Path to Prosperity by Garrett

Path to Prosperity by Garrett - November 2016 Scholarship Essay

Oprah Winfrey once said, “The right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.” The part of a college experience that I will be most thankful for is the opportunity to chart my own path to prosperity. I have come to a crossroads in life that offers myriad possibilities to achieve my dreams; all of them start with a single step. In life, I hope to make a difference to those around me. The journey that I want to begin is in the arts with a music performance degree. I want to use my college experience as an opportunity to hone my abilities and make people feel something when they hear me perform.

Since I was young, I had an incredible fascination with music. Although I had several formal lessons, much of my ability to play guitar has been self-taught through hundreds of hours of dedicated practice. I strive to learn how to better express myself through music. A formal education in music performance will help me along that path to reach my dream. The music programs offered through the University of Central Oklahoma is the first step in the path.

While music inspires me and motivates me to improve, focusing only on music will limit my opportunities. The opportunity to chart my own path also includes a quality education in the sciences, in languages, and in history. The college experience will provide me with well-rounded life lessons that I can express through music and will also help me become a better member of society.

Finally, a college experience will help me grow and learn how to think. I can learn what to think through Twitter, Instagram and watching videos on YouTube. I want to learn how to think for myself. I want to be able to assess the situations that I will face in life and come to my own conclusions. College will expose me to many professors and students that did not grow up in my circle of influence and can therefore widen my view on many different topics.

Life today seems crazy. The election, wars, and social media all bombard us with overwhelming challenges. These challenges can only be solved by educated people. The college experience will give me an opportunity to chart my own path to prosperity. I want to use it and dwell in its possibility.