Self- Awareness is my strength not my setback by Oladele

Self- Awareness is my strength not my setback by Oladele - January 2026 Scholarship Essay

I remember the first letter I wrote, it was to my parents, expressing how sorry I was to disappoint them because of the fact that I didn't do well on a math exam at the age of 12. I think I was more scared of what they thought of me than the grade itself. Since that moment, I have permitted myself to struggle to never disappoint them or myself again. In doing so, I sacrificed so much of myself, creating even more challenges, so much so that it was too much to talk about, but were my struggles even important to talk about? No, wait, going through these challenges will help me become the best. Right? The strength I discovered within myself at that moment was self-awareness, the ability to acknowledge my struggles and use them as a foundation for growth rather than a source of shame. Understanding this new strength, I want to go into medicine and specialize in a neuro-focused career because they work on investigating the hidden struggles in the mind. Whether it's emotional, like mental health, or physical, like a brain tumor. I want to help people through these situations, especially with the type of pain that isn't visible to others.
“How much bandwidth is this exam worth?” This is one of the recurring questions I had asked myself when procrastinating from an exam. Giving all of myself towards school and no time for me would account for that. During junior year, while studying for the Anatomy and Physiology final, my mind was so overworked that I broke down. I did not understand at the time that constantly overwhelming my brain can influence my way of working through challenges and create mental health worries.
Coming from a Nigerian family, my parents were always striving for me to be successful; that isn't anything that's new when a child comes from a cultured background. I have always pushed myself to meet their high standards, but soon I began to blur their high standards with my own. I was always going to be chasing a “better” version of myself. Of course, I will always have more to improve on, but should I overlook all of my accomplishments to keep trying to achieve an idealized version of myself? It is fascinating how our brains can change our self-perception when we focus on what we lack rather than what we have achieved. From being a child who was at risk of being set back in the first grade and having a speech impairment to being accepted into a program that combines both high school and college work, where I confidently give presentations, I have come a long way and I should not let a few minor setbacks turn into a major setback by focusing on it too long rather than learning and moving on from it.
I could not be on the path of helping others without recognizing my own challenges. I had to learn to give myself grace and prepare for the upcoming challenges, and growth was a big part of that development. Participating in a police academy in my city and serving on the executive board of nonprofits focused on helping others, I have developed the value of empathy and patience, as well as leadership skills. All these experiences allow me to contribute to my campus by creating an environment of service and engaging with my community through community service and getting involved with mental health concerns. I also want to excel in mentorship to guide my peers through any challenges they may face by encouraging personal growth and prompting peer support. Earning a biomedical engineering degree will give me the foundation needed to excel in a neuro-focused career. I can help others with what I have struggled with, and remind myself and my patients that everybody is somebody, even if they don't realize it. I want to be the person who helps them realize that their complexities are real and important, something I had to learn for myself.