My Happy Place by Sophia

My Happy Place by Sophia - October 2014 Scholarship Essay

A bird flies into the window, students clamor and run outside the halls past the door, and a few girls chat about how much fun they had at Homecoming. All of this is suddenly more interesting than the droll sounding teacher up at the front, who undoubtedly loves the sound of his own voice. It's easy to get distracted in the classroom, insomuch that even being there does nothing to facilitate learning. For me, an auditory and visual type of learner, I can get sidetracked easily. However, I believe that a balance between comfortability and learning can be achieved to help me regain my focus. For this, I'd need my 'Happy Place'.

A Happy Place and learning put together? To many, it doesn't seem like the two would go together. However, I've loved learning ever since I was a kid. I was always excited when I understood the objectives, and likewise disappointed when I wasn't able to understand. It takes more than a brain and some lecturing to achieve learning, which is why I'd like to describe my ideal Happy Place to you now. My classroom environment would first consist of blue walls for a natural calming effect, and soft, white carpet. Shoes would not be required, since I get a weird case of claustrophobia when my feet are confined. The chair and desk would be according to my height, my seat arranged for proper alignment of my back. The classroom would be large and spacious enough for me to feel safe and unrestricted. The wall behind me would be made of glass so that natural light from the sun could filter in and replace the obnoxious buzzing of fluorescent lights. Students would be allotted space for their arms and work on the desk, so that none would bump elbows or have to apologize for rolling a chair over their foot. The walls would be sound proof; no outside sound leaking in, especially. The teacher will use a whiteboard, simply because it’s a lot less noisier than a chalkboard or a SmartBoard. These are just the physical qualities of the classroom that will keep me from distraction.

However, there’s something that will add much more to my Happy Place: the ambiance. It’s one thing to have a perfect room, but you also need the feeling of an actual classroom. For this, I would need a certain teacher. He or she wouldn’t have to be perfect, but they’d have a relatable, easygoing attitude about them. They will provide me with reassurance along the way that my hard work was paying off. They would be someone that I could come to with any question, no matter how seemingly insignificant it may be. The teacher would at least be willing to be there, and there’d be no doubt that the teacher loves to teach. It’s so encouraging to be taught by someone who actually cares, and it really does further my desire to learn. However, I wouldn’t really be at my most comfortable with just the teacher and me. I feel that at least fifteen students sharing the class with me would benefit me greatly. While they don’t have to be my best friends, they should also be on the same wavelength as I; that is, all of us want to learn. There would also be no room for judgement, no worrying about how dumb you are compared to someone else, but an environment solely focused on learning. The greatest things that I’ve learned and actually retained were through experiences shared with classmates. Others that are willing to put in the hard work and dedication will help me achieve as well, providing ideas and examples that I wouldn’t be able to think up on my own.

A lot would go into my Happy Place: a comfortable setting, a teacher willing to teach and other students willing to learn and help each other. Though it’s made up of many parts, my Happy Place will be unified in one goal, which is to help me succeed in my education.