It's Worth It! by Tonia

It's Worth It! by Tonia - March 2019 Scholarship Essay

As incoming freshman, it seems as though four years is a long time and you are not sure how you are going to make it. Every freshman has this same thought, if not at the beginning of the year, then at the middle or end. I am here to tell you that you inhale, and freshman year is already over. A second later, so is sophomore year, junior year is done before you can blink, and senior year races by faster than the speed of light. Then comes the real world and it is big, you can lose yourself seamlessly in this thing we call life!
Live each minute to the fullest. Partake in the clubs that interest you (and don’t give a hoot what people think), cheer loudly at each and every game, have some school spirit, but most importantly, don’t blow high school off as unimportant. Some of the memories that will last you a lifetime happen between these four walls, with these teachers and these classmates.
Live high school up to the fullest, keeping in mind that your education is just as important as the memories you are making. Right now, your slate is clean, all your GPA’s are 4.0’s and it’s your story to write. Try your hardest and take any of those college classes that you can, it will help when you have to pay for it yourself. Aim to do the best you can on every homework assignment, quiz and test, that’s all anyone asks of you!
With the way that this world is going, to get just about any job, a high school diploma is needed. Before you shrug that off, really think about what you want in your future. Do you want to spend the rest of your life working for fast food chains and in retail? Knowledge is power and that is one of the only things that people cannot take away from you. Your education is an investment in yourself and it will pay off, I can promise you that!
Think about this: what is your dream car? Do you want that sleek, red Ferrari? How are you going to afford that if you are making minimum wage while also paying for your iPhone (which happens to be the last released model), eating decent food, paying rent, and paying for the car insurance on the vehicle you have now?
I’ll tell you right now, if you don’t want to get yourself into a load of trouble (not to mention debt), it starts right here, right now. Engross yourself in every subject, make it matter to you in a way it never has. Don’t burn any bridges, for there may come a time when you need that reference letter or good word. It’s not worth it, keep that reputation clean.
I’ll leave you with one last piece of advice: March to the beat of your own drum. While it seems important to fit in, it honestly isn’t worth the effort. The people who want to like you will and those that don’t won’t. As you look around at all the faces that seem so familiar now, will be just a distant memory after graduation. Everyone is going to go their separate ways and some you will never see again - life happens! Do what is best for you and make high school worth you time, you won’t regret it!