Role Model Ricardo John De Guzman III

When I was in grade school I wanted to be an engineer because my dad was an engineer. When I was in middle school I wanted to be a lawyer because my dad once tried to become a lawyer. I’m in high school-- my dad is still an engineer-- and I want to be a doctor. Go figure. I enjoy helping people and always have. Just up until now, I didn’t realize I should make a career of it.

Despite my admiration of my father, I have learned to be myself; I have no role model. My two brothers and my father (the only people I grew up with) have done better than give me someone to look up to: they have given me life-size examples on what not to do with my life. My father smokes, I don’t smoke. My older brother drinks, I don’t drink. My younger brother fails classes, I don’t fail.

The only advice my older brother has ever given me was to not end up like him and other non-relevant stuff about the opposite sex. The only advice my dad has ever given me was “don’t ever let one thing ruin your day”; now that I think about it, it wasn’t all that helpful in AP calculus. My uncle was the only one to give me useful advice: “You have to learn to take care of yourself, Ricky; no one else is going to help you,” he said and then he scolded my older brother...