Small, but Mighty by Shaniya

Small, but Mighty by Shaniya - June 2022 Scholarship Essay

When I read the book, The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, it helped me see life from a different perspective. Daniel was the character I related to most. Daniel had conservative parents and he was considered the golden child because he made good grades and was involved with his school while his brother was not. He wanted to become a writer, but his parents did not want him to because they thought it was a waste of time and a waste of his talent. They wanted him to become a doctor. Later on, he met a girl named Natasha that showed him it is more to life than school and following what your parents want. Daniel meeting Natasha and having her in his life changed him in a short period of time. They had little time together because Natasha was getting deported and instead of being sad about the little time, they had together he decided to spend as much time as he could with her before she leaves. While Daniel was spending time with Natasha he did not stress about his future or what was to come next; he decided to live in the moment and enjoy every day while it last. Natasha showed Daniel, which also showed me that someone else’s view of success does not have to be your view of success. Natasha taught me to enjoy life and live your life while you can. Being a teenager is already stressful due to all the decisions you have to make for your future at a young age and the responsibilities that are set upon you. So, before life starts to get more intense as you get age, enjoy living right now. Treat every day like it is your last. Time moves unexpectedly fast and we do not know how much of it we have so you should rapture every moment. Natasha also taught me to do what makes you delighted because what your parents may think is best for you does not mean it is best for you does not mean it is the best decision for you. No one knows you better than you thus if your parents want you to become a doctor, but you truly feel you are not going to be happy than look into something new. Figure out what makes you truly happy because you should be happy living your dreams not anyone else’s. Life does not have to be disappointing if you make decisions that will make you have ecstasy and fulfilment.
From that day forward of reading The Sun is Also a Star, I have been trying to make my life more enjoyable and worthwhile. I started getting more involved with programs that interest my hobbies or life desires. Even if it seems impossible to do or you think you’ll never get in still try because it doesn’t hurt to try. For example, I applied for this art program amongst my community and never thought I got accepted, but I did. Attending that art program helped me broaden my horizons and have better networking skills and at first, I was not going to apply because I believed I would not get in. I am truly glad that I read that book because being introduced to a character like Natasha helped me better my life and be more appreciative of the opportunities I have. I learned that something minimal could have a great impact on you. Natasha and Daniel meeting each other was a small moment, but it impacted their life gratefully.