Hard Things Are Worth It by Ava

Hard Things Are Worth It by Ava - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

When I walked into the classroom for my Introduction to Philosophy class, I felt like an imposter. I had already joined the class late due to a difficulty in enrollment and it felt like everyone was miles ahead of me. The professor spoke of words and processes I had never heard before. The students sat attentive and were eager to respond to any comment or question provided. Meanwhile, I sat in the back of the classroom, scrambling to write notes on what the professor said while simultaneously trying to make sense of what I was being told. I had my laptop open, rushing to google what words meant in a philosophical context as they spilled out of the professor’s mouth. I had my pencil in my hand with my notebook open as the teacher flicked through slide after slide on a reading that I did not even have any knowledge of. She asked about figures like Plato and Socrates and was found with overwhelming familiarity amongst everyone except me.
When that class was over after an hour and a half, I walked out feeling like my brain had been fried. There were random words and formulas, which was completely unexpected as philosophy was the last subject I suspected would have any form of math, floating around my head, trying to make sense of where to land. I decided then and there, that rather than letting philosophy being my conqueror, I would tame it.
I read the assigned readings and took detailed notes, making sure to look up words or concepts I was unfamiliar with. Soon, I understood sufficient and necessary conditions. I was able to wrap my mind around utilitarianism and its place in the subject. Most of all, I began to understand how much thought and effort I needed to put into being able to understand anything in regards to philosophy. The reason I struggled so greatly in the beginning was because I was wrongfully expecting it to be something I could glance at and be done, when that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. By studying just the basics of philosophy, I have learned what it takes to truly digest something and look at it from all angles, rather than just taking the words as they are. I have learned how to dissect literature in order to make it less challenging to understand. These practices have not just been used in philosophy, but across the board for all my studies.
Taking this Intro to Philosophy course has truly changed my perspective on what learning is and should be. I can now read something and not just memorize what was said, but take and shape it in a way that allows me to truly understand and then even form my own opinion on it. Without this course, I feel that I would still be struggling to truly grasp what any author attempts to convey in their literature. Philosophy has, overall, given my brain the muscles needed to think more holistically and strengthened my ability to learn.