a Superstar by Andrew

a Superstar by Andrew - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

Success is an idea within everyone you may both do and do not know; it is truly limitless, regardless of who they are. People want to consciously chase this "ceiling" they envision themselves possessing until that pursuit becomes an unconscious behavior. In comes that idea of success, a truly inspiring concept for those who aspire to achieve their dreams. The money, the job, the family, the lifestyle; no matter what, success is interpreted differently by everyone. This success, unfortunately, sometimes leads to this cloud-nine mindset which has the ability to defeat someone mentally in a scenario of failure. Failure, like success, is interpreted differently by everyone but it usually involves the feeling of unhappiness revolving around a certain task or goal. Failure, failure, failure. Hearing that word felt like public chanting that only echoed in my mind, and it was because of who I felt I was. I chased success, this time it was receiving great grades in high school, but I failed. It is painful wishing to achieve and knowing that the biggest obstacle in my path is myself. The chants were so loud, shouldn’t I have good grades because I am Asian? Another chant, “Potential.” There goes that word, permanently engraved in my brain. I knew if I had to succeed on the next educational level, I had to tap into this mindset of hitting my potential. Potential, the highest one can be at no matter what it could be interpreted as. For me, I knew I had the brains to compete with the top percentile, but the work ethic and behavior was not there. One step at a time, I will achieve a pattern of retaining consistent grades.
Firstly, creating a sustainable schedule develops consistency. Because I lacked a consistent schedule during high school, I consequently lost track of my responsibilities, including maintaining grades. Building a healthy habit is beneficial for various reasons, even those unrelated to education, towards reaching success. Importantly, it raises a level of general responsibility so unprepared scenarios are less frequent. For example, it will help remind those of upcoming assignments that must be done. On a social level, having a healthy sleep cycle is also a goal I have in mind. Classes require a high level of attention and concentration, which would be impossible to do in a tired or groggy state. Of course, inattention and inability to concentrate will likely result in dropping grades. Moving forward, I will live on a schedule that will balance both school and daily life.
Furthermore, communication is crucial in many areas of life which includes college. Having good communication with professors or counselors will keep me up to date on assignments, grades, or general upcoming events. Knowing the details of an assignment will help me for various reasons. I need details such as the instructions, so I can clearly understand the assignment, and the due date, so I can manage my time better for this assignment. Discussing with my professor can give an answer to any questions I have regarding grades. Various questions can include, “What do I need to do next time to get a better grade?” or “Is this grade entered incorrectly?” Understanding when upcoming events occur can help me prepare or reconstruct my schedule if necessary. If an important event coincides with a time and date at the last minute, then I may prioritize attending the event rather than the assignment.
Clearly, success is not only about the goal at the end but also the growth that is packaged with it. However, I will embrace any possible setbacks within my path to eventual success because recognition of what I did wrong will help me grow further. Staying true to these patterns will make me achieve success and not specifically just for grades, as the same principles will follow me during adulthood. For now, great grades are success to me which ultimately means that success is my next big educational goal. It is just up to Andrew Ju to reach it.