The First Blossom of Leadership by Mekenzie

The First Blossom of Leadership by Mekenzie - March 2015 Scholarship Essay

The first blossom of leadership, before one can bloom and take on the incredible task of leading others, is self-advocacy. By standing up for yourself, making your own decisions and reaching out when help is needed you are learning how to lead, by leading yourself. I could never have rallied the girls in my boat to push themselves to new limits in the biggest head race in the world if I didn't even have the motivation to wake myself up in the morning.

Self-advocacy will be important in college. In college, you are thrown into a tank amongst thousands of other fish, name unknown and the identity you formed in high school is lost. You have to remake your identity. In a class of one hundred people you have to make it known that you are hungry for knowledge and understanding. Taking five minutes to ask the professor a question left over from the lecture will not only further your learning, but it will also make an impression. This seemingly minor decision could make you the go-to student when there is an opportunity for internship in that course’s field.

Another form of self-advocacy is saying no to something that is potentially unsafe or injurious to your life. There is no denying the fact that some questionable activities happen on college campuses. It is understood that coming into contact with these activities is quite nerve racking and can make even the strongest minds sway. It certainly takes power to reject temptations when they are thrown in your direction, but with a budding blossom of leadership it is completely possible.

The thing about positive example is that there will always be someone willing to follow it. When you make decisions that better yourself and your life, others will catch on in hope that their lives, like yours, will be enriched. Leadership is contagious, and if you bring it to your college the outcome can only be positive. For this reason, leadership, along with a shower caddy and twin sized sheets, is one of the most important things to bring to college.