Becky's Motivational Blog

“Growing Up Different” College Application Essay

For the past few weeks, I’ve been eager to find out more about my adolescent years. Since most of my speaking engagements have been in front of adolescents in the school environments, I wanted to learn more about some of my life experiences that I don’t necessarily remember. 

Today, I found a disk with my college application essays. Both academically and socially, junior year in high school was one of the toughest for me.  I applied to nine colleges, which include Boston College, Bryant College, College of the Holy Cross, George Washington University, Northeastern University, Providence College, Salve Regina University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Villanova University. I was accepted to Bryant College, Northeastern University, Providence College, Salve Regina University, and University of Massachusetts Amherst. I was wait-listed from George Washington University and Villanova University. I was turned down from Boston College and College of the Holy Cross. 

Providence College was my final choice. Although it wasn’t always easy to make friends there, I met several people who I’ve built lifelong friendships with. The best advice that I can give to anyone entering college is to get involved with activities that align with your passions. I got involved right away. I participated in Urban Action, with other entering freshmen volunteers. I was on the Sailing Team. As a Marketing major, I was a member of Future Friar Executives. In addition, I co-founded the Providence College Chapter of Toastmasters.

Here’s my essay that led me to my college experiences.  

Growing Up Different

One thing at which I have never had to try is being different. People can easily pick me out of a big crowd. I do not need to die my hair, wear gothic clothes, get body art or tattoos to get a reaction. The way people react to me is another story all together. I’m a dwarf. Often I am faced with disgraceful and discriminating comments. I usually do not let other people’s words bother me. I chose not to focus on the negative aspects of my condition, nor, other people’s reactions. People who seem to notice my difference and make negative comments about me, have a problem. They are the one’s who can’t accept me.           

For me, life is an obstacle course, with several harder phases along with some that are easier. Life is not easy being a dwarf, but I certainly try to make the best of it. There is nothing I want to change about being different, even though I do have the option. Several hospitals around the world provide dwarfs with a surgery that extends their arms and legs, making some up to twelve inches taller. I have friends who have gone through this surgery and, in a way, I feel bad for them because they could not accept the way they were born. This surgery is something I am greatly opposed to. I enjoy being different. Many people my age work at being different but I was born that way. I truly believe that I was placed on this earth as different for a reason. College will give me another opportunity to explore that reason.     

I have had eight operations in my life, and the most recent was life threatening. The surgeon cut bone out of seven of my vertebrae in order to relieve spinal cord compression. After I made my choice to have the surgery, I had to stay mentally strong in order to keep up with schoolwork while I was a nervous wreck. The four weeks between when I was told that the operation was necessary and when the actual operation took place, were very hard for me. This was even more difficult, because it was during my sophomore year of high school. I missed twenty-nine days of school. Others might have taken the school year off, but I stuck it out, choosing to stay in school. I worked harder than ever and ended the fourth term with high honors in all honors classes. Having made the choice to stay in school greatly affected me, because there were not any opportunities for breaks or vacations. The surgery was in October. After returning to school in November of that year, I had to work incredibly hard to keep up with my classes along with doing all of the make-up work, before second semester began. Since I am different, I have become accustomed to the extra effort it takes to achieve my goals.  As a college student, I am confident that this perseverance will allow me to accomplish great things within the college community.

Despite my stature, I pursue a love of sports. Participating in sports is about ten times harder for me than an average sized person, but I love the challenge. I enjoy sailing, skiing, swimming and playing soccer. Despite the limitations I face, I participate fully and keep up with average sized individuals in all of these sports. I have faced times when I have been unable to physically participate, but even then I cheered on the sidelines. 

In the eyes of my family members, teachers and friends, I am accepted for who I am and hardly ever face a time where they feel a need to treat me different. Both my mother and father have raised me just like anyone else, accepting my difference to the extent that it doesn’t seem to exist. This was the best thing for me, because I was raised properly as a dwarf without sympathy or too much extra caution. Some friends that I have had, are troubled by my difference, and find it hard to accept me for who I am, but I always think of it as their loss not mine. I have lost and gained some friends, but my true friends have always walked by my side.

I have come to love and find it challenging being different. Of course I have faced times when I think why me, but these thoughts don’t last for long. In the future I hope to be a part-time motivational speaker, in addition to my career. The message I hope to convey is that being a dwarf or having a difference of any sort should be accepted and it shouldn’t prevent anyone from succeeding. For me trying harder has always been and will always be a major part of who I am, and giving up will never be an option.