Psychology by Ashley

Psychology by Ashley - September 2017 Scholarship Essay

When I was young, I wanted to be a math teacher. Math seemed so cool that I thought it would be fun to teach it others. Then, I decided that my science teacher was so amazing that maybe I should become a science teacher. Then I started watching Criminal Minds, NCIS, CSI, and all those cool investigation shows and decided I wanted to be a forensic scientist. This all changed, however, when I decided to take a psychology course.
In my Junior Year, I signed up to take a psychology course after school. I was taking 5 AP classes and had practice for JROTC at the same time so I was trying to balance my time efficiently. I found myself, however, not minding staying awake late at night to finish reading a chapter or two from my psychology textbook. I listened with a passion to the lectures and discussions. I was so interested in learning and exploring more about the subject that the next thing I knew I was acing all my test and quizzes. I was doing so well my professor came up to me and asked me what I was doing to get such high marks on my assignments. I guess that's when I realized I wasn’t just reading to get a good grade but I was reading because I was interested in learning more. I knew then that psychology was something that I wanted to pursue.
Although there are so many different fields of psychology, there is no doubt that I want to go into Biopsychology which focuses on how the brain, neurons, and nervous system influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I want to make important discoveries about how the brain works and the biological underpinnings of behavior through research. I hope to find new information that might help uncover new cures or information that will help improve the lives of many.
By taking this elective, I realized my passion for Biopsychology and, without it, I might have chosen a career that was not for me. I might have ended up hating or disliking my job. I might have ended dropping out of college because I had made the wrong decision. However, by taking this course, I discovered my love for Biopsychology, and I saved myself the time and money I might have wasted pursuing another career that I might not have liked.