Chemically Unbalanced by Sarah

Chemically Unbalanced by Sarah - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

The first year of college is exhilarating and liberating. Being away from your parents, tons of new food options, and no one to tell you what to do and when to do it. What I heard from the adults in my life was: "college will be the best time of your life!" However, they neglected to tell me about all of the struggles I would encounter. My first semester at the University of Texas was mostly amazing. I took Sociology, Medical Terminology, Statistics, Chemistry, and Architecture and Society. These classes challenged me in new ways; I learned and absorbed so much. However, I really struggled with my Principles of Chemistry course. I went to every lecture, review session, office hour, and study group, but I could not seem to grasp the concepts beyond their superficial meaning. I eventually had to do what was best for my mental health and my efforts in other classes by withdrawing. This left me with thirteen hours of interesting course work and a fulfilling rest of my semester.

After I dropped the course, I devalued the effort I was putting in and convinced myself that I would never be able to be a doctor if I couldn't succeed in introductory chemistry. But as registration for the next semester came around, I had to decide whether or not I would give chemistry another try. I knew without a doubt that I want to be a doctor in the United States Navy when I finish college; this goal propelled me to enroll in chemistry and give it another go.

Because of my hard work, a better connection with a different professor, and a better situation for my mental health, I am excelling in chemistry this semester. It's not any easier, but I have changed my perception of success and failure. Learning and understanding the content is by far more important than receiving an A+. Because of this change and help from my professors and classmates, I was able to overcome this academically and personally challenging situation to benefit my education and self worth.