Seeking Knowledge in What You Love by Endurance-Malcom

Seeking Knowledge in What You Love by Endurance-Malcom - July 2019 Scholarship Essay

A considerable portion of every student body dislikes school for a plethora of reasons. Some might say that the education they receive at their school is subpar; others may claim that the concepts they learn have no practical value in their lives. But in spite of the numerous students that dislike school, few of them would say that they loathe learning because people love to learn about subjects they are interested in. For example, I am a fan of a video game series called Dark Souls, and although learning about the hidden lore within the games is something I love to do, it is not something I can really do inside of a classroom. Therefore, having a passion for education has little to do with schools. It simply means having the desire to learn more about topics that interest oneself and deliberately seeking out methods to broaden one’s horizons.
For instance, psychology, specifically mental health, piques my interest. I am interested in learning how the human mind functions and how it is affected by mental illnesses such as major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Thankfully, my school offers a psychology course, which I intend to take in the spring semester of my senior year. But in addition to that, I am subscribed to a YouTube channel called The School of Life, in which they discuss various topics related to psychology, sociology, and mental health. I also listen to a podcast called The Hilarious World of Depression to hear the experiences of comedians who deal with mental illnesses and how they cope. Thanks to these online videos and podcasts, I have been able to expand my knowledge on these subjects and apply it to my own life.
Moreover, I am particularly passionate about the world of music. I play the clarinet in my high school band and recently became one of the drum majors of our marching band. Furthermore, I intend to make a career out of music as a performer or an educator. Because of that, I want to be the best clarinetist and drum major I can be. So, I've attended some drum major camps in the past year such as the TCU Leadership Experience and Silent Command, in which I learned how to be a better conductor and leader. Additionally, I have studied under three professional clarinet players in the past two years, who have helped me become the principal clarinetist of my school's Wind Symphony. In the future, I plan to attend more leadership camps and study under more professional musicians so I can continue to grow and improve.
To conclude, I have things that I am interested in or passionate about, and I actively sought out ways to learn more about or improve upon those things, whether it be through school, the internet, or other people. And in my opinion, that is what having a passion for education is.