The Pursuit of Success by Evelyn

The Pursuit of Success by Evelyn - February 2021 Scholarship Essay

Success is to win. It is what success means for those who are complacent: achieving a goal to feel satisfied. With their success, the journey ends, and they are content with what they have attained. What was achieved is all that is necessary, so why chase after something new?

I am not a complacent person.

Success is to not lose. It is what success means for those who are survivors: fighting to keep what they already have. With their success, the journey ends, and they are relieved that there are no losses. Taking risks holds the possibility of losing everything, so why take risks at all?

I am not a survivor.

I am a thriver.

Success is not the end of anything. My goals shift like a moving finish line: every accomplishment creates a fleeting sense of satisfaction, but never success. In first grade, I felt happy that I could multiply five by four. In eighth grade, I felt accomplished when I could swim breaststroke. As a senior, both of these tasks are as easy as breathing, and I am not satisfied when I perform either task anymore. Success grows with everything I do, kissing my palms without being something I can hold. After my achievements and failures, there is always something new to replace my previous goals. New goals are harder to complete, yes, but doing something new was never easy.

I develop my skills by chasing a carrot attached to the end of a stick. I know I will never get the carrot at the end, but I also know that one's best can always become better when one continuously grows. College has a vast amount of knowledge that I have yet to access, a stepping stone to fulfilling my career plans. I will certainly accomplish much in college, but I will not stop at college. Successfulness is not a way to describe a college student, but it is a way to describe a college graduate. As an aspiring software engineer, I am interested in using machine learning in vertical farming systems to alleviate food insecurity. Achieving these dreams take several steps before I reach my desired goal: my own success. It will take internships, undergraduate research, restless nights, and a packed class schedule to complete my goal. With strong determination, it is all worth it in the end. I will not succeed until I have obtained everything I have yet to attain. What does success in college mean to me? Nothing, because achievement comes from the pursuit of success, not its attainment.