Catherine A. Mote
L.C. Anderson High School
Class of 2008
Nine years old, a long summer spent with a box of rainbow colored crayons and some old books. Hours spent in my father’s office while he typed rhythmically away at his computer, grading what seemed like thousands of exams. It’s as if I grew up in that office, those summers. Although they were unbearably dreary at the time, looking back I’ve come to realize how much the summers spent with my father truly shaped my stance on education and college.
Walking down those university halls, gazing up into the faces of college students who were larger than life to me, I began to imagine my future. A future filled with learning experiences, new and diverse friends, and most importantly a better understanding of knowledge and the universe. I desperately longed to be like those students my dad spent so much time mentoring and challenging to reach their maximum potential. I gradually came to realize over that summer, that the potential my dad was encouraging his students to achieve was the same high standard I sought for myself.
My dad was a university professor, as were his father and grandfather before him, so the desire for learning and higher education has been in my blood since I was born. However, I didn’t possess a full understanding of the importance of a college education until I opened my eyes and witnessed the wonderment of education in process. I remember how I felt while observing one of my dad’s college classes in session; there was a certain atmosphere in the classroom, one of excitement which radiated from my dad and was reflected in the eyes of his students. They truly appeared to be absorbing the knowledge he was revealing to them. There was a contagiousness of the desire to learn and grow in that room, one that even a young, inexperienced nine-year-old girl could easily see.
After watching and being inspired by college students in action, picturing myself as one of them became a concrete vision for my future. It was impossible to envision a purpose in my life if I didn’t acquire an advanced education. I was certain that I had a calling to reach my highest potential and to develop my mind to its entirety so that I would be well equipped to offer my best to the world and my community.
Although still uncertain about which field of study my life and my abilities are meant for, I am sure that all of the majors I have been considering have the capability of allowing me to assist others. For example, the medical field is one area that has been of interest to me since I was young. Recently I have narrowed that broad spectrum down to the areas of physical or speech therapy.
A career in physical therapy would enable me to help rehabilitate several different types of people in my community, from adolescents and young children who have mobility problems, to accident victims, to the elderly who have survived tragic strokes, and even to soldiers returning from war who have suffered injuries and are in need of assistance to facilitate their recovery. Similarly, to pursue a career in speech therapy would allow me to aid those same groups of people; young children who are linguistically-challenged, elderly stroke victims, and accident survivors whose speech has been affected.
There are numerous other careers I feel drawn to which would also offer me opportunities to make an impact in the world, such as a legal procession or a career in public relations. Regardless of which path I select, a higher education will prove beneficial not only to me but also to humanity as a whole. Although many factors have influenced my desire for education, the summer of 1999 still lingers in my mind as the defining experience that cemented my decision to go to college.