The Past We Are Forgetting by William

The Past We Are Forgetting by William - November 2021 Scholarship Essay

I have always been an average student. In elementary school, I got good grades, but there was one subject in particular in which I excelled: history. Passion for history is a part of my personality, so much so that my friends and parents alike refer to me as a “history buff” or “history whiz,” often coming to me with myriad questions on the subject. History has interested me since I was a child for many reasons. I love learning the stories behind people, ideas, and events, seeing what inspired others to perform certain acts that would go on to inspire events that would change history. This leads into another aspect of history that captivates me: the fact that every event is connected to something bigger, and many events that have happened in the past are still affecting all of us today. We all have the power to create history every day. History is vitally important, perhaps given today’s climate, more than ever, as it allows us to understand where we came from and that no matter at what point we look into history, there is always a story to be told with important lessons to teach us. History is important to me as it allows me to learn from the past about mistakes that other people may have made, which we should aim to avoid, because we have all heard that, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Due to my strong interest in history, I often find myself trying to learn more about the subject, both in and out of the classroom. During class time, I always pay close attention to my teacher’s lectures. Lectures in history classes are like stories, told in such a manner as which to allow me to grasp both new information and connect what I already know about the topic in order to answer any questions that may arise. Throughout my time in history classes, I often find myself staying after class and having a discussion with my teacher over the material that we covered in class, and asking questions that allow me to gain more knowledge on the subject. When I am not in school, I tend to find that when I have free time, I am always picking up history books in order to learn about a new topic or expand my current knowledge base over a subject of great historical relevance.
I have found through my time online that there are many YouTube channels that make excellent content, which allows me to learn about any event in history that I wish. Many of these channels go into great depth on events that we learned about in class and are able to give specifics that we might not have been able to hear due to time constraints or the personal preferences of the course instructor. These videos help me to get ahead as they allow me to learn about events that we have not yet covered in class and can help me when we discuss them at later dates. I hope that in college I will be able to take history classes so that I can expand my knowledge of the subject even more. I truly believe that history is an interesting topic and one that I could discuss with someone forever, and I hope to continue learning and expanding my knowledge over the subject. I love school and gaining more knowledge, in general, and hope that I can do that throughout my time at a four-year university. At a four-year university, I wish to strive for excellence when it comes to my grades as I know how crucial it is to maintain a high GPA. I believe that my quest to gain more knowledge in history and other subjects will allow me to maintain the excellent grades and high GPA that I strive for.