Only in America can people have the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. As made popularized by the ever-famous novel and movie, The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is defined as trying to achieve, “a life of personal happiness and material comfort as traditionally sought by individuals in the U.S,” (dictionary.com). People who come to America want to have a better life and want to have more opportunities. They want to be able to indulge in the riches America has to offer. They want to have the perfect job, live in the perfect two-story house in the suburbs with a nice car, or two. They want to meet their significant other, fall in love and get married, and raise the perfect family. They want the “Americanized” lives that were depicted in the television screens back in their homelands. There is no other place where people feel so strongly about a country than America. And personally, I am one of those people. Had my parents not decided to leave everything behind and come to America, I would not have the life I have now. Sure, my life is not perfect like the perfect scenario I described about. My “American Dream” involves me turning down my NYU Stern acceptance letter because I just cannot afford the price tag, or not being able to hang out with my friends the other night because I was doing some extra studying for one of my classes so I can upkeep my grades and my scholarship. But my American Dream also motivates me everyday to strive towards that perfect scenario. Because only in America can no one stop me in achieving my potential.