The Enemy to Good is Great by Corinne

The Enemy to Good is Great by Corinne - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

My high school chemistry teacher was full of life lessons, but the one phrase has always stuck with me is "the enemy to good is great". This may seem like an odd saying, but it holds a lot of truth. He goes on to explain that it is really easy to become satisfied with being good at something. This satisfaction and content can blind you to your maximum potential. This applies to every aspect of your life whether it be social, academic, or athletic. What isn't easy, however, is going the extra mile out of your comfort zone in order to discover greatness. It not only requires hard work and dedication, but also a lot of time and passion.

I have always been someone who is good at academics. It has always come easy to me, so when he told us this phrase, he really made me think. Am I reaching my full potential? Am I trying to learn everything I can? Am I using what I know to help others? Am I striving to ask questions and create innovative solutions? Or am I just memorizing a bunch of facts? As I go throughout my college career, I am constantly reminded of this phrase in the back of my mind. I am always striving to think of a new way to approach a problem or to ask a question that goes beyond just memorizing the facts. It is so easy to get stuck in the contentedness, but it takes courage to step past your comfort zone and ask a question that might be wrong or complex. So many students today are so caught up trying to pass classes and squeak by with their degree that they aren't stepping outside the box and that is why my chemistry teacher shared this phrase with us. He was trying to encourage students to look past the grades and degrees and focus on understanding and truly learning. Breaking down the wall between being good and being great is what will distinguish you from the rest of the graduates and lead you to a truly satisfying career. I continue to try to take this advice to heart and whole heartedly invest myself into learning as I pursue a degree in biology and inspire other students with this passion, hopefully by acting as a Organic Chemistry Teaching Assistant this year.