A Listening Ear by Jacqueline

A Listening Ear by Jacqueline - November 2019 Scholarship Essay

We are always told to leave the world a better place than when we found it. That amongst many other things, the purpose of our existence is to work to serve others. For our greatest feats are to be accomplished with a drive of serving others before ourselves. The purpose of what we do should be done in good deed, and help as many people as we possibly can, The purpose of my existence is to help as many unfortunate people as I possibly can.
Mental illnesses have always intrigued me. I cannot remember a time where a friend of mine, or complete stranger,has asked for advice, regarding their mental state, and have turned down their plead for help. As someone who has both been through an eating disorder and faced depression, I have come to realize the lack of support that high school students with eating disorders, depression, social anxiety, etc. receive. It baffles me to know how unwilling people are to help High School students with something a vast amount of them secretly share. Due to the sink or swim culture, many students feel discouraged to share their problems. They feel as though it is useless to share their hardships because they don't want to be known for their struggles. Beginning my Sophomore year, i have tried my best to find those students. To be the listening ear they are not fortunate to have at home or school. Whether they need to vent, or need advice, support, etc. it has been, and will always be a matter of utmost importance to me. These one-on-one counseling sessions in a way have helped me with my personal struggles. Through this, I have come to find the best possible way to have a thriving community. To ensure that those who leave the world a better place than when they found it, have a healthy mind while doing so. Great work cannot be accomplished without a healthy mind. My purpose is to water as many minds with my seeds on knowledge as possible.