Math is my Nemisis by Champ

Math is my Nemisis by Champ - April 2019 Scholarship Essay

I remember it like it was yesterday. My first D. You may ask how that D could be so rememberable. It was the first time I ever really remember crying. Of course, I am sure I cried as a child, over a scraped knee or when my older sister used to beat me up. But when I fractured my elbow playing baseball, or when I tore my quad playing football I did not cry. It was 7th Grade Algebra, Mr. Mumm, and it was the first time I ever failed. I know technically a D is not failing but to me, at the time, it was the end of the world. I had only ever had A’s and B’s and school had always been relatively easy. So, this was a failure to me. I was not a D student, that was my sister’s domain.

Unfortunately, that was the first of many D’s in math. Ruining my 4.0. This trend followed me to high school. My Freshman year, Formal Geometry was a struggle. I barely squeaked by and almost lost my eligibility to play high school sports. My Sophomore year, Algebra II was only slightly better, and I struggled all year long and had to work twice as hard in that class than any other class I have ever taken. I was ready to give up and those words do not come easily for me. I have played sports most of my life and my parents have always encouraged me to keep on fighting even when I think I am too tired to go on. All though I persevered and have maintained a B average in math my last two years of high school I am sorry to say the damage is done. I was actually turned down by a college in New York because I have D’s on my high school transcript. And sadly, those D’s have brought done my unweighted cumulative GPA to 3.367 and most college merit awards and scholarships require a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.5 leaving me so close but not providing the funds needed.

Neither of my parents attended college nor did their parents. I know it is one of my mom’s biggest regrets, of course besides my sister. She has always stressed to me how important education is. My parents have worked hard my entire life but have always lived paycheck to paycheck not leaving much money to save for my mine and my sisters college education. While math is my nemesis, I do have enough basic skills to know it would be impossible for me to attend an out of state college without financial help. And even though math has won many battles. I will win the war because I will not give up trying to conquer math.

And, I have learned, never trust math teachers who use graph paper, they’re always plotting something…