Childhood Connections to Career by Alyssa

Childhood Connections to Career by Alyssa - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

As her mother closed her creaky bedroom door wishing her goodnight, the 6-year-old girl pulled her pink Hello Kitty covers over her head and produced a flashlight from under her mattress. Along with it came a small, quite colorful paperback book with an illustration of a messy looking girl on the front. As she cracked open the freshly uncreased book, the girl smiled to herself, as she was about to enter an entirely new 6-year-olds life; through words. That girl was me, and the book in my hand was none other than my favorite childhood series, Junie B. Jones.
As a young child, I was always obsessed with reading. Wherever my family would go, I would bring a book along for pleasure. When I was called down to dinner, I was always a little late because I just HAD to finish the page I was on before I ate, and when we had movie nights, I would sneak up to my room to read in an attempt to whisk myself away into a world other than my own. Reading was what I loved, and with the combination of ink, paper, and a wild imagination, no one could tear me away from that world. As a 6-year-old, I was slightly ahead in reading level, and would love to read short chapter books such as the series mentioned above. This love for reading at such a young age translated into the bright idea of wanting to be an editor for a publishing company when I grew up. I didn't actually know what the exact title of that career was, but I often referred to it as “the job where you read books and get paid.” As I grew up however, that love for reading translated into a love for writing. With amazing elementary school teachers encouraging me to put my own ideas down in ink on paper instead of reading them out of a book, my creativity and love for words only grew, along with my affinity for the ever growing collection of books I was beginning to acquire.
I continued my education through middle and high school with the same love for the subject as before, and my teachers only reinforced the drive planted in me to continue this passion. Like a seed I was growing, blooming towards the sun, and the only direction I could go was up. As I grew in this way, new interests and classes began to peak my attention, but they always related back to my core interests: reading and writing. At that point, it wasn't long before I had to begin considering college degrees and potential careers. I knew I loved writing, which had initially evolved from my love of reading, but did I really want to do that for the rest of my life?
That brings us to today. As a new communications major with an option in public relations along with minors in marketing and soon-to-be journalism as well, I would not be here without the influence of my initial love for reading combined with every single exceptional and inspirational teacher I had throughout my education. Although I did not choose the main career path of English or writing, these ideas are quite heavily incorporated into the major and minors I did decide upon. With the opportunity to write press releases, magazine articles, and much more, I have reached a point in my life where I look back and realize I would not be here if it hadn't been for my 6-year-old self sneakily reading books under the covers at night. This gradual evolution that spanned the course of my education is a journey I am not only incredibly grateful for, but forever changed by as well.