My Sword by Dorcas

My Sword by Dorcas - January 2020 Scholarship Essay

Every student that goes to school is similar to knights within a fairy-tale story; whose sole purpose is to train, fight, and win. For us students, our sole purpose is to study, test, and pass. As every fairy-tale fanatic knows, no knight can battle without its armor. Within this particular fairy-tale story, one of my favorite armors to battle with is my sword, which is technology. Although, a knight can fight without their sword, having a sword puts them at a greater advantage and more time can ensure their victory. As a significant armor, technology has heightened my classroom experience in areas such as school expenses, mobility, and studying tools.

Going to college can be daunting especially being faced with many requirements and responsibilities. However, for many people, their biggest issue is fees. College fees can be enormous and overwhelming, and one crucial part of college fees is school supplies. This ranges from textbooks, utensils, laptops, or any other requirement. Much like college tuition, these school supplies are required. However, with the help of technology, I can decrease and sometimes eliminate my college expenses within that area. Within my Anatomy and Physiology class, I can bring my laptop and takes notes directly into my professor's power-points, without having to worry about wasting millions of paper in an attempt to copy down 120 slides per section. Although this might be small compared to the entire fee, during my college experience, I have realized that every dollar counts, and technology makes that attainable. With technology, I can also save money by purchasing e-books that are less expensive and can be accessed anywhere. I can then put my money towards paying for tuition, extra school fees, dorm, dorm supplies, food, and even gas.

By being accessible anywhere, technology grants me more mobility. As someone who suffers from constant migraines and shoulder pain, having to carry textbooks around can be quite painful. Sometimes it means giving up my health to have the required materials. Other times it means restricting myself to my dorm room to study for fear of a broken spine. However, with the help of an e-book, I can go anywhere without an extra weight on my back.

Lastly, technology has helped me tremendously in the area of studying. In this day and age, there are several tools available online for students to use. These tools range from videos, quizlets, quizzes, articles, labs, notes, flashcards, and so much more. As a visual learner taking anatomy courses, technology becomes my number source. Last fall, in my Anatomy and Physiology class, while studying the brain, I relied heavily on videos, diagrams, and a unique website that provided a 3-D brain with all the structures and explanations. Furthermore, during dissections periods, I could easily watch professors videos to review, and also make my own quizlets to help reinforce the materials I have learned.

Overall, technology has been a massive part of my classroom experience. It has allowed me to save money and study in ways that are not only convenient but creative and effective. Although, my sword-technology does not determine my success within the classroom, it has helped in the process. Technology will continue to be a huge part of my life in and out of the classroom, and I am excited to know what new heights will follow.