Losing the Love of School by Brianna

Losing the Love of School by Brianna - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

Throughout school, I have always been the one to say, “I love it here” or “Is there anything more we can do for this class”. However, what people don’t see is the battle being fought in order to find that love again. One thing that the first two years of college has taught me is that love might fade, but if you keep pushing you can recover the love.
Before coming to college, I had a plan of how I wanted my time to go, how long I would study, the grades I would get, and the time I would have to devote to additional things, yet life took its toll. I suddenly felt overwhelmed by the number of things expected of me and found that I was not feeling how I use to about school. There was no more love or passion, all I felt was pressure to continue to pursue a degree I no longer wanted. The schoolwork no longer was fun, and the grades started to slip. I realized that the biggest challenge I was facing in school was trying to love academics again so I could continue.
For me to find my love again, I spent a lot of time debating on what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted it to look. I knew I wanted a degree in which I could help people, but did the degree no longer had to be my priority. Instead, my priority was taking one of my favorite subjects from high school and using it to rediscover who I am in the academic world. I decided the best way for me to face the challenge was to take it head on. I switch majors without any second thought and started studying psychology.
Once I began this program, I found that I no longer felt the pressure I once had. Instead, I was slowly starting to feel like I could study for hours on end and not feel like I had accomplished nothing. I was able to take courses that interested me and in doing so made me realize how much I wanted to be in school. I was no longer obligated to be there because of what I wanted to my name, but I was there because it brought me joy and people to share it with.
Throughout school I have learned that sometimes the challenges faced aren’t always seen by others. They are sometimes hiding within us and build up pressure like we have never felt before. However, by making the choice to face it head on even if it’s scary, we are able to refind the things that we lost in the process and feel more confident in the academic choices being made.