Google My Academic Role Model by Syl

Google My Academic Role Model by Syl - March 2021 Scholarship Essay

When I think of an academic role model no person has taught me more than Google. Yes, saying Google is an academic role model makes me sound like I have no teacher or friend that are people that I look up to, but if it weren’t for Google I probably wouldn’t have passed or even kept my high grades during the COVID pandemic and the abrupt transition to online school. During the pandemic, teachers tried their best to teach us the subject that they were teaching but they too were learning how to use the new technology and honestly aren’t the best at teaching on a screen. This is where Google saved me. I would look up anything that I needed or something that I was struggling with in class and I would learn on my own better than how the teacher explained it. Our schools are still not in person and I am currently learning Calculus online which is very tough. But because of how hard of a subject it is, I have learned to use Google to my advantage and as my mentor. I type in the subject or the problem and there are thousands of videos and walkthroughs to help me understand what I need to learn.
One reason I look up to Google as a role model is it has helped me with projects. For example, this last summer I decided to build a personal computer (pc) for the first time. Some of my friends had some so I would talk to them about building one but during late July I decided that I would just go for it, but I had zero idea what to buy or how to put parts together. So, I went to Google again for what I would need to know to build a computer that would function. I did tons of research on the parts to purchase and what parts are and are not compatible with each other. In my Google searches I stumbled upon pcpartspicker, a website that showed what were the cheapest sites to buy the various parts I needed to build the exact computer I desired. The website allowed me to make a list and then automatically generated and showed parts were compatible with each other making it functional. Once I got all the parts I still had zero idea on how to put everything together. Back to Google I went and all I had to do was look up a few how-to videos and I was set. Without Google I would’ve been absolutely lost on what to purchase or how to put the pc together so that it was functional.
Furthermore, Google is my academic role model as it helps me to find inspiration. For example, I have been working with ceramics for the past three years. Whenever I am designing a new piece or project, I usually think of a shape to create but what I struggle with the most is some of the details of the shape. When this happens, I go to Google and look up some ideas or concepts that I may be able to convey and create into my own idea that portray my own image of the concept. That helped me out because I am not the best at coming up with small details when it comes to creating ceramic pieces. Google inspired me to create better ceramic arts as various websites showed me the possibilities on what I can do with design.
For someone like me who has always done well in school, always worked hard at whatever I was doing academically, it was hard to think of a specific person that I would think of as an academic role model. But I couldn’t think of anything or anyone that has taught, showed, or inspired me more then what Google.