Why philosophy? by Haven

Why philosophy? by Haven - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to pursue a career in law. At my grandparent's house, I would play lawyer, and the honorable judge Nana would always say I won against my opposing counsel, otherwise known as Papa. The passion I have had to fight for what was right by using logic and dialectic has remained strong even after eleven years. Although I know the path to becoming a lawyer is not one of ease, I still desire it. I am an only child from a childhood that consisted of two hard-working parents who came from nothing. For as long as I can remember, my father has been an alcoholic. On Christmas Eve of 2019, my father got very drunk, and he and I were upstairs playing Pac-Man while the rest of our family was down in our pool. I tried to distract him from doing embarrassing things in front of the rest of the family by playing the game, but after my turn was over, I turned around not to see him there; I did, however, see an open window that led to the top of the roof that overlooked the pool. I heard people start to scream that my dad needed to get down, and I was yelling at my dad to get down, but he dove head-first into our pool instead. He rose out of the pool unconscious, with blood gushing out of his head. My duty was to get paper towels to stop the bleeding. After bringing them, I just sat and watched what I thought were the last moments of my dad being alive. Paramedics eventually came and took him to the hospital, with my mom riding with him. The other parts of my family I was not that close, and I just went and cried in my parent's bedroom. I prayed so hard for so long that God would spare him, even if he was not the greatest father or husband at times. After asking my mom about 30 times if he was alright, she finally let me know that he was going to make it, with the downside of having a brain injury. I wondered why he did these things and if there would ever be a time I could understand his nature. Unfortunately, my father could not work anymore, so my mom was the sole provider for our family. Then, as every high school student says while writing their college essay, COVID hit. This caused our family to be under heavy stress and uncharted waters that we never had to worry about before, but my mom stepped up to the plate and provided for our family. I saw how my mom exserted such grace while being a businesswoman and thriving in the real estate world. Knowing that I would have a long and tedious battle to become a lawyer, especially as a woman, I want to start with a momentum that will benefit me a few years from now. I have already begun to lay the road for my future by working for the best grades I could achieve. Many of my peers have called me an overachiever or a perfectionist who is never satisfied with the bare means of being good, and they are correct. I strive to gain knowledge in subjects that interest me and aim for greatness, not merely making the mark. When others ask why I work so hard even when some things seem impossible, I tell them that if you strive for the stars and do not end up making it, you're probably on the moon, which is better than where you started.
I have studied beneath knowledgeable teachers about things such as rage and pride from the Illiad, souls in despair and the complexities of the free will of humankind in Paradice Lost, the levels of evil and divine judgment in The Divine Comedy: Volume I, and numerous other notable books and epics. I have become enriched in many philosophical ideas, such as Augustine's idea that evil is only twisted good, yet I want to learn how to apply them in a law setting. This scholarship would allow me to pursue my major in philosophy, would allow me to elevate my knowledge of my pursuits and heavily feed my curiosity of fundamental truths.