DEALING WITH RESPONSIBILITY AND INDEPEnDENCE / DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SIBLINGS

By Camille C

Born August twenty third 2004, Chelsea Marquez, a high school senior has dealt with a lot of forced responsibility. Due to her parents holding high expectations on her because of her older brother's success, she is faced with different responsibilities. .

Hugo achieved overly satisfactory grades but now, Ms. Marquez’s parents have been expecting so much from her. “For as long as she can remember, her and Hugo have always been different”, Marquez said.

Marquez’s parents were harder on her due to her lacking grades. At the moment, she has a job, pays rent, and goes to school. All of this at the age of seventeen. Personally, I find this quite impressive. He . He has been given the advantage from their parents' lack of understanding that their children are individuals with separate needs. Valuing grades over a daily hustle is a waste of energy in my opinion. Doing so much on her own, it’s normal for her to feel a desire for independence from her family.

Although Marquez has had a difficult time with her family, her pets have helped her get through these times. Ever since 3rd/4th grade, she has loved animals. She has Demon, her guinea pig. She also has Paloma and one of Paloma's babies, her dogs.

Through the quarantine for COVID, Ms. Marquez has acknowledged that her friendships have become quite distant. Marquez feels quarantine has allowed her and her peers to have time to mature. “I wouldn’t change that it happened”, Marquez said. Quarantine went 50/50 for her. Now that school has started again, “It’s just weird”, Marquez said.

It seems as though her social battery has depleted since before quarantine started in March 2020. Although she may enjoy spending time with the people around her, Marquez also appreciates time to herself.

For now, Marquez is prioritizing money and progressing in her work status. She is also looking forward to her older brother, Hugo, moving out. I can see Ms. Marquez is definitely going places and she has some very great qualities in her.