Seeing The Value in My Own Story by Anastasija
Anastasija's entry into Varsity Tutor's January 2025 scholarship contest
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Seeing The Value in My Own Story by Anastasija - January 2025 Scholarship Essay
The impact of a mentor can be subtle yet profound—a quiet force that reshapes how you see yourself and your potential. For me, that mentor was my English professor, who didn’t just teach literature and grammar; he taught me to recognize the value in my own story.
When I first entered the Collegiate Academy (dual enrollment), I didn’t give much thought to what it meant to be a first-generation college student. My parents worked long hours, and though their sacrifices made my education possible, they couldn’t guide me through the complexities of it. English wasn’t my first language, and navigating an academic environment often meant figuring things out on my own, without a clear roadmap.
In an early assignment, I wrote about these challenges—how growing up in a household where daily responsibilities often took precedence over schoolwork shaped my relationship with education. I reflected on teaching myself words that my classmates had already learned and struggling to find my place in a system where I had to take the initiative. Though my parents couldn’t provide academic guidance, I found tools like audiobooks that helped me navigate my challenges and grow.
When my professor handed back my essay, I expected the usual corrections and comments on sentence structure. But instead, I found a note scrawled in the margins: “I’m so glad you’re in the Collegiate Academy. I’m honored to be your teacher.” Reading his words, tears welled up in my eyes. It wasn’t just feedback—it was recognition of what I had accomplished, and that validation meant everything.
He reminded me that my perspective was an asset, not a limitation. He taught me that stories—even messy, complicated ones—carry power. His belief in me sparked a shift in how I viewed myself, turning my challenges into sources of strength. This is the kind of impact a mentor can have—changing not only how I see my education, but also how I see myself.
