an accomplishment, event, or realization essay
Prompt: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. I wanted to convey how the college deciding period has been a period of soul searching whereby, I was finally able to do what I actually wanted to do.
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As I embark on this new journey I have tried to dig deep and truly understand myself. In this process I have realized that I have been living to fulfill the expectations of others.
Growing up in a traditional kingdom, I thought that the only way to reciprocate my parents' love and support was to work hard. I therefore lived according to my society's paradigm of a model student: I excelled in academics, I never caused any trouble and I got along well with my peers. In tenth grade, I got a full scholarship to the best school in our country, Ugyen Academy. Yet again, in twelfth grade, I was the top "all-rounder" in the national exams, placing second in biology and third in math. For this, I was awarded one of the two fully funded slots to the best medical school in India, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (where the course is the same as in England). I was celebrated in my rural Himalayan community where being a doctor conveys instant prestige. "Finally! A doctor in the family," they would say. But all these praises disappeared into the nothingness that washed over me. After all these years, my hard work had finally paid off. I expected to feel profound satisfaction upon this achievement. But instead I felt lost and unhappy. I could not comprehend why or what I was feeling. Existential questions daunted me for weeks...then days until I finally found a new perspective on my life.
It was 3:00 am. "Beep beep" the notification from my phone forced its way into my dream. As I struggled to see the bright screen, I realized that my sister had just forwarded me a link to her NASA internship presentation. Half awake, I reluctantly got up and clicked the link. As I watched her, my slumber was lifted instantly. Her black blazer traced her delicate features as she spoke with a flair that captivated me. She had grown so much: a timid girl who could barely speak up was now talking about her work to alleviate human-elephant conflict in Southern Bhutan. That was when it dawned upon me. I wanted to become like her: empowered with a voice that was heard but I was not going to achieve that in medical school.
All my life, I lived with the burden of expectations. Afraid of disappointing others, I created an identity for myself that people would love and appreciate. All the while, locking my true self away in the depths of my heart. Eventually, I began to perceive their expectations of me as my purpose in life. The mask I had on made me lose myself along the way. But now finally, this masquerade of an illusion I had built has finally shattered. For the first time, I can clearly see the path I want to take. For the past thirteen years of my life, I studied just for the sake of acing the test. I became skillful at retaining what my teachers said and regurgitating it on tests. But now, I want to learn to think critically and combine my love of science, math and topics in a form that is meaningful for me. I realize that college should be my chance to transition into the person I want to become: an empowered woman. As I look into my future, I believe I can best achieve reach my full potential through a liberal arts education in America.
On this new journey, I seek personal growth instead of approval from others. people call me crazy for skipping an excellent medical school education that would "make" my future, I feel excited to pursue the adventure of exploring myself. My journey is scary and the destination is uncertain, but I am ready because for the first time in my life I am doing it for myself and not for others.