My Thirty Minutes by Adela

My Thirty Minutes by Adela - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

Scholarships. The one thing recommended by every advisor, every TikTok or Instagram reel, every teacher, and every counselor. “Apply for as many scholarships as you can and do it early,” they say. The advice always stuck in my head, but I never truly listened to it until recently. That is when my thirty minutes began.

My dad has always been someone who does everything he can to teach me, guide me, and support me financially. He had to learn a lot on his own throughout his life, and he wants to share everything he can with his only two daughters so we are set up for success as well. I always listened, but I also took it for granted. I never truly learned from it, and I wish I had sooner. One day, we had a sit-down talk, and reality finally clicked for me. I realized I could genuinely make a difference for myself financially in college if I simply took the time to try. I decided it was time to stop being scared and annoyed by all the ways I could help myself and actually do something.

My dad took the time to create an extensive Google Sheet and shared it with me. It includes hundreds of different scholarships, their deadlines, eligibility requirements, award amounts, and direct links to each application. He did all the hard work so I could do the tedious part. My thirty minutes.

Every day after school, the first thing I do when I get home is spend thirty minutes applying for scholarships. Just me, my computer, and my study wave frequencies. It does not matter how many scholarships I complete or how many questions I answer. As long as I spend an uninterrupted thirty minutes applying, I know I have accomplished what I needed to do. At first, I didn’t think I could get much done in such a short amount of time, but over time I realized how quickly it adds up. Thirty minutes a day is three and a half hours a week, about fourteen hours a month, and roughly eighty-four hours in six months. That is three and a half full days spent solely on my future. All from my thirty minutes.

Getting into the habit was difficult at first. I would come home from school tired and cranky, and all I wanted to do was lay in my bed. No matter how I felt, I reminded myself that I could sit down and do something for thirty minutes. Something that had the potential to help me tremendously in the future. Eventually, the dread turned into excitement. I began looking forward to those peaceful thirty minutes where I wasn’t thinking about school, work, DECA, cheer, or family responsibilities. I felt accomplished every time I closed my computer when my timer rang.

This habit also helped me build a routine. After my timer went off, I started doing Pilates or walking my dog, then heading straight to cheer practice. I found that I was less tired, more focused, and genuinely excited to be productive. What started as a small daily habit became something I looked forward to. My thirty minutes showed me that consistency matters more than motivation, and small efforts truly add up. This simple routine has made a meaningful difference in both my academic future and my personal growth, proving that sometimes all it takes is thirty minutes a day.