Opening Your Mind by Jillian

Opening Your Mind by Jillian - September 2014 Scholarship Essay

There's so much to be said and done in college, I thought as I moved into my dorm for the last time. I wasted a lot of time keeping to myself and being scared... Scared of what, you ask? The answer is everything. I was scared of the new people, the new environment, the new coursework, all of it.

I've come a long way since that first semester. I learned that if there's one thing you need to succeed in college, it's being open-minded. How many friends could I have made my freshman year if I hadn't been so terrified of trying new things on my own? How much earlier could I have become aware to feminism and causes such as amnesty if I had branched out and taken interest in clubs and organizations? It's so easy to get caught up in work and just trying to survive, not to mention trying to hold tight to the ideals you think make you who you are. The reality is, however, that you won't be the same person you were from your first move-in to your last. You'll do things and meet people that change you, and you eventually learn it's for the best. College, and your experiences through it, shape you and help you become more you than you have ever been. Those ideologies you've been holding onto may not be as popular or as true as you thought. You'll be exposed to different people with different cultures, different religions, and different values than you. This means nothing except that people are all not the same, but their lives are all worth the same. So much can be learned even outside of classes, about yourself and about those around you.

Most people may not see it as a skill, but I do. You spend most of your younger years learning things you expect to be true for life. These ideals are ingrained in you, right or wrong. In order to grow and become a successful and functioning adult, learning to be open to new ideas and thoughts is vital to advancement in any area of life. Being open-minded is absolutely key, even in class. Some courses required for your studies may not be exactly your idea of fun or even interesting, but who knows what could happen. I'm not saying your least favorite subject will become your favorite (I still hate all kinds of math), but something may catch your eye if you keep them open. I still remember an Anthropology course I took my freshman year that seemed daunting, but I learned so much about culture and race and things that I'd never really given a second thought. Even last semester, I dreaded taking another required science and lab. Turns out, I was fortunate enough to make some great friends, meet the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I even got a high B! Sometimes, without your knowledge, college opens your mind for you.

I would not be the intelligent, young lady I am today if I had not gone to college. I'm not referring to merely the knowledge I gained explicitly from classes, but from my entire tenure here. From my part-time job, to my different living situations and roommates, and even all the strenuous homework assignments that made me want to rip my hair out, I wouldn't change a thing. It may have taken a semester or two to become as open-minded as I am, but I wouldn't have gotten by without it.