More Than Just "the Next Step" by Halle

More Than Just "the Next Step" by Halle - November 2023 Scholarship Essay

Why do you want to go to college? For many students, this is a big question, with an equally large variety of possible answers. For some, it may be because their parents want them to. For others, it may be because higher education is required for the career they want to go into. Still for others, it's because of the classic "college experience" they are advertised. There are so many reasons to go to college, but when it was time for me to start thinking about this question, I was a bit lost. I knew I was going to go to college, but I didn't know where or what for. It just seemed like the natural next thing to do. I knew that wasn't what college was, and I struggled to find my purpose for going. But as I've been on this college search journey and finally have a plan, I know why I'm going to college. For me, college isn't just the next step or the end of childhood, it's the beginning of a new journey.

The first thing that got me into seriously thinking about college was the fact that I wanted to play sports in college. I've had success in cross country and track and field throughout high school, and I wanted to continue running in college. But from the beginning I knew that that couldn't be the thing that motivated me to go to college. I knew academics had to come first, but at that time I had no idea what I wanted to study. I didn't have a career in mind that I wanted to go into. So, I made it my mission to figure out what I wanted to do. I started thinking about my hobbies and things I loved to do. I asked myself which of these things I could turn into a career I loved. For me, it all came back to my love of sports. I began exploring options in the fields of exercise science, sports medicine, and nutrition, and immediately knew that was where I belonged. I could turn my passion for sports and fitness into a career I loved, and that was it for me. I'd found my purpose.

So, why do I want to go to college? Now that I've decided where I'm going and what I'm doing, there are many reasons. I'm going to college to continue my running career. I'm going to college to expand my learning. I'm going to college to gain experience and knowledge for a future career. But most importantly, I'm going to college not just because it's the next step or because I'm going to move out, but because it is the beginning of a new journey that will set me up for success in life when I graduate. I'm going to college because I've found my purpose, and I know the experience will make me a better person.