Are these real challenges? Writing this secondary essay is my biggest challenge

[Microbeboy987]

Having trouble believing whether these topics display legitimate challenges and not cliche or trivial realization of growing up as an adult working in science and medicine.
I have 2ideas that when I think about them, I feel this bubbling of emotion that speaks to how I'm trying to grow:

1) My research internship at a pharmaceutical company:

I had previous experience in a lab with a very warm, inclusive, mentoring culture at my college and I thought I would transition well into a research group at this company. I didn't. It was hard, lots of sink or swim approach to designing and running my own experiments and getting results, a huge amount of time I needed to review protocols and create proposals for my experimental setups outside of work. Being a student from a "normal name" college when some of the other interns were from MIT and Columbia made the imposter syndrome worse as I felt I was the only one who was struggling. I learned to grit my teeth, be confident with what I proposed, okay with the uncertainty and the grilling from the department directors ( the staff scientists would sometimes cry after lab meeting, being asked how they could be so incompetent and slow with getting their data). I learned to trust myself and act like I was a professional even when I felt I was barely holding on. How unsuccessful experiments and not meeting deadlines didn't mean I was a failure.

2) Realizing my parent's mortality while I was spending hours away from them studying, how you don't have to sacrifice appreciating your family to succeed in your career ambitions


Are these legitimate challenges that adcoms think display personal growth and character or are they lamenting of an emotional guy.

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[HomeSkool]

Dude. If working in a malignant lab and studying a lot are the greatest challenges you've ever faced, I wish I had as charmed a life as you. (Actually, I don't. My times of adversity have fueled far more personal growth than the easy times ever could.) Dig deeper, you can do better than that. For bonus points, write about a non-academic challenge.

And don't write about how writing this essay is your greatest challenge.

 

[Microbeboy987]

Dude. If working in a malignant lab and studying a lot are the greatest challenges you've ever faced, I wish I had as charmed a life as you. (Actually, I don't. My times of adversity have fueled far more personal growth than the easy times ever could.) Dig deeper, you can do better than that. For bonus points, write about a non-academic challenge.

And don't write about how writing this essay is your greatest challenge.

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your honesty.


Digging more personal I look at my life and my personal challenges include:

1) Supporting my mother and siblings during a period of time that her mental health was in decline. Remaining mentally solid while everything in my family was being turned over because if I didn't my father would have threatened to walk out. This was the biggest challenge because I faced because I didn't know how the outcome would change, whether I should leave college to help my family, to selfishly worry about my own education and career when my family needed me most.

2) Coming to terms with my sexuality after being raised in a strict roman catholic home. Feeling that I was sinful for finding people attractive who I shouldn't and hoping I would just grow out of it. Accepting myself and others and not feeling like I don't belong after seeking help from a friend before I reached my lowest point.

3) Believing that I could have applied to medical school. How feeling like because I was the son of a blue-collar immigrant who originally thought he would be a construction worker after high school didn't belong with the other more educated pre-meds at my school. How with my determination allowed me to fight through the imposter syndrome to have gotten a 515 MCAT, 3.75 GPA and appreciating an education which I never did before.

There's this theme of trying to manage my own insecurities that I am currently facing and that is the adversity I face every day. Its self imposed, irrational, and difficult to acknowledge and change but I'm trying. It's not that I have a charmed life, it's been a struggle, but it's hard to acknowledge that things were more so obstacles than my inability to just meet what everyday life throws at me.

 

[Microbeboy987]

I am not impressed witb either

Can I ask you what about them are unimpressive? How should someone investigate their life challenges better

 

[Microbeboy987]

Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your honesty.


Digging more personal I look at my life and my personal challenges include:

1) Supporting my mother and siblings during a period of time that her mental health was in decline. Remaining mentally solid while everything in my family was being turned over because if I didn't my father would have threatened to walk out. This was the biggest challenge because I faced because I didn't know how the outcome would change, whether I should leave college to help my family, to selfishly worry about my own education and career when my family needed me most.

2) Coming to terms with my sexuality after being raised in a strict roman catholic home. Feeling that I was sinful for finding people attractive who I shouldn't and hoping I would just grow out of it. Accepting myself and others and not feeling like I don't belong after seeking help from a friend before I reached my lowest point.

3) Believing that I could have applied to medical school. How feeling like because I was the son of a blue-collar immigrant who originally thought he would be a construction worker after high school didn't belong with the other more educated pre-meds at my school. How with my determination allowed me to fight through the imposter syndrome to have gotten a 515 MCAT, 3.75 GPA and appreciating an education which I never did before.

There's this theme of trying to manage my own insecurities that I am currently facing and that is the adversity I face every day. Its self imposed, irrational, and difficult to acknowledge and change but I'm trying. It's not that I have a charmed life, it's been a struggle, but it's hard to acknowledge that things were more so obstacles than my inability to just meet what everyday life throws at me.

4) One obstacle that I faced was something I didn't really experience. I helped a good friend get out of an abusive relationship and supported her and her mom as they tried to deescalate the situation as the man was crazy. It was a secret relationship and they were from a culture where the daughter shouldn't have even had a boyfriend. We talked about how to get a restraining order, help her move as the guy was a neighbor, and make her feel as if she had the power to leave and not stay with him. He somehow got my number and found out where I worked and came to threaten me at my job and it was one of the few times I was scared I would be harmed as he was apparently in the Latin Kings.