My Largest Accomplishment to Date by Alaina

My Largest Accomplishment to Date by Alaina - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

Going back to school to get my Master’s degree has always been a goal of mine. In 2014, I decided now was that time. I applied and got into SUNY Oswego’s Vocational Teacher Preparation program to work towards getting my Masters of Education degree so that I can pursue a dream of teaching future medical imaging technologists about the profession I’ve grown so passionate about.
Plans have a funny way of working out. In the middle of my first semester, I learned that I was pregnant with my first child. From that day forward, I had a new driving force behind everything that I chose to do. I wanted to show my child that despite obstacles that are thrown in your path, if you put your mind to something, it could be done. I could have taken the easy route and delayed my degree until after I had the baby. But then, what kind of inspiration would I be? I continued to keep pursing my degree throughout my pregnancy. I kept up a high GPA through the fall and spring semesters that year. August 11, 2015, I gave birth to a healthy baby boy.
I knew I had to keep pushing towards obtaining my Master’s degree now more than ever having a newborn! I began the fall semester that year with a 3 week old, which some still say I was crazy to do! I remember sitting on the couch doing homework with a month old boy propped up on a pillow so that I could respond to discussions online and type up papers. The lack of sleep couldn’t be used as an excuse to get out of assignments that I did not want to do. Neither could the nonstop crying at times. Once, I had to take my son with me to my one Saturday class due to not having a sitter! I could have used him as an excuse all semester, but instead, I used him as my driving force. Despite the added obstacles that were thrown my way that semester, I still was able to complete my courses with high grades once again.
Now that I am coming to the end of my degree, I look back at this roller coaster event proudly. There were many times where I was just ready to give up and say, “I’ll get back to it again later when he’s older.” But deep down in my heart, I knew that I would never forgive myself for giving up like that. In May of 2017, I hope to be able to walk across stage and obtain my degree with my husband and son watching. I hope to tell him the story one day of how difficult he was being when I was working towards final projects, constantly wanting to push the keys of the keyboard instead of leaving mommy alone to finish her work. I can tell him that things were not easy, but I kept working towards my goal and was able to come out on the other side a better person who did not give up. I look forward to him smiling when I tell him this story, and showing him that he can achieve anything he sets his mind to.
I can truly say that getting as far as I have, and being one semester away from graduating is my largest accomplishment so far. I could have used so many excuses to give up, but I kept pushing through. Anything is possible with the right mindset.