Own Yourself by Kelsey

Own Yourself by Kelsey - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

What does it mean to "own" yourself? It is a life-long process, not an event. Adolescence is the most influential developmental stage of identity development; it is a time of learning about yourself and how to own yourself. However, it also just happens to be a crucial determinant of your life course, which is primarily impacted by your academic performance. Owning yourself as a student promotes your future academic and professional success and your current academic success. Some never learn how to own themselves. I remember my educators saying, "Be yourself". But what does that mean? How do I be myself? How do I know if I am being myself or not? Well, I am here to equip you with my own knowledge about how to own yourself.

First, learn about yourself! Get to known your talents, your weaknesses, your dreams, your fears, your values, your behaviors. Why do you do the things you do? Push yourself outside of your comfort zone. Learn new things. Find out what you are good at; find out what you aren't so great at. Do not let the opinions of others, including your parents or guardians, peers, educators, or society, invade this process. You may (and probably will) be told things about yourself- whether they be good opinions or bad. But you must maintain ownership of yourself. Especially as a minority student, such as an LGBQ+ student, ownership of yourself is a human right. Do not let others "own" you or determine your identity. You belong to you, and no one else. Assume this mindset.

The most challenging step within the process of owning yourself is developing and maintaining a deep sense of satisfaction and respect for yourself as a student, human, and member of society. I have a learning disability called Dyscalculia. I remember as a grade school student seeing my classmates master a mathematical skill in a day, but it would take me the entire year. This was terrible for my identity development and ownership of myself. I put no effort into my math work, because I chose not to own that part of myself. I still take ten seconds to add simple numbers, even as a graduate student. But, you know what? I have a unique type of pride in my academic weaknesses that I wish I had as a grade school student. This weakness (along with so many more that I have not mentioned) is one of my characteristics. I am Kelsey, I own weaknesses, and I am not ashamed of my weaknesses. My weaknesses belong to me, and I do not belong to my weaknesses.

So how does this actually relate to being a student? Own your work. Invest in assignments, tests, presentations, projects, and papers. Make them something that you are proud of. Make them something that you own. Does your work reflect yourself? Are you proud of it? If not, then be intentional about making something that you are proud of, something that you own. This is tough, but this is part of owning yourself. Teachers may provide a bad grade on these things, even when you have made something you are proud of. But you are what is important, not that number in red ink, or what others say about you and your work. Do not try to only make others proud of you. Be proud of yourself. I am proud of you.