National Honors Society by Courtney

National Honors Society by Courtney - December 2016 Scholarship Essay

I think my greatest accomplishment in high school is by somehow managing to get into the National Honors Society. I've never considered myself to be among the smart kids in my school, nor do I take multiple AP classes or get all A's, but I've tried my best every year and it paid off when I found that I got into this. Through the worst year of my life I suddenly found myself with a great GPA and I realized that maybe I could be a successful student like many of my friends. I could even begin planning for my future, something I dreaded for years before this but especially in my last two years of high school. This was when I renewed my confidence in myself and I really started applying myself to school again.

I fell victim to depression in my Junior year for a brief period and felt the onslaught of anxiety attacks prior and during this time, but in my first quarter of school that year I got a 3.7 and a spot in the Honor Roll, an achievement I never expected even at the prime of my mental health. I had no idea what I was doing, nor did I know anything about what I wanted for my future, but it was then that I realized I could do something special with my life. This sudden accomplishment inspired me to strive for more, including taking AP English the following year and attempting to graduate with honors from my high school. However, nothing brought me as much honor and pride as the National Honors Society. Looking back to where I was just one year ago, unsure of myself and afraid of the future, I felt so proud of myself for not only surviving this long but also thriving.

I realized how big of an accomplishment this was when my family came to the National Honors ceremony and even gave me flowers. I had no idea it was such a big deal and felt amazing because of it; my family had never shown so much pride in me prior to this. Finally, I became one of the students that could get scholarships and achieve great things in college. Someone like me, who wanted to live with my mom during college because I was scared of being an adult, could exceed expectations like so many of my friends. Accomplishing something like this increased my confidence and independence, allowing me to advance my life the way I want instead of trying my best to keep it safe at home with my family.

By simply trying my best despite my circumstances, I've been able to achieve great things academically. Hopefully, through my grit and determination, I can do the same with college, both academically and financially. Now that I've gained confidence and asserted myself into the group of high-flying students in an already difficult school, I think I can do the same in college and achieve my goals in life, especially my goal of becoming a missionary.