Taking things one step at a time by Olajumoke

Taking things one step at a time by Olajumoke - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

As an incoming sophomore in college, my aspirations have always involved high achieving goals. But my freshman year of college made me realize that it's okay to aim high and have big aspirations but also to just enjoy the present and as my essay title says, “taking things one step at a time.”

My freshman year was filled with various experiences as someone who went away from home and had a lot of emotions throughout that experience. By my second semester, I finally felt like I got the hang of things in all aspects of my life whether socially, mentally, and even academically. Freshman year second semester became one of the best times in my life and it all started with a change in mindset, where I am just living in the present.
Everyone says that the 4 years in college or for some people 3, fly by so quickly and I choose not to believe them. Even just looking back it's crazy how time has flown that I'm entering my sophomore year in a few weeks.
This practice of living in the present is something that I am wanting to practice especially this upcoming school year but also in my life in general. This is something that my Dad has always harped on but I was always a constant worrier and someone who always thought about the future and all that came with it.
However, after freshman year I realized that I should've been more present and I'm glad I started to do that towards the end but now I have to carry that energy into the upcoming school year. Personally I am motivated by the feeling that being present gives me, it's never something that I regret.
To me, being present is defined as being involved and interactive with whatever is being presented to you at the moment. This could simply look like not looking at your phone when someone is talking to you(most common example), but also just being engaging in conversations and in your actions.
For this upcoming school year, entering my second year I have big aspirations as someone who would describe herself as ambitious, but my biggest goal besides of course getting good grades, and balancing all aspects of my life is to be present during it all and simply enjoy my years in college.