Before It's Too Late by Bianca

Before It's Too Late by Bianca - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

One piece of advice I would give to an incoming freshman would be to get involved both physically and mentally. I know that this is the generic advice anyone would give, but I also know from experience it truly is the best advice one could receive. From Freshman to Sophomore year, I didn’t get involved with anything. I had the biggest interest in the Arts, but there was no such thing as an “Art Club” at my school. I wanted to be in the school musical, but I was so intimidated by the other students, so exceptional and remarkable, that I never even found my way to audition. I always found an excuse to not join something whether it be a sport I really enjoyed, or a club in which I was interested. Our school has a Homecoming dance and a Winter Formal dance, both of which I did not attend. Not joining these activities didn’t allow me to explore outside of my horizons. They didn’t allow me to easily make new friends. I stayed in on weekends, doing absolutely nothing because the very few friends I had were always busy. I completely excluded myself from the world.

Junior year came just around the corner, and it brought new opportunities. I didn’t exclude myself from activities. I went to the school dances, I went to the football games and musicals, and I even got myself a job. I went outside of my comfort zone and tried new experiences and, in the end, it was worth it. I made what feels like a hundred new friends, and every weekend I was constantly asking my parents to go out places. Even they were shocked, considering I had spent the past two years cooped up in my room. Now, as a Senior, my only regret during high school is not getting involved. I cannot stress that enough.

This advice had been shared with me when I was a freshman, and I truly wish I had listened. One will simply not understand until it has happened to him/her personally. Getting involved physically is painless, for there is no fault in trying. Getting involved mentally will be a bit more difficult. I have always gotten satisfactory grades in order to make my parents proud. However, sometimes one may not have someone to impress, or to make proud. My advice to these students would be not to look at a homework assignment as one, but look at it as a whole. This one assignment may not look like much, but if a constant cycle continues of not doing homework, one’s future will be at risk. One’s future is everything. If a student doesn’t understand a concept, he/she should get help. Students should not be embarrassed because it is THEIR future on the line, not anybody else’s. This advice isn’t just words; there is meaning to it. It is to help one succeed, and make the next four years of high school a bit more desirable. Freshmen, before it’s too late, get involved both physically and mentally, and I can assure you that your high school experience will be remarkable.