A Chatty Cathy’s Guide To Learning by Leticia

A Chatty Cathy’s Guide To Learning by Leticia - June 2024 Scholarship Essay

“If you could have any superpower what would it be?”, asked my teacher who only intended on having light conversation that morning. My hand quickly jolted up as though there was no need to think about my answer.
“Talking.”, I responded. I was quickly met with puzzled faces and awe from my classmates around me. To other people my chatty nature and extroverted personality were unhelpful in class, but to me they were my biggest strength. Most people don’t realize the importance of being a great communicator, especially when it comes to education. Ever since I was little I have always been one to lend a helping hand to those around me even when the work was difficult for me to understand. Throughout highschool I’ve been able to join various organizations that not only allow me to socialize with other students, but also provide me the space to help struggling classmates.
One of my favorite clubs, Mu Alpha Theta, has made it our goal to encourage students to spread the joy of math onto others. At first glance, the thought of enjoying math seemed daunting, but after attending several meetings I finally understood what it meant to find joy in math. It wasn't always about having the right answers, or being able to quickly solve a problem, but rather finding joy in assisting others. My 17 years of blabbering my mouth off finally paid off in a way that helped my fellow students. Speaking became my favorite way to review math outside of the classroom. Rather than review the same information I was able to bounce ideas off of other people to find new solutions to difficult problems. Not only that, but learning how other students were able to break down difficult equations led me to become a better tutor.
In other words, communication has been my favorite form of informal education because it gives you the opportunity to connect with those around you and learn more about the subject you are studying. Rather than stare at a textbook full of words I have been able to study different ways people think and interpret information. I fully believe the reason I earned a 4.3 GPA was simply through communicating with others and sharing valuable study information with my peers. If it weren’t for the late days spent at school reviewing a topic with a group of friends studying would have been a complete bore.