Finally Using My Compass by Amari

Finally Using My Compass by Amari - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

“Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education”. This is a famous quote by the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that now fits my philosophy of education. I believe goals are compasses to life’s journey. We need them to know where we are going. Learning is a part of that journey. While traveling, you learn that the worn paths are those that have been traveled on the most. I realize this more and more now that I am a senior in college. I have spent the past three years thinking “Just get through this next class”, not knowing that my lack of motivation in my higher learning was keeping me from reaching my potential. I now know, that I was not using these courses to find out more about myself, thus I ended semesters not showing my true potential. I did not pay attention to the compass and did not use the resources, or worn paths, used by others. So I did not do my best. Thus, my next big educational goal is to end my first semester as a senior with a solid grade point average and truly enjoy my classes by utilizing the educational compasses given to me.

For the longest time, I held a disdain towards my classes and the idea that most of what I learned would be forgotten. In middle school, there were times that I had to be sent to a lab for reassessment on my reading, writing and math skills. Although I was not alone, I did not like the fact that I had to redo work for a better grade. In class, the possibility of my name being called gave me horrible anxiety. Sure procrastination and laziness played a huge role in this but in reality it really was a lack of motivation that caused me to not give my all. So, I left my compass in my pocket and chose not to try.

There were times I would start studying and stop, or I would start working on a project and lose interest halfway through it. I think this was because I did not see the value in the class I was in. I did not see how a statistics class would be of any help to an anthropology major. My parents always supported me. They reiterated over and over that I should connect with my professors and advisors about things I did not understand. Again, this goes back to recognizing the path and choosing the one that will get me to my destination. They also told me these courses had a purpose in the great design of my major. That advice was never surprising to me given all the advice I got from my high school teachers and counselors about higher education. I just did not take them seriously. I went down a path of thinking I should find ways to make taking these classes bearable, rather than necessities for my journey.

One day I had an epiphany. For some reason I woke up thinking that as the oldest of my siblings, I could not lead like this. I have a brother who will be a college freshman this year and I am not showing him how wonderful learning can be. I do not want him to make learning “bearable”; I want him to take each class, enjoy it, and learn how each enhances him. I want him to make the most of his time in college. I want him to use his compass.

I now know I have to break away from my own insecurities and take this semester seriously. I intend to seek out a learning community by forming a study group, especially for my most challenging subjects. This will give me the opportunity to focus on the smaller bits while getting feedback from my peers and professors.

I am determined to go above and beyond my professors’ expectations. I am eager to do more than earn high marks in my classes. I will meet every class with a determination and grit to put my hand to the plow and put in the work. I am giving myself no more excuses. I am choosing to take the compass out of my pocket and use it so that it will put me on the right path to get me to my destination.