Taking A Step Back by Ishika

Taking A Step Back by Ishika - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

September 19th, 2018, I sat in my 4th-period class thinking ‘wow will I make it through this class?’ It was AP Computer Science. Not only was this the first time my high-school was offering this rigorous class but it was also the first time students were able to enroll in the class without taking the necessary requirements. We were told it would look good on our college applications and that it was a great skill to have. As I agreed to both of those reasons, it quickly became clear that AP Computer Science was extremely challenging and intimidating.

Although most of the class was fairly new to these concepts, there were a few students who had years of coding practice. This made me feel discouraged as I was part of the majority of students who were 'lost.' On top of that, I felt even more lost as a female student. When I looked around the room I only saw four females; one of whom included the teacher. With a lot of current academic focus on STEM fields and an even bigger focus on females in that field, I felt a sense of pride.

Taking a step back and finding a new perspective to see this challenge in my academic career was crucial. The first several weeks of the class were the hardest as we learned introductory concepts and tried to get a grasp on how the class was being taught. As a perfectionist, I wanted to understand everything smoothly and completely, however, it became clear to me that that was going to be very difficult to achieve right away. I knew I had to step up my game and really dive in.

First off, I educated myself on how important this field is for the future. STEM has the power to solve the most complex global issues. Next, I went on to connect with other females in this field through campaigns such as Girls Who Code and Kode with Klossy. It was important to me to feel part of something bigger and in the end, it significantly served as a drive for my inspiration.

Through the next couple of months, this class shaped and grew my character. I became eager to go to class and dedicated to pushing myself to understand new and difficult concepts. By taking this class, I became more confident and committed. I understood how significant this decision was not only for my future but for younger generations.

In this academically challenging situation, I learned to take a step back in the face of life's obstacles and see the bigger picture, not only the short term results. In my situation, I continued to go full speed ahead even when I hit a wall. I used creative and unique solutions in order to solve and overcome my academic challenge. Now, I can proudly say that I am en route to study computer engineering as I start my college career.