Fueling My Future by Cailin

Fueling My Future by Cailin - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

Does food really fuel your mind? A year ago, my answer would have been no. I believed skipping breakfast before school or avoiding food before practice or the gym made no difference. I thought I functioned fine without properly fueling my body. I was constantly tired and frequently experienced headaches, but I just guessed it was because I did not get enough sleep. At the beginning of my senior year, I made an effort to eat breakfast before school and pack snacks to eat throughout the day. I stuck to it for about a month and then stopped. I was rushing out the door to school without eating. Additionally, I was not leaving time to plan snacks. I was allowing the stress of my day to impact my nutrition. Because of my level of activity with softball and field hockey, I began to notice weakness and exhaustion again. My wake-up call came one day when I weighed myself and realized that I was underweight. It scared me. Knowing I will be playing college softball made me begin to worry that I was setting myself up for failure. I decided that day I needed to change. I took initiative and began researching how to properly fuel myself as a female athlete. I discovered that I needed to eat more protein and other healthy foods throughout the day rather than small amounts of food and empty calories. I committed to preparing intentional, balanced meals. Once I prioritized consistent eating, my performance improved significantly. I can accomplish much more throughout the day now without fatigue or headaches. I have become stronger physically and mentally, developing a positive change in my academic and athletic achievements. I can complete my work much faster now because I am more focused and motivated to study or complete assignments. I have seen measurable progress in the gym. Lifting heavier weights has benefited me as I prepare for college softball. I have built stamina and set a new personal record for pitching. Starting these small habits has laid a strong foundation for me. It has made me realize what good self-care looks like as well as how I can follow it to set myself up for success. I now realize that taking care of myself isn’t something that is optional. It is something I can’t do once or twice a week. It requires daily commitment. I am the only person who can control my life and set myself up to perform at my full potential. Building this small habit, even though it has pushed me outside of my comfort zone, has created a positive outcome in just a few months. It motivates me to continue making small, intentional choices that help me grow and develop into a stronger individual.