The Risk is Worth the Reward by Lauren

The Risk is Worth the Reward by Lauren - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

The teen years are a very impressionable age. If given the opportunity, I would like to tell high school freshmen not to care what other people think and to take risks, to ensure their happiness. While a lesson I wish I had learned in high school myself, this is something I live by today. I find this advice to be incredibly valuable because not only can it easily be applied to school, but it can also be helpful in the bigger picture: the real world.

While in high school fitting in seems like the most important thing, after graduation you keep in touch with a select few people, and quickly learn who and what matter. It should not matter what other people think, and they cannot control your happiness, unless you let them. When a family member of mine was suddenly diagnosed with a brain tumor I realized exactly how precious life is, and how unexpectedly it can be taken away. While an incredibly traumatizing experience, this situation taught me some of the most valuable lessons. When one of the most important people in my life was almost taken away from me two things became clear. This experience taught me what truly matters, and allowed me to see firsthand just how short and precious life can be. In addition, I now appreciate the people in my life and take advantage of every opportunity life presents, following my dreams to achieve happiness.

Through applying this advice to their life a high school freshman would be able to have a significantly better high school experience. After realizing who and what are important, these high schoolers would be able to enjoy their lives in and out of school however they wanted to. For instance, this student would learn not to do something because it is the "cool" thing to do, but rather because it is what they want to do. I am in a sense taking my own advice through studying abroad in New Zealand Spring 2015. While I am terrified of the idea of living in a foreign country by myself for four months, traveling to New Zealand has always been a dream of mine. After witnessing my mother struggle through seizures and fight through the recovery of very serious brain surgery I now understand just how short life can be, and I recognize that if I do not take advantage of this incredible opportunity now I may never have another opportunity to do so.

Although following this advice may seem challenging at times, I guarantee that doing so will significantly improve how they live their life moving forward. It is my hope that these high school freshmen will not only apply this advice to their lives as high schoolers, but to life in general. Hopefully this will help these teenagers realize what is truly important in life, and hold this with them, taking risks for the important things.