The Next Chapter by Emily

The Next Chapter by Emily - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

Tick, tock, tick, tock... The clock is running out. You must decide where you want to build your life for the next four years, and you must do it with everyone breathing down your neck at the exact same time. We all have a destiny, and we are asked to find ours. During this process of deciding who you want to be whilst trying to gain the approval of absolutely everyone, you finally realize what you are missing.
Your final year in the small town you grew up in. Your forever friends, the pure happiness of spending every waking hour with them. You realized you were growing up. At least, I did. I had to be the sibling that actually went to college. I had to be the one with great grades, the one that tried, because I wanted my parents to be proud of me. I was beating myself up, constantly trying to be better, but then I realized I had been missing out on what was right in front of my eyes.
Imagine not knowing the significance of what you have, until you can't appreciate it as much anymore. I had no idea what was coming my way, our way, until it did. Don't get me wrong, I definitely made it known how much I loved my friends, we spent all of our time together, which is why it hurt even more. Having to see them through a screen has made me appreciate the times where I could see them in person, where I could hug them, where we could go to the movies together. It made us all understand what we take for granted.
I was scared to go to college at first. Throughout this whole experience, I have only wanted to focus on the time I have left to spend with some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I haven't had the courage to think of myself, and to think about what comes next for me. I didn't want to think of a time without them, or even think of the fact that in an alternate reality, I would be with them right now.
The way I see it, college is vital in one way or another. It teaches you to plan your time, and ask for help if you need it. It helps with life skills like living on your own, and feeding yourself. The most important thing I think college will show me, is that there are going to be people I meet in my life who are just as, or even more amazing than the people I have now. They will help me remember my home town forever friends, but they will also give me new appreciations of life. Some of them will turn into another group of forever friends.
In life, we have our own destiny, and we have to take some time to figure out what that is. We have to be our own people. After everything going on right now, I hope we are able to cherish the things that aren't always guaranteed. I do truly believe you should attend college, and do it for the reason that you want to build your own version of you. Build that person without judgment from the outside world, and find those who love you for you.