My ability to teach myself by Malachi-Isaiah

My ability to teach myself by Malachi-Isaiah - September 2024 Scholarship Essay

As an African American, mixed-race Generation Z male, I've noticed that many of my peers tend to learn from others and technology. However, I personally thrive by teaching myself. Living with ADHD and autism presents its challenges, especially in maintaining focus. I vividly remember when my mother introduced medication to help manage my "busy brain". Now that I am 17, I would like to learn how not to rely on medication for focus. This will require me to teach myself different strategies for retaining information and concentration. My "busy brain" often makes it tough for me to complete everyday activities and sometimes affects my interactions with friends. Although there have been moments of feeling isolated due to my differences, I've come to embrace the most important lesson of all: being true to myself. I've learned to accept my neurodiversity and have taught myself hobbies that are seen as challenging by others, with tons of support from my amazing mother.

When I was 11 years old, I went to a roller-skating rink during a summer camp trip. Despite not knowing how to skate, watching other campers have fun inspired me to give it a try. I initially clung to the wall, but soon enough, I began skating alone. Despite a few falls, I persevered and continued to skate. This experience instilled in me the belief that I have the ability to teach myself many things. Coming from such an artistic family, with my dad excelling in drawing and my mom being crafty, I am confident that I have inherited these talents. I have a deep passion for Japanese anime and its characters. For my 13th birthday, I asked my mother to buy me a sketchbook, and I used YouTube tutorials to teach myself how to draw anime characters. Teaching myself how to draw has become a source of tranquility for me, especially during times of stress and when I feel overwhelmed with life.

I have a diverse taste in music, and my mother suggested that I take up a musical instrument. I initially tried playing the bass guitar when I was nine years old and in 4th grade, but I didn't find it enjoyable. After taking a break from learning instruments, my mother recommended that I try learning to play the drums. Although I found the initial drum lessons to be just okay and felt discouraged by the instructor, my mother was determined to help me learn and even bought me a drum set. Eventually, I taught myself to play the drums by listening to different beats from my favorite songs and practicing them regularly. I am still working on honing my drumming skills, and I dedicate at least 30 minutes to practice every day.

These examples illustrate why I believe teaching myself and learning from life lessons is important. When I teach myself, I know that when I make a mistake, it will be up to me to fix it. Teaching myself allows me to avoid criticism and judgments from other people. I can learn at my own pace and become better at retaining information. I believe my ability to self-teach will assist me in my college years. I know I learn much differently from others and I am comfortable with trying different methods to learn a particular topic. I believe being self-taught is a non-traditional way of learning for my generation, who prefer to use technology to learn about life.