A Series of Firsts by Carrie

A Series of Firsts by Carrie - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

As my high school career comes to a close, my eyes are set to the vast world ahead of me. There are multiple options for students graduating high school; the military, the work force, and college are just a few of those options. I have always known that I wished to attend college when the time came, and now that the time has come, I have realized how many opportunities are offered to me through further education.
College will be a series of firsts for me. My twin sister and I will be first generation college students. I have always valued education, and the fact that I will be a first generation college student makes me feel immensely proud of myself. My mother had also expressed pride in my sister and I for wanting to attend an establishment of higher education and better ourselves; making my mother proud gives me great joy as a daughter. I have worked incredibly hard throughout my academic career thus far, and I look forward to continuing this hard work in college.
Throughout high school, I have realized that so many individuals hide behind muted versions of themselves in order to avoid ridicule and criticism. I feel as if college will be the first time I can truly be myself without hesitation, unmuting my personality and putting it on full blast for all to see. It will be the first time I am able to step away from behind the mask I have put on in order to shield myself from the rejection of my peers. For the first time, I will be able to showcase my true self and meet people who enjoy me for the real me, and I am thrilled for the exciting future ahead of me. I know that college will present many opportunities for me to experience exciting new things for the first time, and my future looks incredibly bright because of these possibilities.
It will also be the first time I am away from home, away from my mom, away from my twin. Family has always been a crucial part of my life. I lean on them for support, and they never fail to provide it for me through difficult times. Although the transition to college will be somewhat difficult for me because of the fact that I am leaving my family, it allows me to be truly independent for the first time in my life. For the first time, I will not have my mother to remind me of important tasks to do, and I will not have my sister to go to at the end of the day for a good laugh. However, I feel as though I am ready to tackle this new and exciting life and embrace the difficulties that I will face.
When presented with the challenge of choosing one word to describe why I want to go to college, “first” was what initially popped into my head. With the end of the high school chapter of my life comes the beginning of the college chapter. The excitement and slight fear bubbling in my stomach at the mere mention of a new life is truly a delight. There will be a series of firsts for me, and I cannot wait to step through the multiple doors of opportunity that will present themselves to me.