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Emma Stavola

Scharf

ERWC

April 25, 2022

SPEP Reflection Essay

I had never planned to do anything other than go to a four year university to study engineering;

that is until our current Covid-19 situation. Up until this senior year, I had pushed myself to take as many

AP and IB courses as I could possibly manage, keep my GPA high, and accel in all my courses. My plans

were changed when I was challenged by distance learning, nationwide lockdown, and the stresses of the

pandemic. This led to difficulty managing these advanced applications. I became less motivated,

determined, and somewhat gave up on my plans. My GPA plummeted, and I failed two classes, one

during my Sophomore year of high school, and the other during my junior year. My priorities needed to

get back on track, as they had a direction change during this time. Moving onto my senior year, I made

sure to try my hardest to stay organized, on top of my assignments, and manage my time better. I found

ways to motivate myself, such as waking up early and going on a walk, so I would be in the right

headspace to do school work. I have strengthened my time management skills and have made my

education my first priority. Although I still have obstacles to overcome, and moments where I fall off

track, I have learned what works best according to myself and my learning style.

This time of struggle influenced the choices I planned to make moving forward. For one, I now

plan on going to a community college for two years, following transferring to a four year university.

Preparation and money are two of the most contributing factors to this decision. I have realized that I am

not be as ready as I would like to be to leave home and be independent of my family. I plan to save money

by working, gain experience working, and mature as a person and student prior to going away. I have

never had a job, or any financial responsibility, and that is an area I plan to focus on while still at home.

Furthermore, I have always wanted to go to a well-known, competitive university, however, with my

failures in the past years of high school, that plan is no longer available. When I look at this fact however,
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I am not disappointed. Instead, I am appreciative of the opportunity it has brought me. I have now been

able to realize how beneficial it truly is to go to a community college. I can continue to grow and prepare

for adulthood, while saving money and receiving my general education. I will then be able to utilize this

chance to transfer to a college that I really want to go to.

Lastly, my area of interest has been greatly influenced in the past four years. Going into high

school, I was set on someday becoming an engineer, or author– two vastly different areas, I know.

However, through high school I have been drawn to neuroscience and philosophy. With maturity came

new interests. While at home during online learning, and lockdown, I came face to face with this new

attraction. I never truly knew much about philosophy, or what it surrounded. I also never realized how

drawn I would be to the study of the nervous system. I started researching, and learning more about these

areas in my free time. I found pleasure in watching documentaries and reading articles surrounding these

subjects, which I had never felt before. Because of this, my desired major has changed, as well as my

future career path. I now plan on studying neurobiology, and hopefully implementing philosophy into my

years of college. My career choice is still to be decided, however, I luckily have time to learn more about

the different opportunities available, and make a decision.

All around, the impacts Covid-19 has had on my life has changed me as a person, leading to

changes in my future plans. Personally, I would not have wanted it any other way. I have grown from my

failures, and become a person I love.