Obstacles and Future Aspirations by Atirolaoluwa

Obstacles and Future Aspirations by Atirolaoluwa - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

I felt like crying, but I didn’t. Instead, I experienced a basic epiphany: you win some, you lose some. But I haven’t felt what a loss felt like in a long time. When I saw that 89 on my semester report card, I felt that all my work was for nothing. At 10 years old, I promised myself that I’d never fall behind a class or I’d get all A’s throughout high school. That dream of mine was shattered the moment I saw my grade for my AP English Literature class. Despite this, I was surprisingly fine. I just thought “what would my 10-year- old self think?”.

Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to be the best version of myself. This was mainly because my peers doubted me. From their perspective, I was seen as a traditional, African kid that probably had no water growing up. My classmates’ sarcasm interrupted my growth because at that age, I began to doubt what I could do and often questioned my identity. I questioned why I was born Nigerian. However, there was one thing that held me together- it was my perseverance. At a young age, I wanted to prove to everyone that I can be great in life, and I can succeed despites the odds. This was the beginning of striving for academic perfection

Ever since then, I have received the highest honors, awards, and grades while balancing other responsibilities. I put myself in this shell that my grades speak for my effort. If I got below a 90 on an assignment my skin would tremble, and my ears would flare. It got worse when I began to compare myself to everyone else and compare my achievements. I belittled myself into thinking that “this is not enough”. So, when I saw that 89 on my paper, it felt like the world ended, it felt like my efforts were put on hold, except they weren’t. You see, I realized my perseverance shouldn’t be fixed in every success but also present in what I consider failures. I learned that being fearful of an 89 on my report card also conveyed my perseverance. What matters in the end is my goal: being someone great in life and that person that wins against all odds. However, this doesn’t include a required grade or a certain number of achievements. It resonates in growth and grit.

Ever since I was a child, I have been pushed towards the goal of being the best person I could possibly be academically, but as I go into senior year, I hope I can see it’s okay to fail. It’s okay if you don’t get into your dream college. This year, I want to focus on being present, whether that means applying to colleges that align with who I am, mentoring younger students who struggle like I once did, or choosing class that challenges me in new ways without fear of failure. I now believe that failures are redirection that could ultimately add to your identity. Using what I’ve learned, I hope to continue to bloom as an individual and use my values after high school and towards my career.