My Life in Ten Years by Rachel

My Life in Ten Years by Rachel - December 2015 Scholarship Essay

I’ve had a mental picture of what I want in life for a long time. Many people want a big white house with a picket fence, a fat bank account, and two-point-five children, but not me. Don’t get me wrong, that sounds amazing and it’s part of my dream to a certain extent, but it doesn’t complete it by a long shot.

Ten years from now, I will have graduated from college and from graduate school. I see myself married, with children. Hopefully, we’re living in a big house full of sunlight with a big porch, in the middle of a large piece of land in the middle of the southeast of the United States. Ideally, my husband and I will have jobs that pay well and that allow us to take time off to be with our children. In a perfect world, our house will be full of happiness. All of this would be wonderful, but it isn’t what is important. Our home, while perhaps not a house on a hill, will be full of joy - the real kind, the kind that doesn’t depend on the circumstances and isn’t attached to happiness, but is authentic and a choice that we will make every morning. More important than the house is the people who make it a home, and in ten years I plan to be building a family.

Family is and will always be one of the most important things in my life, but so is serving others. I may not have a job that pays three figures or that offers an abundance of vacation time, but I will be working to help other people succeed in their own lives. In ten years I plan to be working as a counselor, helping children and teenagers overcome tragedy, trauma, and loss. My dream is to open a home for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system and have nowhere to turn for love and acceptance. It is incredibly important for these young adults to be supported even after they are of age, because turning 18 does not equate figuring out how to navigate life. We will provide a place to live, learn, and grow for the young adults, as well as guiding them to find jobs or continue their education. I have been been loved and supported my whole life, and I know my family will always be there for me, but I also know that not everyone has that luxury. In whatever way that I can, I want to make it possible for others to be supported in the ways that I have been.

I believe I am a naturally compassionate and loving person, but I cannot help others in the way I want to without a good education. Going to college and possibly to graduate school will allow me to learn how to care for others in a way that is truly helping them. Through my classes, I will learn how to counsel, how to run a nonprofit business, and how to effectively make a difference in the lives of others. Through my professors, I will learn how to forge better relationships with my superiors and mentors. Through my friends, I will learn to love better and trust more. Going to college will improve every aspect of my life, empowering me to accomplish my goals and more.

There is no way to know where exactly I’ll be in ten years. What I do know is that no matter what, where I am will be a result of my college education. No matter what, I will be working day in and day out to choose joy. No matter what, I want to dedicate my life to helping others, building strong relationships, and loving well. In ten years, I will be doing my best to make a positive impact on the world around me.