The Desire to Rise by Talea

The Desire to Rise by Talea - September 2020 Scholarship Essay

The word "goal" can be described as "the destination of a journey." Being a first-generation college student during the Coronavirus pandemic, my particular journey has been quite challenging. In order to defeat the strenuous tasks burdened on me by the past and present, I have to eliminate any bad habits. My biggest goal for this school year is to overcome my challenges, and prosper while doing so.
Generational curses are my greatest enemy. Coming from a financially unstable past, I lack the privileges that money brings forth. Part of me overcoming this financial crisis starts with getting an education in order to be qualified for a good job, right? Here's where the curse comes in. It takes money to make money, and when you don't have any money to begin with, what can you do? If I have financial needs or desires, there is no choice but to work- and I mean work hard. That's exactly what I did. Ever since I was 13, I have been working and saving. I put myself through Drivers Education, saved up to buy my own car, and started my own college savings.
The first step in the cycle of not going to college is to simply go, which I have recently just broken. People who come from the same place as me pour they're jealousy and hatred of themselves into my ears, hoping it will drag me back down to the bottom where I started. There are times where I feel drained from not having any help from family members, and even friends here-and-there. Defeating this obstacle can only be done by having my own motivation, and to reach out to individuals who are willing to help me succeed. I must keep looking forward to a bright future, and remind myself that I can do anything.
Experience is everything, but all of our greatest moments have been interrupted by the dreadful COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone is swimming in uncharted waters and having to adapt to the new way of doing things. Online classes are the safest alternative, but that doesn't mean its the best thing for every student. For example, I am not the greatest online learner. My choices certainly do not include staring at a computer screen, with no human, face-to-face interaction. Overcoming this challenge is going to be tough, but I am going to push myself to adapt. Step by step, I will get used to the online version of schooling.
Although all of these things have been daunting hardships, I'm very appreciative of the person it has molded me into. I will continue to better myself, and to vigorously rise above every hindrance in my path. The lessons I have learned have set the stage for me to reach the goal of overcoming the final obstacles of my youth, not only within this school year, but for the entire duration of my educational experience. My journey isn't over until I've reached my destination.