In the midst of filling out college applications and scholarships (and not having ran all last week because there was an incredible pain in my foot, and not having run for the last three days because of a combination of a blizzard and wind chill temperatures, which did get me three snow days), I have realized something important. The ability to make up information to make yourself look good is underrated.
Technically, I guess it's not making up stuff, it's just writing the story in a way that makes you look better than you should. I'm not really that kind of person though, kind of like how I don't like making excuses. Because the colleges don't really want to know you, they want to know how good you think you are. And besides that, the one thing they truly care about is leadership. Which I am getting tired of real fast.
I'm sure leadership is a great quality to have, but it's not the top quality and plus someone is going to be needed to follow all these leaders. And maybe the real reason that I now detest leadership, is that I'm not really a leader. I don't do clubs or councils, they are too much like team sports, and I'd rather be doing something else. I don't organize community service activities, although I do volunteer. I'm involved in two sports that do not truly have team captains, although I can claim being a cross country captain because I participated in captain's games at our pep assembly. Licking peanut butter off of fiberglass while wearing a pirate mask should count for something afterall. I'm the oldest child in my family, which can also give me a little bit of leadership. But I don't have official leadership titles or duties. As my coach once told me, I lead by example and not by talking.
I'm sure this probably makes me sound like a loser who doesn't deserve a scholarship, but I'm really a good student. I have a 4.2something GPA, have a great ACT score, and have numerous academic awards. I am ranked 12th in my class of like 400 kids. But the answers to these scholarship applications evades me. Even when I try to write about something I actually enjoy, like running, I just don't know what to say. These people aren't going to understand it. And it won't stand out from all the others. Even if I use running as my example in my "challenging situation", it's not going to be interesting to someone not a runner. They won't really get it.
Although the leadership questions bother me, I could see the merit of asking them (except I don't think it is worth the multiple essays I have had to write on the subject). A question that really bothers me, is when they ask "do you want us to know anything else about you" or "what should we know about you". Do they really want to know anything about me? Do they really care? Because this is what I would tell them:
I love running. I dislike it very much sometimes, but it plays a huge role in who I am. The aspect of hard work, quiet determination, and perseverence are all parts of running, and therefore they are a part of me. I also enjoy the sport of professional cycling. Those aspects I have previously described can also be found in this sport. And plus, there is just something that draws me to the sport. Which is why I follow it even though I have few people to discuss it with.
I am often described as a quiet person, which I do not enjoy, because really, I'd talk more if everyone would just shut up. I also tend to take a cynical view sometimes, when not talking about what I really love. I'm not looking forward to college because I am going to have to leave a lot of what I consider me behind. I won't have any practices to go to, or teammates to cheer on. I won't get to see my friends everyday, I'll have to live somewhere else, I'll be forced to make my own decisions, I'm not going to know the teachers, and I don't even get a locker. I kind of like what I have now and am not exactly thrilled about having to change.
I am going to major in engineering because of the process of elimination of all the careers I do not like. My favorite school subject is history but there is no real career in that besides teaching. I really only like male teachers, because they treat you like adults and not little kids, and plus most kids hate history so it would not be enjoyable teaching them. One of my friends (whom I have many sarcastic, cynical conversations with) once asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up. He told me he wanted to be a migrant farm worker. I told him I wanted to be a podium girl in the Tour de France. Which is really what I'd rather do,
And now I would like to thank the scholarship commmitte for reading my essay about me. I am not the prime example of the potential of greatness of our youth. That's because I am a real person who has unique hobbies and decision making issues. And that is what you should know about me. Besides the fact that I was tired of filling out scholarships midway through my first one.
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
IT'S A NEW DAY
Having been inspired by President Obama's (doesn't that sound cool?) inauguration and the multiple Obama songs by Will.I.Am, I'm getting into this "it's a new day" thing. I actually did a lot of my homework before I needed to, I've already ran over two 7 mile runs this week, I'm at 23.8 miles with two more days of running to go, and I got a new haircut that I actually like. And I talked to my coach this morning and have been thinking about my schedule next year instead of ignoring it.
Of course, I've done all this great stuff this week but nobody seems to care. All any adult seems to be concerned with now is the future. Not that I'm not concerned with the future, I do support President Obama, but it just seems so far away. I like being a kid. I like my school, my friends, my xc and track team, sometimes even my coach. I like my meets, my classes, my teachers, my new haircut, and playing the sims. I even like being told what to do. It seems like when I make the "big move" and go to college, I'll have to give it all up. I'm not sure I want that kind of change though. I don't like making all these big decisions and trying to find a career while everyone still treats you like a kid. It's just so.....overwhelming.
Adults seem to be keeping everything a secret. I still am confused about next year's classes not to mention the whole college/find your major thing. I don't know what college I want to go to or what I want to major in. I ask people for suggestions but they all say something like "it's your decision". But the reason I ask is that there are so many jobs out there, so much stuff I could do. It's an important decision that nobody seems to tell you anything about. It's not an easy decision either.
I like math. At least I thought I did until we began learning calculus. Imaginary numbers now seem easy compared to this. I like history. A.P. World History was so much fun and it was very interesting. U.S. History isn't as fun but I really like learning all these little facts about the people who made the world the way it is now. But do you suppose you could find a major dealing with history and math? If you like math, you're supposed to like science. I do not like science. Possible because every science teacher but one, I've disliked, but also because it's just so.....boring. It also has to do with the fact that I kind of get it, but no one ever forces me to really know the information, so then again I don't get it. I don't want a career in science, but math and science go hand in hand it seems.
I've thought about engineering because that's obviously math related. I even looked up the different kinds of engineering on wikipedia and various other sites. Most sites just give you a basic overview of what engineering involves. Nobody seems to answer my question of what engineers really do. Does anybody know or do they just avoid answering the question? I can't decide on a college major if I don't even know what half of them are about. It's such a confusing process.
Now I've rambled on and not really solved anything, but I have figured out that I will figure this out somehow. Because "it's a new day" and I just need to take advantage of that. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself anyways. I'm still a kid, no matter what adults are trying to convince me of. This realization calls for some kind of youthful activity. Sledding and playing computer games are now more appealing than they have been.
Of course, I've done all this great stuff this week but nobody seems to care. All any adult seems to be concerned with now is the future. Not that I'm not concerned with the future, I do support President Obama, but it just seems so far away. I like being a kid. I like my school, my friends, my xc and track team, sometimes even my coach. I like my meets, my classes, my teachers, my new haircut, and playing the sims. I even like being told what to do. It seems like when I make the "big move" and go to college, I'll have to give it all up. I'm not sure I want that kind of change though. I don't like making all these big decisions and trying to find a career while everyone still treats you like a kid. It's just so.....overwhelming.
Adults seem to be keeping everything a secret. I still am confused about next year's classes not to mention the whole college/find your major thing. I don't know what college I want to go to or what I want to major in. I ask people for suggestions but they all say something like "it's your decision". But the reason I ask is that there are so many jobs out there, so much stuff I could do. It's an important decision that nobody seems to tell you anything about. It's not an easy decision either.
I like math. At least I thought I did until we began learning calculus. Imaginary numbers now seem easy compared to this. I like history. A.P. World History was so much fun and it was very interesting. U.S. History isn't as fun but I really like learning all these little facts about the people who made the world the way it is now. But do you suppose you could find a major dealing with history and math? If you like math, you're supposed to like science. I do not like science. Possible because every science teacher but one, I've disliked, but also because it's just so.....boring. It also has to do with the fact that I kind of get it, but no one ever forces me to really know the information, so then again I don't get it. I don't want a career in science, but math and science go hand in hand it seems.
I've thought about engineering because that's obviously math related. I even looked up the different kinds of engineering on wikipedia and various other sites. Most sites just give you a basic overview of what engineering involves. Nobody seems to answer my question of what engineers really do. Does anybody know or do they just avoid answering the question? I can't decide on a college major if I don't even know what half of them are about. It's such a confusing process.
Now I've rambled on and not really solved anything, but I have figured out that I will figure this out somehow. Because "it's a new day" and I just need to take advantage of that. Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself anyways. I'm still a kid, no matter what adults are trying to convince me of. This realization calls for some kind of youthful activity. Sledding and playing computer games are now more appealing than they have been.
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