Just want to be me by Sodavee
Sodaveeof Long Beach's entry into Varsity Tutor's April 2014 scholarship contest
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Just want to be me by Sodavee - April 2014 Scholarship Essay
Junie B. Jones, the main character from Barbra Park’s series Junie B. Jones, has influenced me that being childish isn’t a bad thing. Junie B. Jones is a spunky, loud, energetic kid who reminds me a lot of myself. As a kid, all I remember thinking was that life was about being happy and enjoying it. I would often sing aloud, dance like no one was watching, annoy my siblings, eat a lot and played with toys. Through Junie B. actions I found myself laughing, hoping one day I could meet someone just like her. I admired her for her bravery and innocence. Since she was a kindergartener, she was always carefree and happy. There were times when I would go food shopping with my mom on the weekends and I‘d run around in the store, ooh and ah while pointing at things, begging her to buy me candies or chips. I was very fond of toys when I was younger because of the joy it gave me when my mom would surprise me with a gift. I had the ability to appreciate the little things or pleasures such as receiving a piece of candy or a bag of chip from my mom.
At the time I was well aware that my mom worked hard in order to support my siblings and me. Unlike, Junie B. who had a little brother named Ollie. I was the youngest out of the five, yet I was the happiest. Unknowing I was unaware that my mind was an optimist. I wouldn’t let petty arguments hurt me and learned to smile during sadness. Because I was a kid who was full of innocence, the world to me seemed like a good place. It was like living in my own bubble because I always wanted to see the good in people. Junie B. Jones taught me that people have to dream and to some extent take a leap in faith. She was quite the daredevil, reminding me how I loved a challenge whether it was racing others of doing flips on the monkey bar. The motto is: Just be yourself. I was able to understand that as a person, I loved myself for who I was.
Throughout childhood, I tended to have trouble making friends and keeping them. Most of elementary days are filled with memories sitting alone on the grass, enjoying the breeze. Honestly, I was completely content to have some alone time, to be able to enjoy the moment. At first, I was very lonely because it took some adjusting to do with the situation. With my spare time, I would often read over one of Junie B. Jones books which had me laughing hysterically, tears rolling down my face, while grasping my stomach in pain. One of the reasons I was able to be happy were because of Junie B. I felt as if I was truly in the stories with her whenever I held one of her books in my hand. One of my favorites is Junie B. Jones is a party animal, which perfectly portrays her as a careless, reckless and childish. She loves to argue against her mother, occasionally gets mad at her friends and gives her teacher a hard time, which is all part of growing up. No one stays constant, because someday eventually everyone has to evolve.
I didn’t want my mom worrying about school for me because I was always the happiest at home. The memories of me tagging along with my mom, as she would watch over me, my eyes filled with captivation and wonder is still fresh in my mind. I was always scolded for talking too much, talking too loud and being unable to stay still. There are moments when I miss being a kid. I’m envious of Junie B. because as I grow older and older, she will always stay the same. She will forever live in my heart. This is normal though because it’s all part of the childhood experience. As a child, I wasn’t aware of the evil in the world or susceptible that the world had bad people. I was only worried about my mom picking me up from school, getting hungry and having to brush my teeth daily. It reminded me when I was young that I was growing up. It was the thought of people can be happy just because they are happy. People don’t need a reason to be happy. Not everyone needs someone to be happy, little things like reading books can do just the same. I came to a realization that happiness is something that people find on their own. Everyone has different reasons to be happy. One of my reasons is Junie B. The thing is whenever I read a Junie B. Jones book, I feel young again, exactly like a kid.