college essay

well after what seemed like forever i finally finished my college essay and i think it turned out good. tell me what you think.


Passion. Few words can evoke as much feeling as passion. Yet finding your passion can happen in the most unlikely places. It certainly happened that way for me. I was enjoying an evening at the JC Fair, a local fair that comes to my hometown each summer. Nudging our way through the crowd, my friend and I found a game where you throw a ping-pong ball into a cup, and if you make it you win a goldfish. To our amusement, we had garnered seven goldfish after only twenty minutes of playing. Yet such overwhelming joy was quickly quelled by the realization that we had nowhere to store them.
One thing was clear- we needed to find a tank, and fast. We could keep the fish in a bowl overnight and go to Pet's Mart in the morning. As luck would have it, we were able to find a popcorn bowl that comfortably fit the seven fish.
The following morning, we were at the Pet's Mart’s as soon as it opened to give our goldfish their new home. We looked for about thirty minutes, searching the aisles to find the largest tank that we could collectively afford. While we did not realize how expensive goldfish ownership was, there was no turning back. After successfully setting up the tank, we were finally able to introduce our fish to their new home. I can’t say for sure, but I think we were as excited as they were.
We stared at our awesome investment all day. To say the least, we were obsessed with the fish. Even though they were only little goldfish, to us they were as important as a human. We certainly wouldn’t have watched Animal Planet with them if we didn’t think so. This opened our eyes to the endless diversity of species of sharks and other saltwater fish. It didn’t take long for us to get inspired. We were soon spending virtually every minute looking at all the fascinating and (sometimes) ridiculously colored saltwater fish on the internet. I had to have a saltwater tank, no matter the cost.
I did my research and found that there was a local fish store, Wet Pets Plus. Though I had never been there, it was luckily within biking distance. After two months of non-stop visits, the owner offered me a job, which I quickly accepted. The passion I had was ignited to an even higher level with my newfound employment. If I wasn’t at work, I was on the computer doing research on my future pets. With the greater number of hours I worked came the greater level of knowledge I had about fish. It didn’t take long to get my own tank up and running. I realized at that moment just how much knowledge and experience I had accumulated. I certainly had a knack for keeping fish alive.
After a year at Wet Pets Plus, a new fish store opened 15 minutes away from my house. Curious about what they had to offer, I decided to take the initiative and go check it out. Although it was a smaller store, it only handled saltwater fish and the owner was a fascinating person. He knew more than anyone had ever talked to about fish. We instantly hit it off and he quickly offered me a job. I was even soon known by most of his customers as “the saltwater man.” I even started to get calls from people that wanted me to come to their houses weekly to clean their aquariums. I started to focus almost all of my free time on my cleaning business. It was making much more money than I expected and I could work at whichever store I wanted or simply do house calls.
Fish had started to take over my life. I had been employed for less than two years in my entire life and I was already working way too much. I didn’t hang out with my friends as much as I used to and I seldom had any free time. While the income was nice, I never had the chance to spend it; If I wasn't at work, I was doing research or cleaning my own fish tanks. I talked it over with my bosses, and to my delight, they completely understood. I gave most of my clients to a coworker and cut back my hours to fifteen per week. Curiously enough, both stores went out of business within the period of two months. Without a salt water store in the area, I received more than twenty calls from loyal customers and old clients looking for someone to come clean their tanks or help them select new fish. It was tough to pass up the opportunities, but I knew I couldn’t take them all. I had started to see my friends more, and my focus moved to school and lacrosse. I came to the realization that there are certain drawbacks to even the most enjoyable pursuits; a valuable lesson in balance.
When I look back on the two years I spent obsessed with saltwater, I am amazed not only at the number of people I met, but the number of those people that trusted me with their precious investments. I helped design their home aquariums and if I ever told them they were making a poor fish choice, they would listen to me. Accepting my first job at a fish store with zero work experience was intimidating, but the benefits outweighed the risks. It was an incredible learning experience fueled by my passion for fish. I still keep in touch with my old coworkers and often research fish online, but it’s more of a hobby now than an obsession. It’s funny how playing a measly carnival game led me to an unrelenting passion that still exists to this day.

 

well it's very big LOL. time to start reading...

 

Wow very interesting, and cool story too!

 

very cool story. Which fair is this?

 

thanks. its the jc fair. it this fair that comes around every year. its not that big but when your a sophomore in highschool there isnt much else to do

 

there isnt an assignment. its to apply

 

Jefferson County?

 

Well that's a cool way to start off in the hobby.

Nice essay...just noticed one grammar mistake toward the beginning(if you didn't already turn it in). "The following morning, we were at the Pet's Mart’s as soon as it opened"

 

nope stark. in north canton.
thanks for the grammar help. i will fix that