OPPORTUNITY FUNDS-BULGARIA 

For High School Juniors and Seniors

Radoslav Bonev

        Senior, Petko Rachev Slaveikov Secondary School, Tryavna

My inexorable lust for challenges led me to EducationUSA Opportunity Funds-Bulgaria. I aim to grow intellectually and mentally every day. Every opportunity matters for me. Before I applied for the Opportunity Funds program I never thought I could get so close to becoming part of the prominent American education. Since January I never stopped and I have shown my finest zeal to shape my application and prepare for standardized exams. This taught me the most important lesson I have learned so far – people who do not believe in themselves will never be successful. I realized that I made a mistake by not starting to prepare earlier but I am convinced that everything will happen the way it should. Perhaps the most unimaginable part of the Opportunity Funds program are the other students. Nothing can broaden your mind as meeting people who are intelligent, diligent, and motivated. Although we are different when it comes to the academic areas, interests, hobbies, and passions, we all share the same mind-set. Such a group provides an atmosphere where you can learn something new from everybody. This does not necessarily mean scholastic knowledge – it could be something about the world we live in, the drive which leads one to success, the perspective of analyzing the world. I already learned a lot; I moved to next level of maturity and mind-set. While being part of Opportunity Funds, I realized that I missed many opportunities, I made many mistakes, I misunderstood many concepts. I wish I could go back in time and change my strategy. Not only is that impossible but also it leads to many regrets. However, I learned that you never know what you win when you fail at something. I regret about nothing – I am ready to concede that I made mistakes but I am not afraid of keep on fighting. Nothing happens overnight, nothing even happens for a week, or a month. I know that I might fail again but I am confident that ultimately, I am going to achieve my goals.

My primary objective in studying in the United States is to experience a similar atmosphere to the one in the Opportunity Funds program. This is a new challenge which I am going to embrace if I have the opportunity. I am ready to keep working on myself because I am confident that I found the right strategy for me. I intend to pursue a career in Computer Science. However, I do not consider the technical skills the most important knowledge that I can obtain in the United States. Rather, the atmosphere which it provides is the most valuable. People from different cultural backgrounds and academic areas are all together. In the United States, you are near the epicenter of all the spectacular events not only in the area of technology but also science in general, social activism, and ideas. The opportunity to become part of such a society is invaluable and people who have it will be able to pass their knowledge tothefollowing generations.

Unlike everywhere else in the world, every university in the United States seems to have a unique policy, strategy, and priorities and this is why it so important to make a thorough research before you make your choices. For example, a liberal arts college may look for a programmer because the Computer Science club is in decline. It might seem apparent that I would look specifically for schools specialized in engineering. However, that is not quite the case. I do not exclude liberal art colleges as long as they offer a Computer Science program and seem to have passionate students. I never insisted on entering a society which already has everything develop to the world-class level. It would be my pleasure to use all my experience I employ so far and the new knowledge I would learn so I can develop the small Computer Science club which a liberal art college would offer. I am confident that I know how to organize ICT-related events and projects. As long as the college looks for people who employ my philosophy, it would be my pleasure to give my finest for the development of our area. What is more, engineers can take advantage if they study in a liberal arts college. They will meet people who are in areas such as literature, history, sociology; these people are inspiring for meand they can teach me something about the world. Every piece of knowledge is a new idea, a new perspective for me. Ultimately, I hope I would be able to use my technological skills to have a positive impact on the world. However, unless I have a broad perspective about the world, all my experience about software development is not practical.

For future candidates, I can give a few pieces of advice.

First, do what is important for you; do not do anything because you think it will appeal to admission officers or judges. The truth is that they want to see your passion and your will for innovations and freedom. Being yourself and showing your uniqueness is one of the most difficult challenges I have ever faced and I learned that from my experience. Value you effort and know that you will encounter all kind of people in your life so do not listen to everyone’s opinion.

Second, do not regret about anything. You will experience many failures. Even when you consider yourself secured and most powerful, you will always find someone who is a step ahead of you when it comes to say, competitions, standardized tests, or soft skills. It will come home to you that you missed many opportunities… opportunities which you are likely to never receive again. Alternatively, you might realize that you were inconsistent and you never overcame your fears to act on your dreams. Do not regret about it. Concentrate on your future and forget what happened yesterday but remember the lessons you learned.

Last but not least, believe in yourself. I still have not mastered that skill. Sometimes I am full of doubts and I am afraid to face my fears. Do not be afraid to fail. Even when your realistic analysis shows that you are not prepared for your test or competition, accept your failure when you cannot change it anymore – that is, when the results are available. However, to accept a failure does not mean to become comfortable with it – it means to learn from your mistakes. You might fail a few more times but every time it will not hurt as much, you will be less anxious when you do it again. That is progress in every sense of the word.

These pieces of advice probably sound like clichés but perhaps these are the most difficult lessons to learn for a teenager. Do not count the cost of anything, just act on it and be confident with your skills. Remember that even the greatest athletes of all times sometimes fail but they never surrender. Keep on trying and believe in yourself.

Disclaimer

The text is published in its original and unedited version.