The Cupboard Underneath the Staircase by Lucas

The Cupboard Underneath the Staircase by Lucas - October 2021 Scholarship Essay

One of the biggest influences I developed growing up was from the world of Harry Potter; more specifically, I drew from the Harry Potter himself. In hindsight, I was probably so drawn to his character because he experienced so much throughout his life. He was orphaned, he grew up in an abusive household, and he was made to feel like he didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It was when Hagrid came and introduced him to the Wizarding World where he finally found out why he was berated from such a young age; it was because he was different from everyone he had ever known.

I connected so much with that sense of feeling left out and deserted, not because of my hidden magical talents, but because I never really made ties with any of my peers and I was also raised in an unstable home. The mutual experience I felt through Harry is probably the most prevalent reason as to why I was, and still am, so enthralled with the Harry Potter series.

As for the lesson I learned, I would have to say that it all came down to self-discovery. I learned that it was okay to be different from everyone else, because I would eventually find my own community of people who will know my story and what I have gone through. It may not have to deal with fancy European castles and mystical, elemental creatures, but I know that I can still, one day, find a place where I feel like the Chosen One.