Undergraduate / 'stop thinking unrealistically' If it's still on your mind, then it's worth taking the risk; Barnard [3]

Hi guys! I'd really appreciate some advice for this essay :)

C. Alumna and writer Anna Quindlen says that she "majored in unafraid" at Barnard. Tell us about a time when you majored in unafraid. (250 word limit)

Whenever I proposed an idea, the first thing that everyone responded: 'you should stop thinking unrealistically.' It bothered me yet it made me wonder whether they were right, whether I was setting myself for failure. However, this was my drive for motivation to achieve my aims and objectives - this is what made me who I am today, a passionate woman striving for her goals.

Nevertheless, the last year of high school reached a climax. This was not because of the stress load of examination prep, but because of my supposedly hyperbolical goals. I was faced with constant pressure from my friends and family, all of whom seem to oppose my saying: 'I will do this!'. If I asked for an opinion, my friend abruptly responded: 'give up.' If I spoke with my father, he teased: 'That's beyond your comprehension.' Beyond my comprehension? Did I need step down to prove my peers that they were right? I refused. Regardless of how psychologically enervating things were, I did not give up. I did not step back but instead, pushed myself even further to prove myself that I am capable. Although my decision brought along a series of debates and isolation from my surroundings, I achieved my goal both academically and personally. This is what I majored in unafraid - believing in yourself while standing alone along the journey.

From that day, I believed in one thing: If it's still on your mind, then it's worth taking the risk.