My most significant experience was when I became a firefighter on August 15, 2003. This is a significant experience for me because my father has been a volunteer firefighter for 32 years and it has also been something I wanted to do. What I thought was something as simple as a few more hours dedicated to studying ended up being more than just a test. The next steps and decisions I would make in my life would challenge and change the person I am forever. My responsibilities became more complicated and now had consequences with every action I made.
             I attended fire school when I turned 16 but only made it half way through the program. I discovered that trying to manage both high school and fire school was too overwhelming for me. When failing grades was the outcome of not being able to handle responsibilities, it was time to understand what my priorities were. The most important thing first was to devote more time to passing test in high school instead of learning how to put out fires. Now that one year has passed by I learned what was important now and what responsibility really is. People don't understand what it takes to work hard until they have lived through experiences like this. I now realize what dedication is and how hard you must work to accomplish your goals.
             I feel that becoming a firefighter has made me a stronger person on the inside and a dedicated person on the outside. When I make a decision about something now they have consequences. If I hadn't become a firefighter I would have never learned what it takes to have responsibilities. I am more thankful for what I have now because I realize that I worked hard to get them. So I feel that this experience is the most significant in my life.
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