Reason to Become by Dasha

Reason to Become by Dasha - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

Never in my 20 years of living did I ever think I would land myself in surgery because of a serious injury from my sport. Maybe it was the naïve optimism that told me the universe would always be on my side but nonetheless it happened. Being told I have torn not only my ACL but also my meniscus shattered my soul for a while. I recently transferred out of a university and was on my way to play volleyball in august at another college when I was told I needed to take almost a year off to recover. Being unable to walk for around 2 months made me understand what goals I have for this upcoming school year.
For one I have to ease myself into not relying heavily on other people so much. Right after surgery I needed a lot of help getting around the house and doing everyday things. My mom would cook my all of my meals and helped drive me to physical therapy multiple times per week. I feel desperate to gain my independence back because I will soon have to move to college out of state where I will be alone. I will need to go to classes and interact with people while being away from my family and friends.
My other goal is to take care of my mental health and find happiness in things other than volleyball. Before my injury I was desperate to get better at my sport and land a spot at a university to play volleyball at their program. I would practice for one hour as well as go to the gym and train my muscles/ endurance for another hour every day. My brain was full of nothing but volleyball for around 3 years straight. Although this recent injury stopped me from playing my favorite sport, I feel as though it happened for a reason. My motivation for finding happiness in painting or learning Japanese comes from the fact that I have so much time just for these hobbies in this particular moment of my life. Also keeping my mental health during this period is so important because it dictates how I won’t let this injury stop me from becoming who I want to become.