Undergraduate / The pandemic influence on your activities in community [3]

** First time using this website, would appreciate your opinions and advice on this essay, which I plan to send as part of my application to UBC in Vancouver. Thank you in advance! **

how the pandemic changed your involvement in the community most important to you

In 2020, Ahead of my senior year I was elected as a head prefect of the Student Christian Assembly at my high school. I had a vision for the plans and direction the community would take. Unfortunately, my dreams were never able to reach completion due to the pandemic, and as a result we were unable to hold gatherings or fulfill most of our plans and goals. However, I felt it was my responsibility to make a difference regardless of the circumstance, as I remembered the words my father always reiterated as he would say that, "you can't change your circumstances but you can change your reaction to them". Therefore, I took a proactive approach in response to the predicament I found myself in, and started a bible study group in my house (residency/dorm) and encouraged the other 6 houses on campus to do the same. At first I thought it wouldn't make much of a difference, but it quickly became popular around campus as there was an increase in the number of attendees each week, and the Christian community at our school grew bigger and stronger very quickly. Even though we couldn't gather as a larger group, we were still able to come together in our respective houses, and these smaller groups in turn seemed to be more effective. This made me aware of the fact that there isn't a single approach to the things you intend to achieve, and in fact a different, unorthodox approach may prove to be more effective in some cases. But, also that even though it may be extremely difficult at times, life's circumstances will never have the power to completely hinder your ability to succeed. The choice is always yours.