College is, well, Everything to Me by Mary

College is, well, Everything to Me by Mary - June 2013 Scholarship Essay

College means more to me than parties, learning, and finally being on my own. It’s about proving to everyone that I can be out on my own, that I am responsible. It’s about showing people I’m not a helpless little flower or China doll that can be broken when it falls. College means that I can finally show people that I’m strong and responsible. I can show everybody, including myself.
            My family has always sheltered me, even kept me a little naïve to the ways of the world and people. But, television kind of shattered that naïveté. Every time I was sick my mom was there to take care of me. When someone hurt my feelings, my brothers stood up for me. I never really had the opportunity to do anything for myself. Someone else always did it for me. When I needed money, I got it from my dad because I wasn’t allowed to have a job. I was never allowed to do anything that would interfere with my studies (I had a 4.0 GPA because I was such a hermit). College is the chance to prove to them that I can take care of myself! I can finally prove that I can study and have fun equally.
            Because I’ve been sheltered my whole life, I’ve been shy and anti-social because, well, I don’t know how to be social. I’ve always been an “awkward potato” of a girl; never following the latest fashions, never going to parties, never even having boyfriends. Now I’m going to be thrown into this social scene, and I’m scared. I’m totally scared of college. College has BIG classes, communal bathrooms (shudder), and sharing rooms! I’ve never, ever shared a room in my whole life. I’m actually looking forward to it. This will be the opportunity to prove to myself that I’m flexible, and not in the yoga sense. I’m going to be able to do things I never thought possible, as well as get out of my annoyingly small bubble that has me locked up tight.
            College means everything to me. I’m going to be a grown up for crying out loud! College is going to force responsibility on me. College is going to make me a responsible adult (hopefully). College means proving to everyone, including myself, that I. Can. Do. It.