You Learn Something New Everyday by Rachael

You Learn Something New Everyday by Rachael - December 2014 Scholarship Essay

We as a society and individuals are the embodiment of the saying, "You learn something new everyday." We are born and learn about language, gestures, emotions, mannerisms, norms and so much more. You may learn of a new technology or a new theory that has been developed. So, not only has my public schoolings shaped who I am today, but so has life's lessons. The biggest education providers who have changed my life include public schools, my parents and family, and life as I become more independent.

Ever since I was past the age of three I have constantly been within the public schooling system. Preschool taught me some of the basics, but mainly it conditioned me into the school setting. I learned how to make new friends, share, and to love cupcakes as a birthday treat! I also got my first pet from my preschool. His name was Goldie and as you could assume, he was a goldfish. Preschool may have not taught me about coming up with original names, but it did teach me responsibility and Goldie lived till the middle of my fourth grade year (an astonishing amount of time for a cheap goldfish). As I climbed up the first rungs of the public schooling ladder they call elementary school I learned some of the best lessons of my life. I made new friends and started learning new skills like reading, writing, telling time, and math! I must say, I am not too bad at math right now, but elementary definitely kindled my distaste for it. I learned music in elementary and I continued to play all through middle school and high school. I love to sing along with songs, but many would agree that I seem to find the rhythm and bass line so I can pitter patter along with it on my leg. Strangely enough I was super talkative in elementary (I received appropriate discipline for that) and once I hit middle school I became quiet, shy, and a teacher's pet. I still am quiet today until you get to know me, then you may not shut me up, I think I just fear the teacher not liking me or the discipline that comes along with an misbehavior. But my quiet studiousness lead to me becoming a salutatorian in high school and a National Honors Society student.

My parents and family obviously have a huge impact when it comes to what I learn, believe, and what I am shaped into. They taught me my manners, my competitiveness, my religion, my duties as a child of that household, and so much more. I would have to say my father is by far the parent who pushes our success with out education the most. He is the one who would help us with our math, the one you'd be afraid to show a B on your report card, the one who would proof-read your entire essay to make sure you would do great. He is the reason I put a double space between each sentence. I read somewhere that double spacing between sentences is old-fashioned, but I have been conditioned to do it by my father and it's hard to go back to single spacing. Many of my friends think it's weird I have never been tardy or missed a class without a note to excuse me, but I would never get away with that. I trust my parents too much. If they say that education is more important than anything else right now than they're right. They've taught me to strive for the top and that's what I have always done. I used to get in trouble for saying "I can't" too much. That's why I was near the top of my class GPA. I am not a natural athlete, but with a lot of hard work I have gotten to the point that I traveled across the country, made my high school varsity team freshman year, continued to play in college and became one of the best hitters on that college team. My parents showed me that hard work pays off and I am proud to have them as my parents and as my teachers.

As I have grown older I have had to become more independent whether I wanted to or not. It starts with asking the store employee for assistance by myself, then getting my drivers license, then a job, then going off to college. This bit of independence I've experiences has educated me in parts of life I've never had to opportunity to experience before. Getting lost while driving alone is scary, but I know what to do now. I can call for directions, use a GPS, if I don't have a phone, I can use a map, or ask a passerby. College, though I still live from home, I have to drive an hour or more in traffic everyday, registrar for classes, schedule appointments, and so on and so forth.