The Thing I haven't Quite Achieved Yet by Kayla

The Thing I haven't Quite Achieved Yet by Kayla - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

The thing I haven't quite achieved yet nearly makes me cry every time I think about it. Every time that it crosses my mind, which is an awful lot because it was one of the biggest decisions of my life, I get overwhelmed with a bunch of conflicting emotions. I am happy that I have worked so hard to achieve something so great, yet I feel anguish because it was hard and involved a lot of sacrifices on my part. This achievement I haven't gotten yet has been a very hard moment in my life, and has had a major impact on my life.
When I was at the young and tender age of 15, I had to decide if I wanted to go to a school that gave me the opportunity to earn my Associate's degree by the time I graduate high school, or decide if I wanted to go to a normal high school with my friends and have fun. I chose to look ahead towards my future, and I can honestly say that it is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I sacrificed so much of my time, friends, and fun. My life was literally absorbed by school. However, I did get a little fun from the few moments of my spare time, and I found joy in what I was doing.
Now that I have come to the point that I am clearly on track to receive this wonderful blessing, and I am enjoying the excitement of what it will mean for my future, I have decided that it was all worth it. All of the struggling, the late hours, long days, and hard classes have all been worth it in the end. The decision I had the insight to make at such a young age I am now grateful for so many years later on in my maturity. It has shaped who I am, and I am grateful that my 15 year-old me knew enough about me to decide that this would be a wonderful opportunity for me to achieve and work towards.