Finding The Silver Lining by Nicolai

Finding The Silver Lining by Nicolai - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

One evening in late February in 2014, my parents called me from the village in which they were staying in eastern Ukraine. They knew that a civil war was brewing and so had decided to leave, believing that they would be safer in Crimea. Unfortunately, they were caught in the midst of the annexation. At that point, I had just completed the first semester of my bachelor’s degree and the repercussions of this crisis would hang over me and my family until the end of my studies (and, to an extent, continue to affect us to this day).

Given that I was managing these pressing personal issues while still making sure that I was succeeding academically, I had to find ways to overcome the difficulties which this situation posed to my university education. And, in fact, I did. Despite the tribulations that I encountered along the way, I finished my degree and I immediately set on applying to dozens of professional opportunities, successfully landing a position in a firm. There, I have since been able to have a positive impact promoting ethical and ecologically conscious international business. To top it all off, following even more dozens of applications, I have now been accepted to the master’s program of my dreams.

All of this was possible because I never took for granted the value of higher education and its importance for my future. I understood that I needed to continue to put effort into my studies in order to navigate the effects that the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis had on my family and me. Only by obtaining my degree would I surmount these lasting consequences and prosper. What’s more, my particular experience bolstered my determination to help those in need, which in turn solidified my drive to do my best academically so as to excel, be admitted to a prestigious graduate program and later be qualified for a position in which I could serve others.

Nevertheless, the people around me also deserve recognition for having supported me throughout these struggles. Contrary to me, my family had to endure the direct ramifications of the war, yet they were always there for me when dealing both with our situation and with academics became overwhelming. My friends too stood by my side and believed that I could achieve my goals, so they kept me focused and pushed me to work my hardest. Their efforts were instrumental for me to overcome the challenges that I faced and I would not have been able to accomplish everything that I have so far if it were not for their labor of love.

Having family go through armed conflict is undoubtedly a great source of stress that will strain any student’s academic performance. I myself would know. However, I have discovered that such circumstances also provide for important opportunities for personal growth. I have come to recognize that perseverance and tenacity are essential to success in the face of hardship and, above all, that I should hold dear those who care most about me, for the kindness and generosity that they display in the most pressing times is unimaginable.