Inspiration from Unexpected Places by Evan

Inspiration from Unexpected Places by Evan - October 2019 Scholarship Essay

I grew up homeschooled from pre-K all the way through middle school. People would often find this fascinating in either positive or negative connotations, musing themselves with questions resembling a basic: "do you go to school in your pajamas?" format. But homeschooling to me was more than "lazy school," as I've heard it called. My parents wanted me to focus primarily on academic success, rather than feed into the pressure of sociological norms. In our hometown, at least, middle school is where these kinds of "phenomenon" (if you would) took place. I guess I was spared the trouble of trying to "fit in" in a world where absolutely no one "fits in."

My mom tirelessly educated myself and two of my sisters using different curriculums every year, performing science experiments with us, and singing the dumb, cliched History songs to remember the dates of Minoan and Mycenaean Civilizations, despite never graduating college. Much of the knowledge and wisdom I have now, though I sometimes hate to admit it, is due to the knowledge and wisdom my mother gave me throughout all my homeschooling. Even through high school, and what limited experience I have of college life so far, I have never felt ill-prepared or ill-advised over what's to expect and what's expected of me.

Graduating high school, I had no intentions of returning to my schooling. In my ignorance, I felt that I could make a living for myself with the education and all the experience I had gathered so far. In that year apart from any schooling, with my mom paving the way, I realized that college really was the best option for me. The fact that she was able to impart so much wisdom over me and my siblings without college, made me realize the potential I could have if I were to achieve a higher level of education.

My mom is my inspiration, but don't tell her I told you.