Which UC Prompt?

<p>Hi so I am applying as a freshman to some UC schools... but I realized that i dont really know what the prompt is asking... </p>

<p>Prompt for freshmen:
Describe the world you come from--for example, your family, community, or school--and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. </p>

<p>General Prompt:
Tell us a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?</p>

<p>I just started my essay, but I'm stuck. I don't know which prompt my essay is satisfying! This is what I have so far--Im not done yet and it needs a lot of work so...</p>

<p>I clearly remember my first day of my high school chemistry course. I hated it. I was shocked to find that chemistry isn’t about mixing different chemicals and seeing which combination will produce explosions and colored smoke; rather, chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. Fortunately, I’ve discovered that I, myself, am matter; for the time I’ve been on this earth, I can say that I have had myself a share of transformations and changes.<br>
Being a first generation Asian American, I was often unfamiliar with the world around me. These American customs were overwhelming—especially since I was only five years old when I emigrated from my country of birth—the Philippines. Even the simple use of a fork and knife at the dinner table left me in distraught. My peers also treated me differently. I would often find myself being the bully’s target in primary school because of my small eyes, broken English, and unusual accent. Eventually, I assimilated. I grew on to the American way of life. I created friendships and bullies grew tiresome of teasing me.
Seventh and eighth grade remarkably mirrored elementary school—I was teased and stared at because I didn’t fit in. I had moved from my hometown after fifth grade and had attended a junior high school that was filled with unfamiliar faces. Making new friends was out of the question—everyone already had their own close-knit group. I was friendless and desolate, and to add insult to injury, my academic effort plummeted. Teachers must have thought that I resolved to fail, or nearly fail, all of my classes. Somehow, my bad habits continued onto my freshman year. With my GPA at its lowest, a pitiful 1.22, high school did not bring out the best of me. I was uncaring and listless towards everything; because of this, I gained enough weight to rank me above the threshold of overweight and obese. I was unable to find motivation or desire to do anything.
As freshman year ended, I was determined to change. Even with both of my parent’s losing their jobs and the family having to relocate again—I knew that I could not afford to waste my last three years of school. I realized that idly sitting and waiting for success to arrive was illogical—I have to actually push myself; my inner self told me that I was on a destructive path that would lead me to nowhere if I did not act accordingly. Since my sophomore year, my grade point average has remained above a 3.0 and has finally climbed its way up to a 4.0 in my last eleventh grade semester.</p>

<p>It sounds more like prompt 1, though needs to be refocused a bit. I would talk about how your background prepared you for your new country or how it made you unique. What pushed you to get past the bullies and become successful?</p>