A Look Into My Future by Mckayla

A Look Into My Future by Mckayla - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

As I stand on the brink of a new academic journey into college, my aspirations are clear and resolute. My next education goal is to obtain a PhD degree in Sports Psychology, giving me the opportunity to guide athletes into overcoming mental challenges and ultimately helping them reach their full potential. This goal is not just a step forward, but a leap towards a future where I can make an impact on the world, specifically in the sports community.
My interest arose from my own firsthand experiences with mental health. I grew up with an alcoholic mother who was never present growing up, forcing a lot of the anxiety and stress into my life. Similarly, I grew up as an athlete, never feeling good enough in my sport and dealing with the stress of constantly having to prove myself to others. Finally, I grew up in a society in which petite blonde women were the norm, yet, I was the opposite and was always seen as different. All of these aspects contributed to my stress, anxiety, and many other mental health issues. However, this opened my eyes to the importance of a healthy well-being, truly inspiring me to seek a career in the psychology field.
I’ve been an athlete my entire life, and though playing sports can bring so many incredible opportunities, it can also lead to a variety of mental health issues. Normal kids do not have to deal with the constant need to prove themselves to others, the constant fear of missing out on social events, and the constant strain both mentally and physically. This has sometimes caused me to lose sight of the joy that sports bring because of the strain and stress I was put under to succeed. Although it is only a sport, there is a lot of underlying trauma that no one acknowledges. From coaches making you feel worthless and incapable of succeeding in life to never being satisfied with your performance. As I achieve this goal of mine, I strive to use this degree to assist athletes in looking past not only the trauma of participating in sports, but also the trauma of life's problems.
While accomplishing this goal, I hope to learn about the complexities of the mind and gain an awareness of all human behaviors, especially in athletes. I also strive to learn more about myself, the way I react to certain situations and people, so that I may guide others into a direction that prepares them for the future. This goal is truthfully a pathway to a successful future in which I can hopefully change the world some day.