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Q&A With Jonathan Exum

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Jonathan Exum
Location: Brentwood, NY
Joined: Mar 30th, 2014
About   (request update)
It was the obstacles in my life that forced me to abandon my childish ways at a young age. Time and patience were required to acquire the discipline and maturity I now have but it was a learning experience that I wouldn’t change if I could.
My mother was having a bad day and came home yelling one afternoon. While I was trying to break up an argument with my sister and her she decided to start an argument with me. The argument led to an agreement that I should leave the house. I called my father and he told me to come over with no hesitation. I packed my things and rode in the back seat of a yellow taxi to my father’s apartment.
The apartment had little to no walking space. There was one bed that I shared with my father for three years. I was 5’11 at the time that I moved in and grew to be 6’1. My father is 6’3. There was raccoon under the sink that lived with us as well. Living in a small space with someone can do a lot to a 13 year old kid’s mind. I was never “privileged” while living with my mother. While living with her I’ve been evicted and had to stay in shelters before. But this was something I definitely wasn’t used to.
I was hurt, furious, and confused. I lost myself in that small space. No person should ever have to feel as worthless as I did at that time. My anger pushed a lot of people that loved me away from me quickly. On the inside I felt misunderstood. I couldn’t understand how people were able to laugh and I was so angry. My high school years were dramatically affected by this. My grades dropped and I found it hard to focus with so much on my brain. I grew tired of the helpless feeling. I needed to find myself again. It was time for a “self-evaluation.”
As time elapsed I made it a personal goal to seek my inner happiness. Most people in my situation may have decided to stay angry at the world and expected things to stay the same. They would have quit on themselves and on life in general. I never was a quitter. I once read somewhere “quitters never win and winners never quit.”
I turned to books and writing as my outlet. I read other people’s stories, fiction or non-fiction, and wrote about my own through poetry and lyrics. This has given me a positive way to express myself as well as learn about the world. While reading, I gained an insurmountable appreciation and hunger for more knowledge. I made it a personal goal to make the honor roll for my first time in high school my senior year. That goal was conquered.
During the final year in the apartment with my father, the landlord wanted us evicted. Rent payments were overdue and my father had just switched jobs. Paychecks depended on sales and sales weren’t always guaranteed. Multiple court dates took place until eventually we had to leave. Somehow even when it seemed like we had lost, my father found us a new roof over our heads.
The obstacles I have faced didn’t make me give up and accept life the way it was. I decided to take a negative situation and use it as fuel to make positive decisions. I had to grow up and take care of myself while my father was working to keep food on the hot plate. The situation was a learning experience for me and I am happy I went through it. He taught me things my mother couldn’t. The most important thing that I learned was that no matter how bad a situation may seem, as long as you have faith and stay positive you can overcome anything.
Life & Professional Aspirations:
I aspire to be a successful entrepreneur and businessman. I believe in my ability to do whatever I want to do in life and with opportunity I can make change.
Education   (request update)
High School: Brentwood High School in Brentwood, NY class of 2014
 
Activities & Accomplishments:
2012-2013 Business Ownership and Marketing Outstanding Achievement Award 2013-2014 Honor Roll 1st & 2nd Marking Period
Best Memories:
My best high school memory is when I got on stage and read my original poem to the school for the 2014 "Read Along".
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