Who's Your Hero? by Ethan

Who's Your Hero? by Ethan - April 2021 Scholarship Essay

When I was a kid, I was always scared of the unknown. Ironically, I would not be the person I am today if I never stepped out of my comfort zone. When I was in elementary school, I looked up to the middle school kids; when I was in middle school, I looked up to the high school kids. If myself five years ago could see me now, I would've been shocked. Never as a kid would I have thought that I would be a Sophomore in high school taking classes at my local community college. Drawing inspiration from Matthew McConaughey's "Be Your Own Hero" speech, I learned, as the name implies, that I could be my own hero. By picturing myself in the future as someone to look up to, I convinced myself that I'm capable of achieving greatness, and I can overcome my fear of the unknown.

So if I were to talk to myself five years ago, I would encourage myself to step out of my comfort zone; take those opportunities that scare me, because they will get me one step closer to becoming my hero. And of course, I would tell myself that life isn't going to be easy- I will struggle, I will be challenged. But I would remind myself that I will always have a family to rely on who will help me every step of the way.