There is No Fate But What We Make by Hannah

There is No Fate But What We Make by Hannah - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

In all honesty, I am probably the least qualified person to give advice. I’m a mess. I’ve gotten myself nowhere. Or so it feels like that. I’m a troublemaker, and possibly a bad influence. But, I feel there is one piece of advice I could share. The one valuable lesson that seems to be pointing me in a possible positive direction.
Push on.
The world may feel like it’s holding you back. Holding you down. Fighting against you every step of the way. You may run into issues with money, or support, or respect, or travel, or self esteem. You can run into a million problems, or even just one big problem that feels like a bullet through the heart. Shattering your dreams and aspirations. But you have to remember, that nothing is set. Even if it feels like you are not meant to achieve all the great things you dream of. Tell yourself that you are. You are able to reach your dreams; reach the stars. And if the powers that be want to steal away your one chance at opportunity, steer clear of that path and go out there and take what you want for yourself. Make it happen. One way or another, you can do it. Just keep pushing on.
I’m twenty years old. I graduated from high school with AP classes, a 4.0 average, and membership with many sports and clubs. I worked very hard. All my life I have. And yet, I am twenty now, and I still haven't been able to make it to college yet. All these kids who were freshman when I was a senior are now heading to college before me. It’s upsetting. It feels like the world doesn’t want me to have the same opportunity so many other young kids my age have. It hurts. So bad. It makes me want to give up. To call it quits. Makes me feel like there is no point in living if I can’t achieve what I want, despite how hard I work. Because of money and lack of support, I was unable to attend college the year I graduated. I took time off to work a fulltime job and save up. I waited for my age to pass seventeen so that I might not need a cosigner for loans anymore. I saved up and bought a car for transportation. And I worked hard. Every single day. And yet, it still feels like my dreams are out of reach. I still need a cosigner, and still don’t have one. I still don’t have enough saved up to afford school. And it feels like no matter what, I’ll never be able to go.
Yet. . .
You have to keep pushing on. You have to keep working for it. You have to say “____ it. I’m going to make it.” Because nobody else is going to fight for you, but you. You can’t give up, because you need to feel what it’s like to finally have all your years of hard work pay off. You can’t let any of it get to you, otherwise all the blood, sweat, and tears you put into everything would be in vain.
Despite what it feels like, despite how hard and unfair everything feels, the future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves. So go out there, and make it. Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. So go out there, and create yourself. Create your own path. YOU become the director of your own story. Somehow, you have to push on. Keep fighting. One day, you will get there. One day you’ll make yourself into something great. Just take it one step at a time. Take it from me. I’m not the greatest example. I’m a mess. I’m still swimming in an endless storm that wants to strike me down. But I won’t let it bring me down. I may be worthless. Pathetic even. I might be nobody. And maybe, I’ll be nobody forever. But, I won’t be that person who just rolled over and let “fate” win. I’m going to make myself into something with or without good fortune on my side. I suggest you do the same. Don’t you dare give up.