by Syntyche Ahinakwah | Microbiology | Class of 2026
Academic Term of Essay Subject: Summer Term 2022
Living is one thing, but life is another. Living your life to the fullest extent possible is something else entirely. It is quite simple to go on autopilot and go about your day without purpose. The holidays are over, and if you were anything like me on New Years Eve, you had that all-too-familiar debate with yourself: It’s another year, how should I change? What can I do to improve? Whatever way you choose to answer these questions and choose your resolutions, all of them call for a dedication to personal development. My life has altered significantly since I traveled to the US on my own a few months ago. I received approval from Miami University to pursue my bachelor’s degree in microbiology. I didn’t want to go to a new country at first, but I soon realized that I wasn’t doing it out of need; rather, I was doing it for my own benefit. My mother told me that I had not heard of this location and that I ought to visit in order to learn more about it. Coming from a shattered home and leaving after living after so many years was a searing agony, which was one of the reasons I did not want to go to the United States. I carried sadness in my heart as I considered leaving behind everyone and everything I loved.
My parents instilled in me the value of independence and self-motivation by providing me with opportunities to learn through trial and error, so I never gave up. When I arrived at Miami University, I planned to become self-sufficient, or “on my own two feet,” as some would put it. Time has taught me the importance of making quick decisions. Some were bad decisions, while others were wise. It was a difficult time for me because I had to fight against time, stress, hidden emotions, and, most importantly, I had to decide which path to take with my career. The final exam was a difficult test. I had to rebuild my life from scratch after moving to the United States but this time without my family and friends’ continuous support, it would be impossible. I was solely responsible for my academic success or failure. When I was weak and turned to a cigarette for solace without considering how it may make me dependent, I thought I would give up. During these times, I was actually imparting a valuable lesson: adulthood. I came to the realization that I was no longer a child and that just one choice may affect the course of my life. This familiarity taught me the true meaning of what it means to make sacrifices in order to accomplish my objectives. I sacrificed my free time for long hours of work, exhaustion, and meditation. When I haven’t had a lot of life experience, thinking about my own future is difficult and I could go in a lot of different directions. I’m unsure of my plans for tomorrow, as well as if they will remain the same or change over the course of the following days. It’s important to learn this lesson in life both here at Miami University and throughout the United States.
To go into further detail about the difficulties I encountered would make me cry uncontrollably. I can only hope that I decide on my future in a thoughtful and wise manner. I know I have a great future ahead of me and that I am moving in the correct direction towards a better life. People gain knowledge from their life experiences. Having a lot of good and bad experiences helps us improve our way of thinking; it opens our minds and teaches us unforgettable life lessons that we must apply in the future. Without a doubt, life is beautiful, and every moment is a celebration of being alive, but one must always be prepared to face adversity and challenges. A person who has never faced difficulties in life will never achieve success. Life is lovely, but it’s not always simple; it has problems, too. The task is to face these problems head-on with courage while allowing life’s beauty to serve as a soother, relieving suffering and restoring hope in difficult times. Desperation sometimes spoke for itself, making the sacrifice difficult. However, what matters most is the lesson I learned from it, which is to never give up fighting no matter what, because there is always hope in life, and giving up on it does not get you any closer to your objectives. I have lost some of my friends as a result of my ability to rise to the top, and this experience taught me the true meaning of friendship and how some people we think of as friends can change to be our deadliest critics.
You go through changes throughout your life, and to me, transition is something new. But I’ve come to realize that disclosing every aspect of your life can only be detrimental because you never know how much a connection may develop between two individuals. I didn’t have a silver spoon in my mouth growing up. I had to go above and beyond to accomplish my objectives, and I am grateful for those I met at Miami University. I feel as though my journey at Miami University helped me rediscover who I am and my desire and enthusiasm for what I do. I am appreciative of their love, support, and concern from the time prior I left Ghana to the present, in the United States. They are my second family, and I am thankful to have them in my life.
*3rd prize (2 awarded), Transformative Cultural Experiences at Miami, Abroad, or Away