The Calm, The Storm, The Rainbow by Jada

The Calm, The Storm, The Rainbow by Jada - July 2023 Scholarship Essay

As a young adult growing up in a flourishing environment, I always strived to be on top. My competitive and energetic spirit controlled my actions to strive for perfection. When faced with difficult challenges I always pushed to do my best and aim for impeccable outcomes no matter how strenuous the task was. This thrive for excellence aided in many of the successes I have accomplished; such as continuous high honor roll throughout high school and continuing with consecutive dean’s list in college. I can brag continuously about the many achievements I have made and the barriers I crossed to accomplish them but then I would not leave space to explain how these accomplishments did not always supply positive effects and helped humble me as an individual.

Throughout life, as I exclaimed, I walked around with my pride across my chest with the feeling that I was unbeatable. At the end of my junior year of high school, I walked into a school assembly meeting and rose to collect awards but was patiently waiting for the most important one, the highest average award for the class of 2020. The time came and my heart filled with joy to finally receive what I had been waiting for all year. This award represented so much to me and asserted my opinion that "I was the best". The dean of students explained the award's true meaning and then went on to say a different student's name to whom it was awarded. My heart full of joy disappeared and filled with anger, and after long conversations with my parents and lots of debating in my head, my heart filled with acceptance. I was beaten. Someone worked harder than me to get the spot to which I thought my name was attached. This peculiar memory that I tried day and day to push out of my mind turned into a lesson utilized to this day.
This helped me realize I was born to try my best and do so with a humble spirit and it assisted in showing me that no one is perfect. This lesson revealed the importance of respect, and humbleness and relieved me of much stress I placed on myself to strive for perfection. Walking around with an ego as big as my head made me lose respect for others when they weren't up to par with the high status, I upheld for myself. This distinct attitude and adverse characteristics I had would only lead to harming others. This is not the game plan I wanted to pursue due to the gruesome consequences that would have accompanied it. Not only has this taught me to gain more respect for others but it has also instilled humbleness throughout me. Walking around bragging about myself momentarily felt good but what I didn't realize was that in the long run, it was affecting others. Some weren't as fortunate as me and by me shoving all my rewards and accomplishments in their faces it only left them heavy-hearted. This change I have made enlightened me to many different aspects and connected me to more people I would have previously frowned upon. Yes, this was a moment that briefly led me to remorse, but its long-term effects were more constructive than I could have ever imagined.

I still find myself briefly boasting about my latest essay grade that I worked hard on, but my gloating frequency has decreased overall. This lifelong lesson has shaped me to become the powerful young woman I am growing to be today. With more growing to do and even more accomplishments to make I will do so in the humblest way possible, hopefully with the assistance of The Varsity Tutors and this rewarding scholarship.