The Bathroom Wall Picture by Tessa

The Bathroom Wall Picture by Tessa - May 2024 Scholarship Essay

My Brother is one of the most important people in my life. Through him, I learned the importance of respect, responsibility, and the impact I can have on others. I always wanted to be like my brother, and when high school began, so did the race to getting a bathroom wall picture. I am the youngest of four, and growing up my older siblings raised me. Although my parents still contributed, my siblings provided a different level of support that my parents could not. My older brother, being eight years older than I, was my idol--I looked to him in every aspect of my life. This includes the game he had learned to love: lacrosse. Lacrosse was a huge part of my family's life, as my Dad and brother were on the field almost every day. My brother not only played it, though, he was the best player out there. When I was old enough, I began to play lacrosse with my brother, and later, on a team of my own. This decision made my brother and I infinitely closer and we bonded over lacrosse; I wanted to be everything that he was and more.
When I say my brother was good, he was amazing. My brother played on the varsity team for all four years and earned first team All-Met as well as All-American three years in a row. Although these were great, the one that I envied the most was his First team All-State award, which earned him a photo on the wall, inconveniently placed next to the women’s bathroom. Every time, when I went to the high school my brother attended, I saw this photo and it haunted me, reminding me of what I would strive to do. When I finally got to try out for my high school’s girls lacrosse team, I was determined to make my brother proud. I ended up making varsity my freshman year which changed the course of my life.
When I was younger, I always got in my head. I would get angry at myself when I messed up, and frustrated when my team would drop a pass or miss a goal. My brother was the one who would talk me through this feeling. He would remind me that I could only play my game and not everything relied on me. He would tell me that my teammates are feeling this same way and I need to encourage them rather than get mad at them. I like to think this lesson was what led me to become the captain of my lacrosse team my sophomore year, however, it was because of a lot more than just my brother. It was my past coaches who cheered me on, and my Mom who taught me the important skill of empathy, and my Dad who never let me give up on myself or others.
Overall, I don’t know what I would do if it was not for my brother introducing me to lacrosse. I have learned so much from being on my High School’s team and I’ve seen the ways that my leadership skills have impacted, not only my teammates' game, but their lives as well. For those wondering, I still have not made it on the bathroom wall next to my brother, but I am working on it everyday. Even if I do not make it on the wall, it is okay with me, because I know that the impact that I have left on the team is greater than a picture on the bathroom wall.