Appreciating the Present by ella

Appreciating the Present by ella - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

A large portion of my life I have always looked to my future and the big events that are coming up. People would tell me to live in the moment and to not focus so much on the next step. I would struggle with appreciating what I had and kind of wanted to fast-track life. So, as cliché as it sounds, I would tell my past self to live in the present so that I can truly appreciate the little things in life.

I wish I could have told myself this advice because I would have appreciated life more and done more with my high school experience. A lot of the time throughout high school, I would say that I’m sick of this or that I want to be done with school. I would go on and on about what major or what career I should do. While that was helpful in finding something to do that I am passionate about, it also took away from my time as a high schooler. I was always looking at the next year or the next summer. But now I look back as I’m about to be a senior, and I start to wish that I had looked at what I could do then. There were so many things that I could have gotten involved in if I had stayed in the present. Not even just events and activities but just the little things like laughing with friends until your stomach hurts, getting an “A” on a test you thought you were going to fail, or having a fun time with your family. These little day-by-day experiences were things I would forget and stop myself from experiencing because I was so focused on what I could do next. I forgot what was happening around me, and I think that definitely stopped me from doing some things that I would love to do.

I saw this habit in other parts of my life, not just school. For the past three or four years I have been really obsessed with planning trips. While it’s usually not affordable to ever go on these trips I plan, I have been able to go on a few fun vacations. But because I was always looking at the next place to go, I sometimes felt like I put more emphasis on planning these trips than actually experiencing them. Going on a vacation is a blessing, and I wish that I focused more on those little moments in vacation rather than the next big place we could go to. This would have really helped me to not only appreciate where I was but also the little moments that you get on vacation. 

I would also say that focusing more on the present would have helped me to enjoy where I lived more. Living in Minnesota is not always fun because of the winters, and I would always try to find these warm tropical places to visit so I could get out of it. But looking back on it, if I had focused on what I had and not what I could get, I think I would have seen the magic of winter more. While everything around you is dead and cold, you are blessed with snow. To see the sparkle in the sun and how it gives winter life is something that I now can’t believe I would hate. I now really appreciate living in Minnesota with all of our lakes and tall oak trees, but I used to want to get out as fast as I could. If I had focused more on what was in front of me, I think I would have enjoyed it more.

I’m grateful for everything I have been able to experience so far, but I would definitely tell my past self to focus on the present and not on what I can have in the future. The future is waiting for me, and I can’t wait to experience it, but I have realized now that you can’t experience the future without being in the present. I hope that I can take this mindset into my last summer and last year of high school and just enjoy every day.