The Factors of High School That No One Talks About by Ka’Nia

The Factors of High School That No One Talks About by Ka’Nia - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

Have you ever got a call that changed your life? Imagine that it was a great year with a great friend group. Throughout the year you branched out and got more involved which was always the plan. You took on more leadership roles and began to participate more after being so sheltered at the start of the year. After your first year of high school you did it again. Another start and end of a great year, much more involvement and way more opportunities. Then your junior year comes around. Since the time I was in middle school everyone constantly told me that my junior year of high school would be hard. Due to my experiences the past years I thought things were going to be great but I was wrong. I didn’t believe that things could turn around in a blink of an eye.
When a family gets sick it’s always a sort of sadness that is brought upon you. But for someone you would never expect it could be even worse. My mom got diagnosed with lung and ovarian cancer. It was a shocker to me of course, I was in disbelief. Tears began falling at such a fast pace I couldn't keep up what was really happening. My first thought was to go home, to break down in front of people after being so strong can be an embarrassing moment. Once I arrived home I cried and cried. I could have looked at the situation differently, but all I could imagine was the worst case scenario. I didn’t go to school the next day. I was mentally drained. I didn't know what my next move would be or how I could overcome this. Slacking has become normal for me. Slacking as a leader, a student, and a friend. In a time like this you just don’t know what to do but expect the worst. After bedrotting for long enough I went back to school.
I wasn’t the same Ka’Nia, there were just times I broke down in school and gave no effort. This was one of the hardest challenges I’ve ever faced. For it to already be a hard year this added on tons of more distractions. I never really liked people to know what was going on. But I finally built up the courage to let staff members at my school know. They were there for me through it all. If I needed a shoulder to cry on they were there, if I needed someone to talk to they were there. During hard times it’s always good to have a support system and that’s what I learned. Having a shoulder to lean on can always be a relief. A relief to know someone understands you and is there for you. When you keep your feelings bottled up it can tear you apart.
From this experience, I’ve learned so much. This year created me to become better than who I was before. When stuff goes wrong it’s not the ending. God throws challenges at everyone and it is for you to figure out how to move through it gracefully. With these hard challenges you never need to let yourself go. It is a true lesson that can be learnt. When hardships are thrown at me today it is for me to face it as best as I can while using my support system. I believed that I had to be perfect through everything and I had to realize that wasn’t true. No one is perfect. Throughout the rest of the year I gained much confidence and more problem solving skills. I knew what my purpose was. It was to spread happiness and joy by letting others know it’s okay to grieve while still making sure that I am okay. It is very important to take care of yourself if that means a mental break or just a self care day. We all go through struggles and no one is better than the other. It is just the way you move through it. You cannot let a challenge break you no matter what the outcome is.