College: Lessons for a Lifetime of Wisdom by Madison

College: Lessons for a Lifetime of Wisdom by Madison - January 2018 Scholarship Essay

The best word I could possibly choose to explain why I wish to attend college is the word “wisdom.” Wisdom is something that many people lack, yet it is also something that so many people desperately need. Possessing wisdom means more than simply obtaining knowledge. Individuals who are wise hold a deep understanding of what to do with the knowledge that they have acquired throughout their lives.
I chose this word because wisdom is something that I deeply value and center my life around. I have learned that life often presents some significant opportunities for decision making that cause me to feel stressed. Decisions are difficult, especially after an individual moves away from home and begins navigating life alone. During times when I am faced with choices and I feel as if I have no direction, wisdom is the tool I use to navigate my way to the best decision possible.
Because life presents so many tough dilemmas, I believe that attending college is essential in attaining greater wisdom and understanding of both myself and the world. Not only do I have opportunities in college to learn wisdom from great thinkers, writers, and philosophers of the past, but I am also investing time in an environment where I am encouraged to discover who I am and what I truly believe. After completing one semester of college, I can say that I have already grown wiser. I have learned an abundance of knowledge from my professors, but I have also learned even more valuable lessons about how to apply that knowledge to my life.
I know that I will carry the wisdom obtained in college throughout the rest of my life as an adult. College provides opportunities to grow wiser, not only in the classroom, but also in practical and social ways. The responsibility that college places on students helps them mature into well-prepared adults who understand how to take their newfound knowledge and experience into the real world. After individuals graduate from college, they will be better prepared to think for themselves and apply the knowledge they have been working to gain throughout their entire lives.
In several years from now, I do not simply wish to be a smarter individual. I desire to live a life that people want to follow. I hope to live in such a way that makes the most of every decision placed in my path. I believe that growing wiser is the secret to a life such as this. As I continue my journey through college, I have full confidence that my time in the classroom, as well as the experience I gain from daily college life, will fill me with the wisdom I need to live life to the fullest.