Ella Espiritu, Period 2, 10/05/20, Day A

 

• At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

Like all of my fellow seniors, my current goal is to complete my college applications so that I can have an education and hopefully a stable future. At this point in time, I'm focusing on filling out the Common App and perfecting my college essay. This year in particular, the personal essays carry much weight because of the pandemic and the subsequent cancellation of SATs, so it's imperative that I try to pour as much of my personality and personal experiences as possible into what is both too many and not nearly enough words. Although I've written dozens of essays before this, I still felt massively underprepared to write so much about myself, not just in the Common App essay, but in the supplemental questions that many schools require. It's definitely a new experience having to self-reflect so much at one time, and honestly I find it exhausting. Because of this, a large part of my goal involves finishing my applications while still keeping my own life on track by keeping up with school work and remembering to spend time with my family whenever I can.

 

• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I've struggled a lot in keeping up with this goal. I can't honestly say that I haven't procrastinated on it, especially because thinking about the application process gives me considerable anxiety, and I've had so many excuses to put it off. But recently, I've been more productive towards reaching this goal. I've started working on my supplements and registered for more online information sessions and interviews. By reaching out to other students and even by reading their blogs, I now realize that I'm not alone in this struggle, and that I still have a lot of work and improvement to get through if I am to reach my goal. So although I've procrastinated more than I'd like to admit, I'm trying my hardest to put my previous negativity behind me and power through this emotionally gruelling process as generations of students have done before me.

 

• How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

If the current pandemic has taught me anything, it's that life goes on. No matter how much things seem to have halted outside our walls, no matter how much we may wish to separate ourselves from the tragedy and destruction we have heard of, it doesn't give us an excuse to become detached from the world. Especially in an age where communication is at its very fastest and most efficient, we have reason to stay hopeful and continue with our lives, if not exactly as we would have otherwise done. This new appreciation for my still-turning world has galvanized me into action for my college apps. I've realized that I've been using the negativity of the recent events as a distraction, an excuse to turn my back on what really matters. The world will still be there when we emerge from quarantine (whenever that may be); definitely not the same world, but one still worth living in. And we need to be ready to be a part of it when the time comes.