Crystal

Who am I? I ask myself that same question everyday. What I do know is that I have a purpose. I'm not so sure about what my purpose is, but I do know that there is one.

Well, my name is Crystal. I've been on this earth for almost 14 years now. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always dreamt about becoming a lawyer. If there was one thing I was taught growing up it was to always pursue my dreams. That lesson was well learned.

In 2010, I was accepted to a law school. Now you may be asking "Well why law?" Helping people is one of my passions. Being a lawyer is helping people in so many ways.

Growing up in a small home in Reading, Pennsylvania was not easy; especially with six siblings. Mom was always working to be able to take care of us all. I usually had to take care of the little ones. This is where I learned the true meaning of patience. Watching kids below the age of six gets kind of annoying, but it's not just yelling and screaming all the time: we have unity. Being together was more powerful than any of the annoying commotion.

I now have none of my brothers or sisters with me. They stayed in Pennsylvania. When I was with them I didn't show them as much love as I wish I had. One of my favorite quotes is "cherish what you have before you lose it."

Moving over here to the Bronx was not so easy. I felt like I was leaving my whole life behind but at the same time I was taking a bigger step into success. Why did I choose to move? My life in PA was at times stressful and that was distracting. Moving over here was a big step but many doors were opened. I have straight A’s now. I'm an honors student. I became more social. I've learned that being outside is very relaxing. When I feel stressed out I like to just go out to Crotona Park and enjoy the breeze.