The Long Way Around by Samantha
Samantha's entry into Varsity Tutor's July 2023 scholarship contest
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The Long Way Around by Samantha - July 2023 Scholarship Essay
My biggest failure during my education was getting pregnant at 16. Not saying my child is a failure but at this time in my life, it should not have happened. At 17 I had a baby and while I was pregnant students and teachers made it hard for me to focus on my education with all the rumors and things people would say to my face mainly about who the dad was. I know being pregnant is hard but even with support from family and friends it did not make it easier. In January I had my baby during finals week and had to do it the next week. I gave my child up for open adoption and everything was going decently, people still talked but this time about how I gave him up to a family who already had children.
The adoption process ended for me in July and then in August I left for college. I started to get depressed to the point I stopped going to classes, eating, and leaving my room. If I was hungry I left out money for a friend and they would go get me food and drop it off. I would lay in bed pretending to be asleep so I wouldn't have to talk to them. After the first semester, I got on academic probation and next semester suspension. I realized I needed to get my life together but by that time it was too late. My grades were really good but my GPA was too low no matter how good I did, my GPA wouldn't be where it needed to be to continue going to school there.
After that, I lost my way again. I worked and then joined the military. In basic training, I went into the psychiatric facility and then got medically discharged and diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. After all this, I finally got my life together and back on track. I realized I wanted to help people get through tough events or who have lost their way in life and are trying to find it. I graduated from technical school and got my associate's degree in criminal justice and now I'm going back to school to get my bachelor's degree in psychology and minor in criminal justice.
