GOAL: "Work-Life Balance" by Amy

GOAL: "Work-Life Balance" by Amy - August 2022 Scholarship Essay

My educational goal for this year is to explore my interests that intertwine with my academics, and learn what feels right to me. Too many times last year I found myself worrying about my GPA and how that would affect my future as my top priority. My counselors would push onto me that I should find more of a work-life balance, so I would force myself to try new hobbies such as crocheting or cooking. Because I had to ‘force’ myself to have fun though, I found myself not enjoying and not looking forward to the time I took out of my day for these activities. This summer I realized that it was because I did actually enjoy learning beyond just trying for a good transcript. Sure, I did enjoy learning to draw, but I did not have to shame myself for also wanting to decorate and organize my notes with stationary for a ‘work-life balance.’ While I tried to fixate less on my academics to have more ‘fun’ I realized I was moving further away from what I liked to do, furthering my education. It is completely fine to give the advice to try new activities, but I also learned it is completely fine to have those activities relate to academics if that is what I enjoy.

I am starting my freshman year of college, so I believe a good start to my goals for over the next four years is to explore on campus what I like instead of taking too much into account what a counselor may say if it does not align with who I am. I believe I have the chance to have freedom of picking my classes, the professors, the time, and the location. I am so excited to get on campus and walk around to first-hand experience what I once was only able to imagine and fantasize about. Through it, I will get to understand more about myself and what I enjoy in academics and in my outside life. Will I like the 5 pm in-person class where I can make new friends and do projects, or will I like the 8 am online class that helps keep me more focused and gives me more time for meditation?