So This Happened.....

I was told to write an essay for a scholarship about someone I adored or respected. I was supposed to talk about why I adored/respected them and how I could use their admirable attributes to assume a successful leadership position at my college.

So I wrote about John Green.

There is a man in this world with enough willpower to write four bestselling novels, organize and educate a large group of teenagers, and run a collaborative Youtube channel with his brother. That man is John Green, and I admire him for his strong leadership, creativity, intelligence, and passion. Mr. Green is a man with a goal: to spread education in a fun and interesting way, and to use that education to improve the world we live in. He uses his own intelligence to teach viewers about history and literature, and he spreads awareness about international issues like water shortages and politics. Even though he is a professional author and internet-famous content creator, John is not afraid to smear peanut butter on his face and discuss a civil war in Sri Lanka.

John’s novels, written for young adults, cover a variety of topics that almost anyone can relate to. While they are exceedingly well-written, amusing, and usually heartwarming, his books also leave a strong impact and address more mature topics than most other “teen novels.” John has an interesting way of thinking about the world, and is almost unfairly excellent at expressing his ideas in beautifully poetic text. He clearly understands people and the way that they think and feel, perhaps better than some people understand themselves. He is passionate about his novels, and he is dedicated to his readers. He signed over 150,000 copies of his newest book, The Fault in Our Stars, just because he thought it would make his readers happy.

John is a fantastic leader because of his logical approach when analyzing and discussing issues and his willingness to compromise. He is accepting of other’s beliefs, kind and generous without cause, and knows how to bring people together to accomplish a common goal. By watching John and Youtube and reading his books I have learned how to be methodical and open to suggestions when working with others. I have learned more about the world and feel as though I am able to make more informed decisions, and I know that compromise and patience is necessary when working with others. It is important to care about the thing you are working on, and I know that passion and enthusiasm also drives others to work harder. These attributes could all be used to assume a successful leadership position at college, whether in an instrumental ensemble or something simple like a group project or chemistry lab.