Words to Live By by Megan

Words to Live By by Megan - November 2018 Scholarship Essay

“You may not always end up where you thought you were going, but you will always end up where you are meant to be”-Jessica Taylor. These are words that I have recently learned to live by and therefore decided to use for my Senior quote. Though it has been a difficult journey to truly appreciate its meaning, I believe it is especially important knowledge to pass down to younger people.

Throughout my thirteen years of school I have always pushed myself to do better, and not always in the good way. I would spend late nights stressing about an upcoming Spanish quiz, or even break down in tears because I was worried that I would not be able to get a grade up. Fear of how these events would affect my future caused me to live a life of anxiousness. Nobody else was pressuring me to be perfect, I simply expected it of myself . I had to discover for myself that this was the root cause of my unhappiness.

This constant anxiety became even worse with the upcoming college applications. I was so worried that I would not get into a perfect to school-another expectation I had set for myself. It was not until I came across this quote that I took a minute to look back on my situation. Not getting into a top-tier, ivy league school is not going to be the end of the world. There are plenty of universities that I would benefit from and in turn would benefit from me. The past me would break down crying if I did not make it into a perfect school, blaming myself for not trying hard enough, not being good enough. It is thanks to this quote that I have had a complete change of heart.

I have come to realize that my happiness is worth more than any acceptance letter or other theoretical future situation. Even in the distant future, if I somehow do not end up where I intended, that is perfectly alright because I know I will be where I am meant to be. No more stressing or beating myself up. I know that as long as I try my best, I will find a place in the world that is meant for me.