My devastating senior year by Jabbar

My devastating senior year by Jabbar - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

It was the beginning of senior year, and I was feeling like I had everything under control. Practice was demanding, my other classes were manageable, and I was excited to enjoy my final year of high school. Then, in the middle of the semester, I received an email notification from the school’s online portal, subject line: "URGENT: Missing Assignments."

I thought nothing of it at first, assuming it was just a routine check-in for an assignment or two. But when I opened the email, I was hit with a cold wave of panic. It was a list—50 missing assignments—and they were all for my online Spanish class.

My heart sank as I realized the gravity of the situation. I had no idea how I could be missing so much work for a class I didn’t even remember signing up for. I had assumed I was just scheduled for a regular Spanish class like everyone else, attending in person and going through the motions. But apparently, the school had placed me in an online Spanish class, and I had been entirely unaware of it. No one had informed me. I had missed every assignment, every quiz, and every project.

The email also mentioned the looming deadline for final grades—just four days away.

I couldn’t believe it. How had I let this slip by without realizing? How was I going to fix this? I had no time to waste—no time at all. I had practice every day, and the window to catch up was closing fast. There was only one option: somehow, I had to complete every single one of those 50 assignments in the next four days.

I started by taking a deep breath and organizing a game plan. The first thing I did was prioritize. I opened up the online portal and scanned through the assignments, figuring out which ones were smaller and could be knocked out quickly and which ones would take more time and effort. I quickly realized there were a lot of multiple-choice quizzes, short response activities, and a few bigger projects that would require more effort.

I knew the clock was ticking, so I had to be efficient. I took a 10-minute break to eat and refuel my brain, then I dove straight into the work. Between practices, I found small pockets of time to tackle as much as I could—sprinting through questions, googling the answers when I had to, and finishing assignments with speed and precision. I felt the weight of the situation pushing me forward—failure wasn’t an option.

When I wasn’t practicing, I was at home, glued to my laptop, churning through assignment after assignment. I’d turn one in, then go straight to the next, barely giving myself time to think. The rhythm of it was relentless, but I kept going. I couldn’t afford to slow down or get distracted. My mind was focused solely on getting through the Spanish work and making sure I met the deadline.

Late into the first night, I finished all the smaller assignments, quizzes, and short tasks. The next day, I dedicated every free moment I had—before practice, during lunch, and late into the night—to the larger projects and essays. Each time I completed something, I felt a small rush of relief, but I knew I couldn’t stop until it was all done.

On the second day, I had my last assignment open in front of me—a final essay that was worth a large chunk of my grade. I had barely enough energy left to focus, but I pushed through it, channeling all my remaining focus into completing it. I knew that I had two more days to complete this assignment but if I took a break even for a second than this adrenaline rush would wear off and the pain of having to get back up and do this would be grueling. So I persevered through and got it done right then and there. When I hit "submit," I leaned back in my chair, a deep sense of exhaustion and accomplishment washing over me.

I had done it. I had completed 50 missing assignments in two days. Against all odds, I had managed to balance practice, my social life, and the intense pressure of catching up in time.

When the grades were posted, I saw that I had pulled through. I had passed the class and avoided the dreaded senior-year disaster. The experience was exhausting, but it taught me the power of perseverance, focus, and time management. It also reminded me how important it is to stay on top of things, no matter how busy life gets. That chaotic, stressful sprint to the finish line was a reminder that sometimes, when you’re at your lowest, you can still rise to the occasion.