Overcoming My Accounting Class by Sofia

Overcoming My Accounting Class by Sofia - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

When I first signed up for my accounting class, I had a feeling it was going to be tough. I’ve never thought of myself as someone who’s good with numbers or business, so the idea of learning accounting seemed intimidating. Words like “debits,” “credits,” and “balance sheets” felt like a foreign language to me. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to keep up or if I even had the skills to succeed. But through determination, hard work, and a few strategies I picked up along the way, I was able to push through and do well in the class.

In the beginning, everything seemed overwhelming. The concepts were hard to grasp, and the lessons felt confusing. I didn’t understand how all the numbers fit together. I’d hear terms like “assets” and “liabilities” and have no idea what they really meant. It felt like I was missing something important, and I was often frustrated. At times, I even thought about giving up. But I didn’t want to let that happen. I decided to keep going and look for ways to make things easier.

The first thing I did was break down the material into smaller, more manageable pieces. Instead of trying to understand everything at once, I focused on one concept at a time. For example, I started by learning the basic accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. This was the foundation of everything else in the class, so once I understood this, the other ideas started to make more sense. I learned that taking things step by step helped me feel less overwhelmed.

Another important strategy was asking for help. I quickly realized that I couldn’t do it all on my own. When I didn’t understand something, I wasn’t afraid to ask my teacher for clarification. I also joined study groups with classmates who understood the material better. Talking through problems with others made a big difference. Sometimes, hearing someone explain it in a different way made everything click. I also learned that explaining things to my peers helped me remember the concepts better.

Practice became a key part of my success. At first, I didn’t enjoy working through all the accounting problems, but the more I practiced, the easier it became. I started to recognize patterns and understand why certain steps were taken in a problem. I also used online resources to find extra practice problems. The more problems I solved, the more confident I became. It was clear that repetition was important in learning accounting.

Time management was also really important. Accounting is a subject that builds on what you’ve already learned, so if you don’t keep up, it’s easy to fall behind. To make sure I stayed on top of the material, I set aside time every day to review my notes and practice problems. I learned that if I waited until the last minute, I would get stressed out, so staying consistent with my work helped me avoid that.

Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned was to be patient with myself. Accounting was difficult, and I didn’t always understand things right away. At first, it felt like I was never going to get the hang of it. But I realized that learning something new takes time, and it’s okay to not understand everything immediately. The key was to keep trying and not get discouraged when things didn’t make sense at first. Over time, the concepts became clearer, and I started to feel more confident.

By the end of the semester, I was able to successfully pass my accounting class. While I did not get a A in the class, what started as a difficult and confusing subject turned into something I could understand. I learned a lot more than just accounting principles. I learned how to be patient with myself, how to break problems into smaller parts, and how to ask for help when I needed it. More importantly, I realized that challenges, no matter how big they seem at first, can be overcome with hard work and determination.

In conclusion, even though I wasn’t “business-minded” at the start of my accounting class, I was able to overcome the challenges by taking things one step at a time, practicing regularly, and asking for help when needed. This experience taught me that with perseverance, any challenge can become a learning opportunity. What seemed impossible at first became something I was proud to have accomplished.