Study the Outside Pitch by Colby

Study the Outside Pitch by Colby - September 2026 Scholarship Essay

Baseball taught me something about studying that I didn’t expect. You don’t improve practicing what you’re already good at.

If I’m struggling to hit an outside pitch, taking practice swings at pitches right down the middle might make me feel productive, but it’s not making me better. Eventually, I will have to face the pitch I don’t want to see.

I started studying the same way.

Before a test, I don’t spend time reviewing material I already know. Instead, I look for the questions I can’t answer. Those are my outside pitches. I write them down, go through my notes, and keep working on them until I understand why I was getting them wrong.

It isn’t the most comfortable way to study. It would be easier to review the things I already know and feel confident but baseball has taught me that improvement usually happens when you work on the part of your game that makes you uncomfortable.

Whether I’m preparing for a test or stepping into the batter’s box, my strategy remains the same. Don’t avoid the outside pitch. Study it until it becomes one you can handle.