Striving Against Adversity by Alivia

Striving Against Adversity by Alivia - August 2022 Scholarship Essay

The unexpected can strike us out of nowhere when all we thought we saw were blue skies ahead. When sudden circumstances befall a person, life can feel as if life were turned upside down. But it takes a truly resilient person to overcome these difficulties and still come out on top.

A hardship that no one is ever prepared for is yourself or a family member suddenly being faced with health problems. Throughout the last year my family has constantly been plagued with medical emergencies. From a parosmia diagnosis and a procedure to reverse it, disabling migraines, unexplainable dizziness causing mobility issues, multiple back surgeries, and a severe infection and possible amputation from impaling fish hooks; there seemed to be no end in sight to the crises. But despite all the calamity, my drive to persevere has kept me going and has gotten even stronger.

With all of this going on and it continuing to affect myself and the rest of my family, the thought of succeeding in my classes has constantly been plaguing my mind. In the past the work had piled up and nearly drowned me, but I wouldn’t let that happen. The countless nights spent working on missed assignment after missed assignment seemed endless, until I finally found my way out.

As this school year starts the thought of being submerged in missing assignments, as well as succeeding in new and more difficult classes has been on my mind. While the situation is not ideal there is no doubt that this is something that I will have to face again. But I will not let that stop me from surpassing my goals for this year. I will do whatever it takes, talk to whoever can help me, and work as hard as I can to keep going.

When the need to step back for a time because of these medical issues arises I will not be left behind. The calls to classmates and friends will collect when I fail to understand a lesson. The emails to teachers with questions about missed work will grow. And the number of sleepless nights will rise as I work to catch up to my classmates. Nevertheless, the goal to succeed despite hardships in my life will keep me from giving up. The need to not only keep up but surpass others is what will keep me going. And the wish to show my family that I am able to achieve my goals will guide me to succeed.