Lillie: An Unexpected Blessing by Zachary

Lillie: An Unexpected Blessing by Zachary - March 2023 Scholarship Essay

My heart plummeted off a cliff. My fingers went numb. A sharp, chilling feeling ran down my spine. I wanted to cry. I wanted to be strong. What was a joyful start to the morning was erased in an instant. My nanny of five years, my soccer practice chauffeur, my ice cream buddy, my childhood role-model, my beloved aunt, passed away that morning. 11 days later, we got a call that my uncle joined her, leaving my little nine-year old cousin, Lillie, an orphan. A couple weeks later, it was decided that Lillie would leave her home in Washington to come live with my family in California.
To give some context, my older brother left for college the previous year leaving me to be the last child in the house. This left me to fill his shoes and take on a larger role in my household. I inherited the duties of the family Uber driver, head chef, dish-washer, dog caretaker, to name a few. To make matters far more complicated, I also became a big brother, perhaps the most strenuous yet exhilarating of my new responsibilities. With two full-time working parents, I was essentially on my own taking care of Lillie, trying to decipher the complex task of parenting. Moving into a new environment is a substantial adjustment, especially for a child. I was the bridge from her old life to her new life and it was my responsibility to help her settle in. This meant teaching her the rules of the house, practicing her soccer skills at the park, and guiding her through her social anxiety by introducing her to new friends; her needs became my needs.
On top of juggling the rigorous course load of five AP classes during my junior year, I tutored and assisted Lillie with her homework every night. After my Calculus homework we practiced her multiplication tables. After writing my essays we practiced her vocabulary. Despite the added stress and responsibility into my already busy schedule, my work ethic improved, my dedication to creating good habits increased, and so did my integrity. Lillie became my little sidekick, following me everywhere I go, watching my every move; I had to learn how to lead by example. Her sponge-like mind encouraged me to instill honorable values and habits into both her and my own lifestyle.
My newfound dedication to improving myself, my work ethic and making quality use of my time translated to my academic environment. I experienced a revival in my passion for learning and dove deeper into finding subjects that resonated with me. I always knew in the back of my mind that I had a knack for numbers, with math historically being my favorite subject. It wasn’t until the summer before my senior year when I found my academic calling: finance. The dangers of interest rates, the gamble of the stock market, the strategies of making a DCF model; I was hooked. Even after week-long binges of YouTube videos on investing and attempting to memorize the tickers for every publicly-traded company I could think of, I still yearned to learn more. I figured the best way to learn is to do. I decided to get some skin in the game. After contemplating my options, I decided to invest my entire savings into a mutual fund. Watching my money rise… and fall taught me something new each time. I began analyzing all aspects of a company in order to fully understand what I was signing myself up for.
I became so enthusiastic about finance that I decided to no longer hide what I learned. I decided to start a club, the Financial Planning Club. I wanted to help my peers with their own personal finances, inspiring them to adopt savvy habits to build their wealth even from a young age. To my surprise, my intentions were fulfilled. I personally watched my peers implement what I was teaching into their own daily lives, bestowing me with a sense of accomplishment in the process. At this moment, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life; I want to help people achieve their financial goals and inspire them to improve their well-being. I want to become a financial planner.
Lillie inspired me to find something that I can strive for and work towards in my future. Not only did Lillie help me find my future college major, she invigorated me to want to learn and have passion for the knowledge I acquire. Simply having a little sister to mentor and motivate motivated me to apply the lessons I was teaching her into my own life: to find something you enjoy and go after it. I intend to continue going after what I enjoy in college as I plan to attend a four-year university in California, my top choice being UCLA, and major in finance. I am forever grateful for the impact Lillie has made on my education and my overall mindset as I tackle this next chapter of my life. I know I will continue to fuel my passion for learning and pursue a fulfilling life in the process.