Finding Strength in Loss by Hillary

Finding Strength in Loss by Hillary - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

The most challenging academic experience I had was in my senior year of college when my grandmother, the person who raised me and was a mother to me, died. I was in school then and didn’t get to be with my family or help support them. Having to process grief alone much of the time, with my last year still requiring me to work and grieve, was particularly difficult from being so far away.

It was an emotional dark moment when I felt lonely and beleaguered with both my grief and my studies. I relied on my slender support network on campus to get me through. I spoke with professors familiar with my situation and advisors who listened, allowing me to cut back on my workload and extra time on assignments.

I learned, eventually, to internalize my loss and move on to university, always reminding myself that if I completed my degree, I would leave her a legacy. That experience taught me to be resilient, kind to myself, and ask for help if needed. It was probably the most challenging moment of my life, but it reinforced my drive to succeed and inspired me to be able to care for others when things go wrong.