The Value of Patience by Danielle

The Value of Patience by Danielle - January 2022 Scholarship Essay

The textbook definition of patience is: to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Way before 2021 I lacked a lot of patience. I was constantly trying to beat time until 2020 when it felt like time stopped. 2020 was a year full of delay for me. When COVID 19 first struck it was like the world stopped for me. My education, social life, and time just stopped. I spent days doing nothing for hours upon hours.
When 2021 began I was very angry, I felt as though I had wasted 2020 doing nothing. My grade suffered, my social life suffered, and ultimately my mind suffered. I had no motivation and no drive to continue with my high school education. I spent the first couple of months of 2021 begging my parents to let me graduate early and they said no. I spent months so angry that it motivated me to do the next best thing; dual enrollment. I pushed myself so hard that I am now going to graduate with 32 college credits on my high school transcript. When I enter college in the Fall I will be taking sophomore courses while my peers will be in freshman classes. Finishing these classes gave me a sense of accomplishment and finally made me stop. I reflected on what I have done and not what I still 'need' to do.
Now looking back as I am entering 2022 I understand why my parents did not let me rush through my last couple go years of high school. They were making sure I did not let the tragedy that COVID 19 struck upon completely alter my life. I still participate in prom, homecoming, and hopefully, I can walk across that stage and graduate in the Spring. My parents taught me to be calm and most importantly patient.
2021 was a year full of uncertainty and fear for me. I began my senior year of high school in 2021 and what I have learned is to be patient. Ever since I entered high school I have been rushing. Rushing to get my license, finish classes, and graduate. This year has been full of fear for many people since as a society we are still fighting COVID 19. As I watch the news and see the numbers of Covid 19 deaths rise. I began to realize I needed to stop rushing myself, I needed to appreciate the life I have now. I needed to have patience.