One Small Step by Madison

One Small Step by Madison - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

Sitting in the back of a freshman calculus class of 85 students, a quiet young boy attempts to copy down the mixture of nonsense numbers and symbols his professor frantically scribbles on the board. His mind is a mess, a blur of these numbers that he cannot comprehend. Lowering his head into his hands, he struggles to muster the confidence to ask a question, but he cannot. One student sitting in front of him raises his hand. The student asks the same question the boy wanted to, leading the professor to explain deeper, and the math begins to make sense to the boy. Because of this student’s leadership in the classroom, the boy began to realize asking questions only leads to answers, not embarrassment.

In college, situations like this will come up often. Being a leader is important in these settings because many times, other students just need an example of a strong character, and they will follow your lead. Leadership is necessary for your success, as well as the success of your peers. This is because without a leader, it is difficult for those who are quiet or shy to step up for themself. They need an example or someone to provide the help they need. This may provide them help they need outside the classroom as well, maybe in the choices they make. Without a leader, people will often make decisions that will not benefit them because they do not know, whether this means not getting help in the classroom or making a poor choice on their own. So be a leader for those around you and know you are doing the most you can for your success and the success of those around you.