What the Art of Smoothie-Making Has Taught Me by Faith

What the Art of Smoothie-Making Has Taught Me by Faith - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my entire life, I have been aware of two aspects of my personality. As an only child, I became very independent and began to display leadership qualities at an early age. However, I struggled to adjust to change in my life. The leadership opportunities that have been presented to me helped me to develop a more adaptable and flexible attitude which aided in shaping who I have become.
The first significant opportunity I was given to utilize my leadership skills was when I began working at Smoothie Factory in May of 2017. In my three years of working there, I was faced with a multitude of challenges. Menus, ingredients, and employees were ever-changing. I was always kept on my toes as I dealt with something new every day. The whole store was constantly evolving. Initially, this was a struggle for me. I was not known for being flexible or comfortable with modifications in routine and was stubborn and absolutely despised change. Working made me realize that life is unexpected and would not always go as planned. A monumental transformation occurred in November of 2018 when I was promoted to manager. This position allowed me to enhance the leadership qualities that I possess to their fullest extent. At the age of sixteen, I was managing an entire work crew. I had earned this by displaying great initiative in learning every detail of the job and continually showing that I was dedicated to my work. If someone had told me that I would encounter this amazing experience at such a young age, I would not have believed them.
While Smoothie Factory itself was evolving over the years, so was I. As I navigated through the struggles of high school, working helped me remain grounded—it was a constant in my life. People would come and go and switching between groups of friends each year was extremely difficult. Nevertheless, I learned how to accept it and deal with it as a part of life. At the beginning of my junior year, I was cut from my high school volleyball team because I did not play outside of school. This was especially hard considering I had been playing volleyball for five years. I have always loved sports, staying active and in shape, and being part of a team. Unwilling to accept this as a setback, I saw it as a wonderful opportunity. I decided to join the track and field team and dove right in, loving it so much more than volleyball and appreciating the chance I was given. As I drew upon my work experience, I took each of these changes in stride. I realized that I now had a very mature outlook on not only change, but life itself.
Although choosing my major seemed to be a very difficult, life-changing decision, I looked back on my experiences and felt confident that I could weigh the many choices and focus on areas where I derived the most fulfillment. I love working with people and, though I can easily work independently, I also enjoy being part of a team. This led me to finally pursue communications, specifically public relations. I am confident that my leadership skills and flexibility will help me to excel in this field of study and further on in life.
The opportunities and challenges that I have encountered have shaped me into the person I am today: a leader who can handle whatever obstacles are thrown her way. The many experiences that I have been through have allowed me to discover who I am, helped me prepare for greater things in life, and have made me into a better person overall. I am ready and excited to take the next steps towards my future.