Ending My Sleepless Nights by Olivia

Ending My Sleepless Nights by Olivia - August 2025 Scholarship Essay

As a high school senior, the upcoming school year will be filled with many things to look forward to, including college applications, the basketball and track seasons, IB testing, and the homecoming and prom dances. Since this year will be fast-paced and exciting, I aspire to maintain a positive mental health, which will allow me to enjoy and excel in my academic and extracurricular activities.
From pulling all-nighters to obsessing over test grades, I’ve always put school over my mental health. Drowning myself in research papers and transcripts concealed what truly mattered: enjoying the things that high school has thrown my way. Instead of dreading upcoming tests and challenges, I want to look forward to them as stepping stones to grow as a person. To savor my last moments of high school to the fullest extent, I know that my habits must change.
First, I must change my mindset around school. No longer will I have to dread taking tests. Instead, I will look forward to and excel at test-taking. Overcoming challenges and doing hard things is a privilege; I will get the opportunity to demonstrate my skills and develop my growth as a student. By appreciating the lessons that will enable me to thrive, I can stop looking at school as an obsession and more as a healthy, insightful place to learn and be curious. I’ve always thought prioritizing school over my mental health would positively affect my grades, but I have come to realize that it’s the exact opposite. This upcoming school year, I will prioritize my mental health by being proactive in my studies. In my free-time, I will complete assignments well in advance to avoid being swamped with work later. Studying for tests at least three days in advance will ensure that I understand the course material, and going to sleep before ten o’clock will positively impact my physical and mental health.
Prioritizing my mental health, academically, will allow me to enjoy the social and extracurricular realms of high school. I’ll be able to look forward to winning the state championship in basketball, hitting new personal records in shot put and discus, wearing beautiful dresses at the homecoming and prom dances, and enjoying my senior year with friends. I will be able to excel not only academically, but also mentally. Beyond high school, being kinder to myself now will teach me valuable lessons later in the future. Ten years from now, the patients that I will serve as a cardiothoracic surgeon deserve someone who has a positive attitude, sound mind, and has comprehensively learned the material that will save their lives.