Live. Laugh. Learn. by James

Live. Laugh. Learn. by James - March 2018 Scholarship Essay

I think I would start out by talking to them about my own personal experience with learning. I’ve always had a very vivid imagination, and as a child I had all these grand aspirations. I wanted to be an actor, an engineer, an artist; the list goes on. I would ask the second grader what their interests were and what they want to be when they grow up. Then I would ask them “well how do you think other people who are that got there?” I learned very quickly that if I wanted my dreams to become reality I needed to start learning right away, and I would try to impress that upon them. It's never too early to start learning, every second of every day is an opportunity to learn. Nobody is born a doctor, nobody is born a police officer, nobody is born a skateboarder; if you want to do or be something you have to learn how. I would also tell them that it is never too late to learn. Our society puts so much pressure on children to know what they want to do, but I would encourage them to calm down and take their time figuring out what they are truly passionate about.

School is rough, there is no debating that. While some people like myself enjoy the challenges each day brings, others do not. I would encourage both the second grader and anyone else who is reading this to never give up. If you have a dream, chase after it! School is a great way to learn things and I would highly recommend that everyone continue to stay in school, but school isn’t the only place where you can learn things. If you want to be a singer, sing in the shower! If you want to be a writer, read books! It's amazing how much you can learn just by observing how other people have done things. You just have to get out there and give it a shot. We shouldn’t be afraid of failing, instead, we should realize that every time we fall down and get back up that we are one step closer to accomplishing our goal. It's just like learning how to ride a bike, each failure teaches us a little more about how to succeed the next time.

Finally, I would explain to them that learning opens doors. We live in an amazing world that is filled with opportunities, but if we never learn how to navigate through life those doors will remain closed. I would encourage them to finish High School and to strongly consider attending college. Stepping outside of your comfort zone and challenging yourself academically won't just grow your knowledge and understanding, but it will make you into a better person. By having new experiences and overcoming new trials you gain an appreciation for other people who have done the same, and if you work hard, who knows. Maybe one day a second grader will call you their role model.