Above all things, I hope that college humbles me. Growing up a small town and school system, there was little academic rigor because of limited resources. As a result and being an advanced learner, I breezed through school. I became too comfortable in my abilities and did not work to be greater; taking time to study and process information and putting in maximum effort was replaced by memorization and doing just enough to get by. I figured that if I still got 100s and A’s at half capacity, why would I try harder? These tactics seemed to work from elementary to early high school, but circumstances changed in my sophomore year. I had begun taking dual enrollment classes at Rappahannock Community College and Chesapeake Bay Governor’s School. Now, I was faced with work that challenged me and required my full attention. But even though I realized this and began making a bigger effort than before, I still did not unleash my full potential. I would study two days before the test instead of the week I was given and procrastinate on an essay until the day before it was due, still managing to pull out an A. Once again, I found myself matching my efforts to whatever could get me by. When I state that I hope college “humbles me,” I really mean that I want to experience failure as a result of my choices. I want to be proven wrong and shown that minimum effort is unacceptable and does not achieve greatness because experience is the greatest teacher. Being placed in a setting where I am held accountable and the standards are higher than before is essential to my future success and endeavors; it is something that I really look forward to. I do hope that college leaves me with the typical assets such as efficient study habits, time management, and open-mindedness. But most importantly, I hope to gain the strength to realize that limiting my capability is no one’s fault but my own. Lost potential means lost opportunities. What excites me most about the college experience is the change of scenery. I am very eager to leave my small-town bubble and experience more than what rural Virginia has to offer. I believe that the uncomfortable shift in living can be a blessing and open more doors than imaginable. Growing up as a shy child, I constantly stuck by my parents’ sides and felt that I would never be able to leave them. This thought process did not change until I began my senior year and started touring colleges, some of which were more than four hours away. I realized that if I wanted to indulge in opportunities beneficial for my future, Virginia might not be the place for me.