Endure to Grow by Rakiesia

Endure to Grow by Rakiesia - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

There has been many hardships I have encountered throughout my entire academic career. From preschool, all the way up to this very point (Senior year) there has always been something that got in my way and summoned a battle with me. This thing can be described as horrifying, laborious, and purposeless; it has caused me excruciating pain and I believe others feel the same towards this object of question as well. Ignoring it causes many to fall, and confronting it is horrid. But, what exactly is the anonymous object I speak of you may ask? Well put simply, it's math.
Math is my weak point. I have always been better with words rather than numbers. I truly hated numbers with a passion, and when I found out that there were letters in math too… let's just say my mind went rampant. Anyways, you get the idea; I hated math along with millions of other individuals on this planet. But, one thing that separates me from this hate group is that one day I decided to stop letting mathematics have it ́s way with me. I decided I would master it. With this determination and courage that was hidden well within me, I signed up for an Honors math course in my Sophomore year. I have to say I surprised myself. I persevered through the tough lessons, even though I wanted to quit. I did my homework, studied for the quizzes and test, and stayed awake during all the lectures. I even had some sleepless nights trying to understand the topics we were learning. Yes, I did all of this. But, do not misunderstand. I still failed, pathetically and miserably.
Despite all the efforts I put into this one class, I failed. One might think it impossible to fail at something they prepared so diligently for and even wonder why one would try so hard knowing they will fail. But, you see, I am not an ordinary individual. I possess a special talent when it comes to failing things I sincerely want to succeed in, and math was no exception. Because of this I know that it takes extra time and effort for me to reach my goals, and there is nothing wrong with that at all. Instead of sulking and falling into despair over shortcomings, I find it more effective to rid myself of negative energy by proving to myself that I can achieve anything. I might not get the results I want on the first attempt, but if I keep trying and applying what I learn each time I can and will be victorious.
I was proud of myself for my unwavering efforts, but in reality my failing grades were not going to land a diploma in my hand, so I attended summer school. It was horrendous by the way; math and summer absolutely do not mix. However, I once again persevered through the pain. After completing summer school, I received higher, passing grades for Integrated Mathematics II. I am extremely proud of myself for not giving up and believing that I could succeed in the areas where I lacked greatly. Even though I struggled, I understand that trials and tribulations are the key ingredients of growth. This very understanding is what brought me through the difficulties I encountered in math. It enabled me to fight for my success although it was far fetched; it also created a momentum and a confidence in me that assisted with my other studies. I encourage everyone to challenge themselves every once in a while and to not be afraid of failure, because that fright will create a stagnating pattern when in comes to growth of any kind. There are some events that we want to avoid forever, but facing our most terrifying fears results in the creation of a better individual. In short, suck it up and face your fears for the betterment of your life. After all, we only live one life. So, make it worthwhile. Be courageous, be devoted, and be confident in yourself. With this, no obstacle can completely stop you from reaching your goals.