First gen by Dowan

First gen by Dowan - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

I have learned a lot over my time in college, not only about academics but also about the difficulties that accompany them. During my first year at West Virginia Wesleyan College, I encountered one of the biggest academic obstacles I had ever encountered. I was eager to get started in my classes and learn as much as I could about accounting since I was majoring in it. But I soon discovered that moving from high school to college-level academics was harder than I had thought. I started the challenge in my class, Introduction to Financial Accounting. I assumed I would naturally succeed in accounting because I had always enjoyed math and was good with numbers. However, as the semester went on, I began to struggle keep up with the class's tempo. I was struggling to understand the material, and the concepts were more complicated than I had anticipated. My grades suffered as a result of my lack of confidence. I recall being confused about what to do next and feeling overpowered. I knew I had to change if I wanted to succeed because my GPA was declining. The pivotal moment occurred when I made the decision to get assistance rather than attempting to manage everything alone. I came to see that seeking assistance was a step in the right direction rather than a show of weakness. I contacted my professor and let him know about the challenges I was having. Being sympathetic, she offered to meet with me during. to review the information during her office hours. I was able to ask questions and get a better grasp of the ideas during these one-on-one meetings, which was really beneficial. My confidence was greatly restored by my professor's encouragement and assistance. I joined a study group with some of my students and asked my professor for assistance. For me, this changed everything. Studying alongside others gave me the opportunity to observe various viewpoints and methods for resolving issues. We would get together on a regular basis to go over the content, practice solving problems, and support one another through any challenges we encountered. Learning became less daunting and more pleasurable in this collaborative setting. Additionally, I made use of the university resources.