A College Necessity by Jasmine

A College Necessity by Jasmine - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

College is a beast compared to high school. Teachers will no longer be concerned over that missing assignment or the homework that you did not turn in. This is it; you are an adult. The problem is, what does it mean to be an adult? Well, it means you are independent. To be independent, however, you must first become your own leader. To be successful in college you must have leadership skills; there is no way to graduate without them.

You arrive at your university. Yay, freedom! Think twice. That also means you are alone. Everything your parents once did or reminded you to do is now your responsibility. You have to do everything yourself; paying fees, turning in assignments, your laundry, everything. Although this may not seem very hard, or not requiring leadership, the truth is that leadership is the very thing that keeps this functioning. There are due dates for the fees you owe, and they may not come with a friendly reminder. You have to go to the student center and find out, or talk with a financial advisor. Again, you. You alone must find out if you can afford dish-washing soap, or when the nearest Washateria is open. You have to look into your syllabus ahead of time; pin it to your wall, take a picture, copy it into your agenda, anything to make sure that assignment gets turned in and midterms do not creep up on you. You become accountable for everything you do and do not.

Your first class is full of unknown people. There are at least 100 students and the professor barely has time to finish the lesson before the hour ends. Now what? Well, first you must take the initiative to meet the professor. Get to know your classmates and decide who will form your study group. Know what communities best fit your interest and become an active member. You must be confident in your own skills and get yourself out there. College is not a place where you can remain in your dormitory and hope for the best. Those professors will not come meet you there and they will certainly not write any recommendation letters if they do not know you.

And then there is also your life outside of class. It is a new beginning with your extracurricular activities, the honor societies that promise new friends and opportunities, but you must go look for them. There are many ways to be involved, but there are also many other students that desire a spot in that society or that leadership position. Additionally, you must also be prepared to receive incoming students facing the same decisions you once had to make. To help them join the community which you now head.

College demands leadership skills. You become the principal player of a game called life, your life. You cannot wait to see what happens next because it will only put you behind. Leadership skills will not only make you a successful student, but also a successful person.