<p>This is the common app essay - it could fit for either the choose your own topic, or the one experience and how it changed you prompt.
All comments and opinions welcomed</p>
<p>If anyone could help tighten some of the sentences up, because Im a bit over the word limit right now, Id appreciate it</p>
<p>Essay</p>
<pre><code>You wouldnt believe it by looking at her, but my grandmother is a very insulting, and intimidating woman all five feet, 114 pounds of her. Ill never forget the time when I was visiting her at her senior home, and as I was trying to get the television remote to work, she said so politely, Hey fat stuff, get the hell over here.
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<p>Its ironic how a disease that halted the development of a loved one, actually accelerated the development of myself. Sometimes I feel guilty saying it, but my grandmothers dementia has actually helped me. By opening my eyes past the teenage spectrum, dementia has allowed me to live in a world that most others dont understand, and as a result has allowed me to mature and develop in ways most teenagers cant.
I remember an incident when my grandmother refused to get up after I took her out to dinner at Prospectors. Sit down stupid face, shed say to me when I tried to get her up to leave. Needless to say, everyone in the restaurant began to stare some even laughed. It would have been easy to feel embarrassed, and call my mom to come help and get my grandmother to leave.</p>
<p>But instead, I just sat back down with her and waited, for forty-five more minutes until she finally wanted to leave. The thing that dementia helped me realize is that love is unconditional: family trumps all. It certainly wasnt the first time my grandmother caught the attention of others in public, and it definitely would not be the last. I cant limit the quality and time I have with the people I love because I feel ashamed of what they do. My grandmother, through being the loud, insulting grandmother she is, taught me that loyalty is crucial for life; loyalty is forever. Because later that night when I dropped my grandmother off at her senior home, she said I love you Robet, a name, despite being slightly mispronounced, she didnt call me for months; making me realize that loyalty, and unconditional love, even if its just for forty-five minutes, goes a long way.</p>
<p>In addition to showing me the importance of unconditional love and loyalty, despite the circumstances, my grandmothers dementia helped me have a more lighthearted, yet mature outlook towards life. Spending time with my grandmother nearly every day helped me value the quality of life that I have. Despite losing her ability to think properly, act properly, and talk properly, she still has ability to be happy. After spending time with her, I find it challenging to get upset over my problems: having three papers due this week, not having enough money to buy a new video game. After being with people that have literally lost their minds, its a crime for me not to be happy, not to wake up every day with a smile on, just because I still have the privilege to know who I am.</p>
<p>Dementia taught me that if youre going to stand by anyone, stand shamelessly; if youre going to grow old, grow old with the people you love; and if youre going to wake up today; wake up and live life to the fullest. Because even tomorrow was guaranteed, its not guaranteed to be better.</p>