Hair in the Sea Breeze by Hannah

Hair in the Sea Breeze by Hannah - September 2019 Scholarship Essay

When I was little, my family called me curly-sue because of my hair. I am proud of my hair because in the end, it represents who I am. If you have to deal with a lock of curls, you have to have some serious grit. It is hard when it comes to getting your hair to style and work for you the way you want it to. You have to have patience and be calm because sometimes your hair will be done and then frizz at the slightest bit of humidity. You have to not be afraid to find creative solutions to problems when your curls turn into an afro or dry at the slightest amount of heat. For example, putting it up in a gelled pineapple in order to keep the style but maintain the frizz. Grit, perseverance, patience, and precision is what I had to learn when I was a little girl and it’s why I want to be a doctor. It's fun to find new solutions to problems when I am working on my hair or even in class. I know to go in the medical field, giving up isn’t an option. You have to try and it is a long road to the eventual end of the rainbow. Even when it doesn't work out, I get to learn something new.

I always surprise myself when it comes to learning more about who I am as a person. Recently, I attended the UMKC Summer Scholars program. The program was focused on being immersed and exposed in the medical field providing skills that can be put into practical use. I must say, it was the most fun I've had in awhile. I had endless tasks at the hospital I worked at. Rotations, suturing, providing medication. I was able to see doctors interact with patients and even though I wasn't the doctor, I felt a sense of pride. t's nice knowing that you can help someone, ease their pain. You can tell a person what exactly is wrong with them and know exactly how to treat them. It is interesting to see the many possibilities in your future and I loved being able to empathize with the patients. I knew coming out of that program, there was no greater feeling I could get.I know that as I go into college, I still have a lot to learn. However, what I find exciting is how much I don't know and how much I could learn. That's what medicine and biology is, an endless pool of knowledge that we haven't even begun to swim past the surface. I want to be able to stare into the sea and know what lies beneath the everyday tides and waves.

Everyone has something that motivates them in life. The desire to solve problems, curiosity, the need to help people, or even just change the world. No matter what it is that motivates you, you have to be willing to take the first steps into the sand and admit that you don't know what the future holds. As my curls stand the breeze my feet are right at the seashore, staring into the waters. The waters are blue and clear, as if all my problems could just float into the sea. No one is around and the sun shines into the bright blue, causing a diamond like glare on the water’s surface. The longer I stare, however, the more my brain begins to wander. Will I be a good surgeon in the future? Will I find a cure to Alzheimer's like I wish to? Will I be happy with what the future holds? The longer I stared, the more I know the answer to all my questions is the same. It's just time to take the first step.