The most significant challenge that comes to mind was when I decided to stay alone in the United States to pursue my education, while my entire family moved back to Vietnam. It was definitely not an easy thing to be in a country where the language was foreign and so much cultural change was necessary to assimilate into a new society.
The first step I took in overcoming the challenge of assimilation was by improving my English. I spent the first year in ESL then I attended Orange Coast College as a Computer Science major. I took the placement test for Math and English. The result for Math was good, I was in Calculus 1, however, as for English, I was placed in beginning classes. I believed I could do better and took the time to study for retake of the test. I remained persistent in personal study of the English language and retook the exam. The studying paid off as I was placed in English 99 - a much higher English class that was in conjunction with classes towards my major. Besides this academic challenge, I also had to find a job to cover my expenses. I solved this problem by getting a part-time job to earn more experiences about life in the US along with improving my English.
If you are still looking for that one person who will change your life, take a look in the mirror.
Overcoming this challenge had a significant impact on my academic achievement because it led me closer to my goals. I feel more confident when I can communicate with other people without any interruption and I am able to be independent in my life. After I graduated from my college, I transfered to University of California-Irvine to continue pursue for my bachelor degree. In last summer, I was so lucky that I had a chance to work at Apple as a specialist. I feel really greateful to all people at Apple for all their help. Thanks for all the lessons from people I've met. I will continue to do all my best to balance between being a full-time student and working at Apple. In this summer, I am going to graduate from UCI and I have another chance for internship in Optimizely as a SDET role. That's another opportunity and challenge for me. Living here gives me valuable experiences that prepare me for life and the difficulties that come with it. Instead of feeling paralyzed and stuck when I think about my future, I feel motivated to take action. Facing any future challenges, I remember what I learned. Overcoming my fear has made me a stronger, more resourceful person.