanswered questions. She says that although she will never wish for anyone to experience the same. However, her father’s passing improved her life in some ways.

Her mother remarried and introduced a new father figure, who was very kind to her. Living with her stepdad allowed her to explore and do things she thought she couldn’t. Annie still mourns the loss of her birth father, but she is also grateful to have a stepdad she can lean on. She gradually accepts that she can’t bring her birth father back.

“This story as a whole has really changed me and made me an even better person in life, I’m so thankful that this happened to me because now I have a greater appreciation for the little things in life.”

The essay shows how a simple interaction on a cold day in December can completely change a person’s view on life. It starts with the writer being asked a small favor of an older man with Alzheimer’s disease to help him find his car. This experience teaches the writer to be more observant and appreciative of the things they have. The author was inspired to spend more time with loved ones, especially their grandfather, who also has Alzheimer’s disease, as they learned never to take anything for granted.

7 Prompts for Essays About Life-changing Experiences

Everyone has their definition of a life-changing experience. But in general, it is an event or series of events profoundly altering a person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior. Use this prompt to explain your understanding of the topic and discuss how a simple action, decision, or encounter can change someone’s life. You might also be interested in these essays about yourself .

For this prompt, choose a specific memory that made you re-evaluate your views, values, and morals. Then, discuss the impact of this event on your life. For example, you can discuss losing a loved one, moving to another country, or starting a new school. Your conclusion must contain the main lessons you learned from the experience and how it can help the readers.

Various positive and negative life-changing experiences happen anytime and anywhere. Sometimes, you don’t notice them until they substantially disturb your everyday life. 

To begin your essay, interview people and ask about a momentous event that happened to them and how it influenced their way of living. Then, pick the most potent life-changing experience shared. Talk about what you’d do if you were in the same situation.

Some life-changing events include common things such as marriage, parenthood, divorce, job loss, and death. Research and discuss the most common experiences that transform a person’s life. Include real-life situations and any personal encounters for an intriguing essay.

It’s normal to meet other people, but connecting with someone who will significantly impact your life is a blessing. Use this prompt to discuss that particular person, such as a parent, close friend, or romantic partner. Share who they are and how you met them, and discuss what they did or said that made a big difference in your life. 

Movies like “The Truman Show” help change your viewpoint in life. They open our minds and provide ideas for dealing with our struggles. Share how you reached an epiphany by reading a book or watching a movie. Include if it’s because of a particular dialogue, character action, or scenes you can relate to.

While others use inspirational quotes for comfort and to avoid negative thinking, some find a quote that gives them the courage to make drastic changes to better their lives. For this prompt, search for well-known personalities who discovered a quote that motivated them to turn their life around.  Essay Tip: When editing for grammar, we also recommend spending time and effort to improve the readability score of your essay before publishing or submitting it.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Life Changing Events: Personal Experience

If you are about to write a short narrative essay about something that changed your life forever, you’ve come to the right place! Check out our “childhood experience that changed my life” essay sample to get some ideas and inspiration for your paper.

Life Changing Event: Essay Introduction

Life changing experience: essay main body, life changing event: essay conclusion.

In life, certain experiences present challenges that change the way people relate to themselves and their families. Certain life events mark life-changing moments that alter lives either positively or negatively. It matters how people handle their relationships at such critical moments. 

Relationships, especially with family members, are the most important aspects of handling change. I have experienced life-changing events that turned me into a better person.

One such event occurred in my childhood, while the other occurred in adolescence. In both cases, my family was there to support and help me go through the tough times. Looking back at the influence of these events, I am always glad that my family was with me in overcoming the challenges. I am a better person because my family stood beside me and gave me strength and support in moments of weakness and helplessness.

The first event that had a remarkable impact on my life was the loss of a dear friend. This event changed my world and made me a better person. It taught me how to appreciate friends, family, and relationships. In childhood, I had a cousin who was my best friend.

Our friendship was so deep that we usually spent holidays and weekends visiting each other’s families. To my family, she was like one of the members. I was like one of her family members, too. We used to spend a lot of time together, playing, studying, traveling, and doing many other fun activities.

One day, while returning home from school, she got knocked down by a motorcyclist speeding off, trying to escape from a police officer. She was hit from behind and knocked her head on a large stone on the side of the road upon landing on the ground. When I received the news of the accident, I was devastated.

The morning after the accident, I visited her in the hospital and received the sad news that she was in a coma after suffering severe brain damage. I lost my appetite, could not sleep for weeks, and spent several nights crying and wishing she would be fine. She was in the hospital for six months. During that period, I became stressed and lost weight.

I missed school for many days, thus affecting my academics. Even though my family was also affected, the effect was greater on me because of our long-time friendship. Every day I woke up expecting to hear good news from my parents of her miraculous recovery, but that did not happen. As I became more depressed, I started to avoid social gatherings and experienced difficulty sleeping.

One morning, just after breakfast, we received news that she had passed away. At that moment, a hot flush of blood flowed into my head, and I fainted. The long period of endless waiting had come to an end. That morning was one of the lowest moments. I was rushed to the hospital, and the doctors said I had collapsed due to sudden shock. The grieving period was excruciating.

However, my family stood by me and offered consolation. My family members provided emotional and physical support and helped me overcome the incident. The event had severe emotional effects. My mum spent most of her time comforting me. I could cope with the situation because my family understood what I was going through, were patient, listened to me, and offered psychological help.

My parents were not angry at me for missing school. They allowed me to stay home until I was ready to go back. It took four months of grieving to get over the death of my cousin and best friend. This incident changed my life and brought me closer to my family. I now appreciate relationships and more. As a result, I am more loving, caring, compassionate, and appreciative of the people in my life.

The other defining moment that changed me involved a disagreement with my parents regarding joining high school. When the time came for me to enter high school, I was not prepared and wanted to stay home for a year before joining. My parents were concerned that I would lose a year of schooling since, at my age, I was not ready for a job. They feared I would have nothing to do for an entire year.

The reasons for delaying my entry to high school were fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. I was not ready to enter a stage of life where I was expected to be responsible for my life and actions. I refused to talk to my parents and other family members because I felt that they were imposing their principles on me. The truth is that I was afraid to enter a phase that would require me to be responsible for my decisions and actions.

I avoided my parents and always ensured they never got a chance to question me. My decision changed when my dad confronted me. Our discussion focused on the reasons that were informing my decision. At first, I was unwilling to tell my dad the truth, but as the debate progressed, I had no choice but to open up to him. I was afraid that he would be disappointed with me.

However, he assured me that it was normal to experience fear and anxiety, especially when making a life-changing decision. He narrated a story about how he had reacted the same way when his dad asked him to move out of their family house to find a place to live after joining college. Throughout the entire experience, my family was very understanding.

They helped me to overcome the fear and anxiety of embracing responsibilities. That incident changed my life, attitudes, and perspectives regarding life. My family has always supported me during tough times. That incident improved my relationship with my family and introduced me to adulthood. Whenever I face a challenge, I discuss it openly with my family because of the awareness that they are always ready and willing to listen and offer assistance. 

My elder brother introduced me to high school life and offered numerous tips on adjusting to the new environment. My family is my greatest source of joy and happiness. This incident taught me responsibility, trust, humility, and the importance of family. The aforementioned events changed my life tremendously because they played a crucial role in molding me into a responsible, caring, and compassionate person.

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A Turning Point: An Event That Changed My Life Forever

Table of contents, the event: volunteer mission abroad, shifting perspectives and values, forging lasting connections, charting a new path.

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The Event That Changed My Life Essay Example

Everyone has gone through events that significantly changed their life. It changed the way they viewed themselves and how they view others. Some might have been impacted emotionally and prefer not to speak on certain things until they are ready to. I am one of those people. My dad passing away changed me because it forced me to grow up, it made me independent and left me emotionally unstable for life.

My dad passed away when I was young, I was only 7. I had just recently moved to the U.S from El Salvador. I didn’t know any English, nor did my mom. My dad was our only resource and we depended on him to be able to adjust to this new life. We only spent about  3 months together, and unexpectedly he left us all alone. With no help, no way to be able to rely on anyone, I had to figure it out and learn English to be able to help my mom communicate with others and to be able to get around. I needed to find ways to get the most basic tasks done. I didn’t even know how to use technology which made everything even harder. Little by little, I kept on learning to get around on my own, and eventually, I was able to translate and complete paperwork for my mom. I was able to help her, Whenever she needed me I was there. My mindset and maturity level was way too high for my age. I didn’t have time to enjoy my childhood and worry about where my favorite toy was. I had to worry if I was able to help my mom get through this loss and ways to make her life a little bit easier. Slowly I was forced to grow up.

I had to take everything seriously, I felt like I didn’t have time to stop and enjoy my childhood. I felt like I couldn't rely on my mom because she was always at the hospital making sure my dad was ok as well as working. She had enough to deal with that I didn’t want to be added to that. I started doing everything on my own. I would do my homework however I could. I would try to improve my English by myself, I would take care of myself. I would clean, take myself to the bus stop. Over the years that increased and I learned to do new things such as cook, learned to use the internet as well as technology, fill out paperwork, translate, pay bills online and so much more.I can say that most of my family members rely on me to help them with many things. I no longer depend on anyone, I tend to do everything alone even if it's hard to accomplish it.

His passing took a long time to accept and still to this day, I can’t fully accept it. Since I was so young, I didn’t take some time to grieve his passing. My brain blocks all those sad and bad memories and makes it hard to remember anything. Sadly, I have no memory of him because we were apart most of my early year and once we were able to be together as a family he passed away. That reflected on me and made me feel different from others, I don’t have friends, I don’t talk to anyone and I don’t like to show my feelings. I feel robbed from being a happy kid with lots of memories. It’s an unbearable pain to know that he isn’t here anymore and nobody can make it feel better. Part of me is missing and It hurt’s to know he wasn’t in one of the most important days of my life, which was my Quinceanera. I can’t even wake up and tell him Happy Birthday or Happy Father's day. He won’t be able to see me grow up and reach all my goals and milestones. I would have loved to know how it feels to be loved by a father figure. I have accomplished so many things this year and I just know he would have been so proud. It makes me happy to know and be told by my family that he was a person with a big heart and genuinely was an angel. The only difference now is that he is an angel, my guardian angel.

Many have gone through experiences that hurt them and changed them for better or for worse. I truly believe that anything that happened is just preparing you to become stronger and improve you as a person. My dad's passing changed me for the better. It made me who I am today and I am thankful for that. I learned to survive and get through one of life's toughest obstacles.

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Becoming Bilingual: An Experience That Changed My Life

John Nobile Carvalho is a Biochemistry major from Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. John’s inspiration for writing this paper was in finding the most significant and impactful moments of language learning. The reason he considers his essay important is “because during the writing process I was able to recall memories and think of the journey I’ve been on, and all the challenges I’ve faced while learning two languages.” He also credits remote learning with providing plenty of time to devote himself to his studies and this project: “I was aware that this factor could help me focus and write something interesting for people who are not bilingual as well as people who are bilingual.” Besides being a student, John is also a musician and a book lover, and counts the blues and science-fiction books among his passions. He states that he “could never live a day without playing my guitar for a few minutes, or not reading a few pages of a book. These are the two ways I have to escape reality and enjoy the moment.”

The process of becoming a bilingual person can be seen as a long journey, which has several challenges, but at the same time several achievements. Learning a new language can be considered a challenge because it goes far beyond just learning to use words, expressions and knowing how to apply correct grammar, and what I mean by that is that you have to make mistakes, live in situations where you feel vulnerable, and go through difficulties. Even though it is not a simple task, I believe that this process allows us to develop persistence, willpower, maturity and a lot of discipline. Given the explanation, I ask myself the following question: what was my process of becoming bilingual, and how did that make me who I am today?

Well, my journey started relatively early in my life. The first memories I have in mind, when I had contact with the English language, was around the age of 7 years old. I mainly remember the moment when my father used to listen to songs that had quite different lyrics than what I was used to listening to in Brazilian music. I remember asking my dad what those words were and what they meant, and I also remember referring to them as ‘‘strange words.’’ I can perfectly remember the way my father had explained to me that it was English; he said it was a type of language that human beings use and that in particular it was used elsewhere in the world. That fascinated me, and with each day that passed by, I would ask my father to show me more and more music by American artists; this led me to develop a passion for Blues, Rock, Jazz, and Soul Music. I loved the rhythm, melody, and harmony of the songs of these musical genres, but there was a big problem. I could not understand practically anything about what the lyrics were saying, and that was quite frustrating.

After a while, it started to bother me, so I realized it was time to take an initiative. I realized it was time to seek to understand the meaning of the lyrics of the songs I loved so much. I remember sitting on the floor of my room, trying to read and pronounce each word in the rhythm in which I heard them in the songs. I also remember feeling quite angry at first because I could not understand anything at all. Over time, this curiosity made me discover that I could use online translators and websites that made music translations available from English to Portuguese. At that moment I realized that there were no more limits for me. I knew that everything would start to flow naturally.

Basically, my relationship with the English language started to develop organically, and after a few months of practicing English, the words that did not make any sense started to make all the sense. I was obsessed with learning new words, phrases, and expressions. When I least expected it, with the help of subtitles, I was able to watch cartoon shows, movies, and documentaries in English. I felt fulfilled when I was able to understand certain simple dialogues, for example in the video games that I used to play, and for me, that was rewarding. Another memory I have was when I joined elementary school, and the public school where I studied used to offer English classes, and I remember having ease in these classes thanks to all the effort and dedication that I had put into studying and practicing English on my own.

As time went by, my relationship with the English language was solidifying and becoming stronger and stronger. I practically did not listen to music in Portuguese anymore; I did not care about watching cartoons and films in Portuguese anymore, which made me more immersed into American culture. I remember in 2009, when I was only 11 years old, my cousins and colleagues who played football with me asked me why I did not like to watch Brazilian and South American football like “A Liberators da America” (South American Tournament). I always said that European football championships like the Premier League (from England) were more interesting, but they did not understand that I thought it was interesting because I was discovering a “new world”. Right after I turned 14, my parents gave me my first skateboard, and it motivated me, even more, to continue learning things related to English and American culture. I used slang in English with my friends and tried to speak in English with my English teachers at school. I used to sing and play songs in English. I found it fascinating the fact that in less than seven years I had already learned so much about English.

During these seven years of studying and learning the English language, I remember listening to a lot of people around me, like my parents, uncles and aunts, cousins and several friends saying that I was doing the right thing. English was a synonym for “success and mystery” in my mind. They used to say “João, you must learn the English language, as this will bring you great opportunities in your future”. Everyone was absolutely right, and I say this because all the incentives and motivations they gave me were essential for my evolution and progress. I am incredibly grateful mainly for my parents, because thanks to them, I was able to have access to a good education. I was able to access the necessary resources to continue making progress. Without them none of this would have happened, and I would never have gotten as far as I did.

Now, after fourteen years of dedicating myself to studying the English language, I realize that my view on it has changed dramatically. At first, I was just a child venturing into a strange and unknown language, and that was incredibly attractive. When I say that my vision has changed drastically, I mean that now this language is not only a source of curiosity. It has practically become the tool that allows me to connect with the world, and in a way even with myself. I can say with all conviction that being bilingual is one of the most important tools I have in my life. I would say that English for me today is like the oxygen that I breathe all the time, and what I mean is that I can no longer live without it.

English is not just another language that exists in the world. For me, English has shaped my identity and the person I am today. What I mean by that is that English is not just a language, in my life it goes much further. A beautiful example that I always carry in mind is how English made me develop a beautiful conception of music. I consider myself a musician, and I consider music as one of the greatest inventions of mankind, and thanks to the English language I was able to venture into the world of music. Nowadays I study music every week in English: I play in concerts; I play with my friends, so through this example, it is evident how English managed to shape one of the main characteristics of my identity. Another example that comes to mind is that since I was a child, my biggest dream of all has been to become a scientist in the future. That dream only started after I watched countless scientific documentaries, read several books by phenomenal scientists like Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson, and with every day that passes I am sure that my dream will be realized. Thanks to English, I was able to develop the habit of reading, watching documentaries, searching for information and building knowledge, and in my opinion, I think this is incredible. Through the study of this language, I was even able to value my mother tongue even more because like English, Portuguese is an intriguing and spectacular language that I am proud to speak.

To emphasize how crucial the process of becoming bilingual has been in my life, I can tell you how my life has changed completely since I moved to the United States. My first real contact with American society was a wave of feelings and emotions. To clarify what I am trying to say, I could use the experiences of author Orhan Pamuk (2007) as an example, when he describes how frustrating and difficult it is to adjust and adapt to a new culture and a new language. The silence was sometimes my only form of expression, as it was his. However, the best part is that this “wave of feelings and emotions” made me realize that all the years of study and my effort should be valued and put into practice. After a few months, I already felt more comfortable, so I was able to enjoy everything that this new environment had to offer me. I developed not only a love affair with the English language but also with the city of Boston. I had an epiphany and a profound reflection that, like Brazil, the United States is also the place I refer to as home.

This leads me to another interesting and profound reflection that I have been experiencing lately. The fact of moving to the United States is not only a great opportunity to have a beautiful future, and it is not just another phase of my life. It is also an opportunity to be able to connect worlds and cultures. Amin Maalouf (1998) clearly describes how beautiful it is that bilingual people living in other countries can be sources of knowledge, and according to him, these people have a great responsibility in acting as bridges that connect different cultures.

Maalouf is absolutely right, and his reflection resonated with me because I feel this responsibility; I feel responsible to share the American culture with my friends and family who live in Brazil. Likewise, I am responsible for sharing Brazilian culture with American society. I think this is extremely important because if I do that, I can make a difference in the world, I can help the world. I can help the world become a harmonious place, and I feel that I can use the knowledge I have to help people to develop more empathy, respect, and love for people from different places and cultures. Being bilingual and living in another country means having the responsibility to help people and eliminate any kind of prejudice, intolerance, and misunderstanding that they have in mind.

Given all these facts, contexts, and personal experiences, I return to my question: what was my process in becoming bilingual, and how did that make me who I am today? Well, the answer is quite simple, I have had an incredible journey so far. Every second studying English, all my effort, every person involved, every mistake made, every learning experience — all of this was crucial to getting me to where I am today. This journey brought me knowledge and reflections, which helped me to better understand the world and myself. I would never have imagined that English would bring me so many opportunities — all of this was beyond my expectations. I am sure that English will bring me more unique experiences, and I can say with all gratitude that I am ready for all of them.

Maalouf, Amin. (1998). Deadly Identities (Brigitte Caland, Trans.). Al Jadid , 4(25). Retrieved from https://www.aljadid.com/content/deadly-identities .

Pamuk, Orhan. (2007, April 7). My First Passport: What Does it Mean to Belong to a Country? (Maureen Freely, Trans.). The New Yorker . Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/04/16/my-first-passport .

A Time In My Life. The Experience that Changed My Life Essay Sample

As the coach bus pulled away from the parking lot, moms, dads, grandparents, siblings all waved goodbye to us, shouting ‘miss you’ and ‘write soon!’. Even though my mom could not see me clearly from the tinted window, I could see her clear as day. It was almost as if a spotlight was shining down on her. I quickly noticed tears streaming down her cheeks more and more as we parted further and further away from each other. I was officially on my way to my first ever year of sleep away camp for eight weeks. The next time I would get to see her and my family would be in four long weeks. Prior to this moment, I had really only seen my mom cry when bad things happened—but in my heart I knew that this was not a sad moment. This was a joyous moment. 

Before sleep away camp, the longest I had been away from my family was a couple of days, but always close to home. During my childhood summers I would just go to day camp. Every day would be the same thing: wake up, get on the camp bus, go to camp, swim in a freezing cold, small pool, then spend the rest of my day with wet hair, listen the CITs (counselor in training) gossip, wait to get on the bus, and go home. It was like an endless grueling cycle I had to endure every day of every summer. I some friends at this day camp, but I knew that none would last long because our bond was just not strong enough. I am not saying it was the worst experience of my life, but it was definitely not the best. I was tired of day camp; I wanted something new. My nine-year-old self decided I wanted more out of my summers. On the last day of day camp, I brought the idea of trying out sleep away camp to my parents and they were immediately on board. Two weeks later I was on a bus to Milford, Pennsylvania for a week to test out sleep away camp. Five short days later I had a two-hour journey back home and fell into my parents’ arms as I literally jumped for joy off the bus. My mom asked how it went and I said,

“Mom, dad, I need to go back next year... and for eight weeks!!”

My parents looked at each other and they knew that I just had the time of my life at sleep away camp. On the way home I did not shut up for one second. I told them about the awesome counselors, how the lake had a cool slide, and the pool was huge and not cold.

Fast forward to the following summer, my first day of sleep away camp for eight weeks. I stepped off the coach bus with a smile that overtook my whole face. I was back at my “home away from home”. My counselor helped me unpack, and I met my bunkmates and took a tour around the whole camp. I think that night was when it really set in. I knew this was not going to be another five-day trial period. Following that realization, I remember that night pulling the covers over my head and crying quietly. I was two hours away from my family, I had no friends and no one to help me wipe my tears. I was scared. 

As I got up from the lower bed of our bunkbed to walk to my cubby for tissues, I heard quiet sobs coming from the bed above me. Standing at my cubby, the girl sat up from her bed and crawled to the foot of the bed, closer to me. I looked up at her and handed her the tissue box. She quietly plucked a tissue out of the box, thanked me and laid back down. I felt a lot better knowing someone else was experiencing the same feelings. I tip-toed back to my bed and snuggled up with my frog Pillow Pet. 

The next day, during arts & crafts I talked to the girl who was sleeping in the top bunk. Her name was Emily. Knowing that she had similar feelings, I felt comfortable talking with her. We became fast friends. As the summer progressed, we bonded over countless bonfires, going down the slide and everything in between. My summer got better the more time I spent adjusting to the camp life. As time passed, my confidence grew, and I was able to make more friends. 

Fast forward seven weeks, all of our duffle bags were packed, and we were in sleeping bags for our last night together as a bunk. I was no longer crying under my covers, rather I was crying with my best friends in the middle of the bunk. We were all extremely heartbroken to leave each other. The next morning, we said our goodbyes, exchanged e-mails and went our different ways. During the next ten months apart from each other, we counted down the days until we would finally be together again as a bunk. The following summer, we all reunited at camp. I was back at my home away from home. I no longer had the same uneasiness that I felt the first night last summer. I knew I would be okay with my best friends at my side to help me.

I never expected to leave my first year of sleepaway camp with new best friends. To this day, my entire bunk and I are still friends and reminisce about our first year together. Looking back, I realized how scared I was to show my true, raw emotions. Now as an adult, I am more readily able to share my feelings. From this friendship I learned that you are never alone. I have dealt with some major commitment issues throughout my life. As cliché as it sounds, I really would not know where I would be without Nine years later, as a counselor at the same camp, I help campers overcome the negative emotions I experienced. I always keep a tissue box next to my bunk bed for anyone else that may need it.

I felt (and still feel) extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to experience sleepaway camp. I know that a large handful of kids (and a lot of my friends, in fact) were not allowed or were not able to go to sleep away camp for many reasons. I feel bad for those people because they were unable to learn the things I did at camp. The skills and lessons you are taught through experience at camp are the ones you are unable to learn in a classroom setting. Camp truly molded me into the person I am today. My friends would describe me as empathetic, loving, kind-hearted and a great listener. I believe that because I went to sleep away as a little girl, I could now as a counselor help my campers go through the same things I did when I were in their shoes. I learned how to be independent and a leader. 

The first year you can be a counselor you are around the age of 16. When I was a camper, I did not realize how young my counselors actually were and the amount of responsibility they had to take on at a young age. But now, as a counselor myself I know the level of responsibility I hold. Because I went to camp, I felt more mature than others at my school. But I see this as a positive thing.  Sure, counselors are always there to help but for the most part you are on your own at camp. 

I have always dreamed of becoming an elementary teacher and having my own classroom. I envision my students getting off the bus, giving them high fives as they eagerly enter my comfortable and welcoming classroom. After becoming a counselor, I could really imagine myself being a role model for my future students. Hopefully, the next time I see my mom cry will be when her picture on the first day of school being a teacher. 

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The Most Meaningful Experience in My Life

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Published: Sep 5, 2023

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The journey begins, lessons in resilience, cultural immersion and empathy, reflection and self-discovery, continued impact.

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