Prioritizing a lifetime of experiences, thoughts, emotions, accomplishments, hopes and dreams in a 900 word capacity white box seems nothing short of an arduous task. Why then face this task? Why not avoid it altogether and seek comfort instead? These are the same questions that every individual faces in every task they undertake. How someone decides to answer these questions determines how they develop as an individual. Through this observation, it becomes clear that in life one can choose to either avoid the fear and insecurity that comes with challenges, or accept them in an attempt to accomplish something that might actually be worth it. . As I grew up, I sought out the first approach. In elementary school and middle school, I only wanted to complete the tasks presented to me and do the bare minimum to achieve what I considered an acceptable result. I did it pretty easily and continued even through my freshman year of high school. However, during this time, I found myself very numb to everything around me. The feeling was one of lost fervor; a dulled flame that had once burned like an inspiring ray of light. I became aware of this feeling and began to look for the source within. I started observing my daily interactions, habits and activities until the problem slowly dawned on me: I had no inner motivation because I wasn't looking for any challenge. I let each week pass with little variation and new experiences were rare. I lived in a world of security and regularity, and in that world I had allowed myself to forget one of the most crucial points of a being's existence: the pursuit of passion. It was from this moment of realization that I decided to truly e.. .... middle of paper ......ocks along the way. Unfortunately, the first of these blocks, and perhaps the most damaging, is one that I cannot overcome alone. The financial hurdle I face in traveling to Ohio State's central campus in Columbus is indeed enormous. Having my aspirations stopped by a few dollar signs is something that can literally be heartbreaking, but I won't let my financial situation stop me from doing my best to get where I want to go. I really can't say how grateful I am to have had the help I needed to get to this point, because without it, I wouldn't even be typing this statement right now. I just want to be able to look back on a new crowd, full of brand new people and experiences, and, as I take my engineering degree in hand, know that I finally have the opportunity and ability to give back and reach out to help others. just like I was helped along the way.