How I Preserve Perserverance by Jermaine

How I Preserve Perserverance by Jermaine - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

Throughout my life I've been known as a good student. I was the top of all of my classes from elementary through middle school, and I thought I had everything figured out. My classes came easy, I stayed out of trouble and I earned all A's. I didn't have to study much, meet with teachers, or ask questions when I didn't understand something. I thought this would be enough to sustain me throughout high school but I was entirely wrong. I learned my lesson the hard way once I started attending a college preparatory school my freshman year. When I got to high school it was a complete shock. My teachers assigned loads of assignments everyday, the coursework was significantly harder, and class participation was mandatory. As I wasn't prepared for such a strict environment like this, I immediately sunk to the bottom of the barrel. I had failing grades, missing assignments, and I didn't enjoy going to school. I was suffering and as a results I was depressed. I was so far gone that I felt like I had no one to go to for help, and that I was a lost cause. I was eager for the end of each school day just so I didn't have to feel such heat in every moment of the day. This was until my freshman advisor noticed my struggles. She made me comfortable and encouraged me to be open with her. After conferencing with her a number of times, she guided me to the way of success. She helped me make homework schedules, encouraged me to meet with my teachers, and be comfortable asking for help. While my grades couldn't improve much within that year, the next year the skillset that she provided me with helped me take my grades from C's and D's to A's and B's. This wouldn't have been possible if she hadn't reached out and I wasn't open to her help. Throughout the process of progressing academically, she taught me to persevere. If I don't achieve what I want to then I keep working at it to get my desired results. This is how I successfully overcame the academic challenge of being immersed in a rigorous environment.