Lucky You by Chloe

Lucky You by Chloe - October 2019 Scholarship Essay

I wake up like every morning, but this morning, it's special: It's my first day of high school. I couldn't really sleep the night before, thoughts running through my mind on an endless loop. "Will anyone from middle school be there? Will I know anyone? What if upperclassmen pick on me? Am I really fresh meat? Will my teachers not see me as an equal cause I'm a freshman?" Racing, running, jogging and sprinting through my mind, when will it stop? I pull myself out of bed, I look over to my mirror. I don't look any older, I don't feel any different, am I really growing up?

After spending an hour getting ready doing my hair, makeup and getting dressed. I'm looking pretty decent and ready for the school day, lucky me. My dad drives me to school after my mother hypes me up and takes the first day photos, as I get closer and closer to the school I feel worse and worse. We pull up to the drop-off area and my dad wishes me a great day. I watch him drive away, and before long I realize my backpack is in the car. Lucky me. He couldn't turn around or drop it off cause he was already running late for work, so I turned heel and walked into the school. Walking in with no backpack on the first day is like walking into school naked. I felt as if everyone was blazing their eyes into me.

The first class of my high school life was Radio production with Mr. Gough. We had gone through the works of getting familiar with everyone in the class and what the class may cover in the year to come. After a few days in his class he spoke to us about Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), in this program we compete with other schools on various topics on a state and national level. As a class we worked on our Radio work as well as our FBLA projects, we all would compete in class and help improve each other. Throughout the year I had been supported by Mr.Gough. As the end of the year was coming fast, my classmates and I went to the state FBLA competition in May. I made it into the prelims for both of my topics by the end I learned I didn't place. Lucky me. After finding out the results many of us cried that night for we all had worked hard. I had put all my heart in soul into this project, on our bus ride home Gough had given us all a very well-spoken pep talk to do better next year and the years after that.

Sophomore year I started to work early on my projects, I had plans to make it into the finals. I even went as far as to present in front of my other classes that had nothing to do with my Radio class. I had aced my prelims once more, but it was time to settle the score with the finals. I had the passion, the drive, the perfect motivation, and presentation. I had spent the rest of the day waiting and waiting for my results at the end of the night. Racing, running, jogging and sprinting through my mind, when will it stop? Once the time came, my topic rolled around. Those closest to me held onto me tight, hoping our grip would determine who would place. As the last name was called, I heard the murmurs of pity and sadness around me. I hadn't placed, again. Lucky me.

Sure, I was crushed, but I had a feeling my Junior year would be the best. Gough had held me close to his hip helping me in any way he could to improve my performance. We bounced ideas, checked the writing, practiced upon practice. Gough had made sure to do everything he could to help me and those around me place. He started to feel like a family, a certain someone to turn to if I needed any help. We went to events, spent after school time together putting together project after project, even shared some holidays. My classmates around me also had this experience with him, they and I have said countless times how much he has helped and been there. He will stop at nothing to make sure you're okay. As the dreadful May rolled around, as per usual I had placed in the prelims. My mortal enemy, The Finals, were facing me headstrong. After one last prep talk before my performance, I felt ready. After everyone had finished we all went out to get dinner, at dinner Gough had broken into tears telling us all how proud he was in us. Naturally, we all cried, our dinners getting salty. Once the night was coming to an end, it was the result time. The names kept flooding out, one after another, and I had heard something magical. My own name, MY name! I had walked onto the stage and won fifth place, I had won the top five. As I walked back towards my school group Mr. Gough had hugged me with tears and spoke, "Lucky You."