Scholarship Essays for College Admissions

Every year, thousands of children occupy their summer vacations by attending camps that support positive values or encourage skills. From baseball to bible camps, many people experience these week-long sessions during their upbringing. However, rarely does one continue to return to camp annually; most simply “outgrow” it.
I have attended a camp which I do not recall with nostalgia, but instead remember it as a reminder of central values that have stayed with me since my youth: teamwork, respect, responsibility, and leadership. I revisit Camp Anokijig each summer, but the remaining three hundred forty days of the year I am a thousand miles away from the Anokijig community. Whenever I feel stressed from my city-life, the memory of the Anokijig’s picturesque, serene setting provides me with a tranquility I have not encountered elsewhere. In moments of emotional maelstrom, the Anokijig theme song has helped me reaffirm my dreams and refocus my ambitions, “On the loose to climb a mountain, On the loose where I am free, On the loose to live my life The way I think my life should be. For I only have a moment, And the whole world is left to see, I will be looking for tomorrow on the loose.”

I am “on the loose” seeking educational opportunities, knowing that my steadfast ambition will lead to infinite options for my future. I am not directed towards a paved pathway; I will climb the mountain of risk with fortitude. My choices for adventure are wrapped in unparalleled freedom, providing me with countless choices on the hike towards my goal. I will reside in “The way I think my life should be” to ensure my own happiness and success. However, actions must be performed in the present because my only moment is now; time’s constant passing will be my shortfall unless I act upon my dreams. I am life bound yet “On the loose” because even when I am unmotivated and melancholy, this song raises my spirits and offers me hope for the future.

Not only do the lyrics motivate me, but the strong link to Camp Anokijig reminds me of the principals which have been stitched into my being since childhood. At camp, the people represent an ideal community: one instilled with trust, compassion, and harmony because everyone acts with consideration towards one another. I know that if I continue to act with the respect exemplified at Anokijig, I will be able to live a similar, peaceful life. I will meet each of my aspirations, and I will fulfill my dreams with integrity and reverence for the “whole world left to see”.