Closer to my younger self than ever, yet nothing like them by angela

Closer to my younger self than ever, yet nothing like them by angela - March 2025 Scholarship Essay

Surprisingly, I’d never been asked this question until a couple months ago and I knew my answer was solidified when I answered it naturally. It was the first meeting with my mentor and although we didn’t know each other very well, the conversation was great. Then she became quiet and asked me where I saw myself in ten years, but she specified that she wasn’t asking about my career, or how much money I’d hope to make. She was asking where I saw myself, what role I’d play in society, and how I’d affect a persons daily routine. I hadn’t really thought about this version of the question, I was very used to being asked what I’d invest in, what I wanted to study, and how I’d get to a sense of financial freedom. I’m someone who does terribly in unprepared presentations and impromptu speeches so I thought I wouldn’t have had an answer. But as fast as she had asked, I answered and told her I wanted to simply have an effect on someone’s life in a positive way. No matter how small of a cog you may feel you are, you still affect someone. I know because in the worst times, what kept me going wasn’t the opportunity to have a successful career or to think I’d find ways to have a sense of financial freedom. The way my brother laughs when I’m doing terribly in videos games or the late night conversations with my aunt and uncle about what new worry I’ve formed are what kept me going. The conversation with the Olive Garden hostess and how different her Wisconsin hometown was from Texas reminded me of the power I hold through my effect on others. If I’m in a position where I’m positively affecting anyone, I’ll be fulfilled. Although I’m extremely passionate about pursuing my field of study and I understand why someone would be drawn towards the potential of financial success through it, the only reason I’d hope for superfluous income would be to provide opportunities for students like myself through scholarships like yours, to better themselves and to pursue what they love most. Even though I’m a somewhat reserved person, I’d say I have a good diversity of friends, one of which was being sent to live with his other parent because of how he was doing academically (not well). He seemed like he was discouraged in trying to find ways to better himself, he was still young and wasn’t being given much guidance. I asked him if he thought I was smart. He was taken aback by this question and said he did think I was very smart, like out of his reach smart. I told him I had nearly failed eighth grade and we were having this conversation my freshman year. That’s not much time at all and the person I am in high school is clearly much different from my younger self. My home life was terrible and I had no guidance, but the one consistent thing I had in my life was school. Then I’d miss school because of my home life, become very behind, and I began avoiding school for fear of facing how behind I was, not knowing avoiding your issues only ever makes them worse. I have so much empathy for my younger self because I spent so long resenting who I was and trying to stray as far as possible, for fear of reverting back, before realizing that I could genuinely never revert back. I’m such a different person that I now have the space in my heart to hold empathy for my younger self who didn’t know if she’d have parents in the future and was so uncertain about everything, my self who needed help but had hardly anyone who understood why I avoided the one activity I loved. After having this conversation with my friend, as someone who had been on both sides of where people stand academically, I realized how much of a privilege pursuing higher education can seem to people too afraid to try. I ended the conversation with reminding him there was always room for growth, no matter how low you are. The time will pass anyways, why not spend it bettering yourself instead of being afraid of failure? My education could take me to my hopes of a future where I help students who think following their dreams is out of reach or think they’re not smart enough. No one is unintelligent, they just don’t know what you know. To pursue a higher education is a privilege and to know I could help someone be granted that privilege in the future, whether it’s funding scholarships like yours, or volunteering my time to help educate younger students about topics of study that they could follow, is what I see myself doing in the future. My education will have granted me the resources and the time to pursue this hope of mine. Somewhere there’s another student, just as uncertain as me, one who could greatly benefit from being granted an opportunity to pursue a higher education in what they love. I hope to be the light in that students life that reminds them, they’ll always have a purpose no matter how small they may feel.