Overcoming My Academic Obstacle by Eden

Overcoming My Academic Obstacle by Eden - June 2016 Scholarship Essay

When considering my academic obstacles, I feel that mine are unique when compared to the average high school student. The word “obstacle” usually suggests something lasting temporarily, but for me it entailed two long, yet rewarding years. During my junior and senior years of high school, I participated in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), a two-year program comprised of six rigorous college-level courses. The program not only requires the passing of these courses, but that all candidates complete at least 150 hours of community service and a number of internal and external assessments, after which the student will be rewarded with international recognition.
This particular programme was by far the most academically challenging obstacle endeavor I have ever completed. The last two years of my high school career was entirely dedicated to this program. I had to learn how to balance my academics with a number of extracurriculars that included sports, theater productions,speech and debate, choir, friends, free time, and family. Having to adapt to the requirements of the program was a difficult task. Perhaps the greatest obstacle during this period was learning time management skills, which I soon learned would be not only a skill useful in school, but necessary in life. Managing my time wisely was a very difficult task. If I had put an assignment off in one class, then it would just add to the stack of work and stress I already had to deal with. Stress in general was also something that I had to learn to get comfortable with. Without a doubt, stress was an everyday thing I had to deal with. If I wasn’t stressing about my academics, it would be something else, for example, memorising lines, catching up on my CAS hours, or preparing for a game, my mind was constantly busy. Throughout these two years people had always told me that I needed to learn to make time for myself, but in my own reality I had to put my “in-the-moment” wants aside because I had set specific goals I wanted to accomplish, and those goals required my complete and undivided attention. When I felt I deserved time for myself it backfired. I ended up putting myself even further behind in my school work, which then added onto the pile of stress I was initially trying to escape.
When answering the question on how I overcame this academic obstacle, I can confidently say that I did so through determination, motivation, and the help from loved ones. There were several occasions where we had major tasks assigned to us in all six classes and they all, roughly, had the same due date. None of those tasks would’ve come close to being completed if it wasn’t for the help of those around me. They motivated me to keep pushing forward, because once I crossed that stage with a diploma in my hand, it would all be worth it. One of the biggest things that young adults struggle with these days, is finding the right motivation. Lots of people use money as their main motivator, which isn’t bad in a sense, but I believe that bettering ourselves should be our biggest motivation. This academic obstacle was one of the most challenging things that I have willingly attested to, and I am more than proud to say that I overcame it.
Throughout this programme I cried, yelled, and I’ve felt sorry for myself, but looking back on all the blood, sweat, and tears shed within those two years, I can see that it has definitely made me a stronger, smarter, and overall a better student. By overcoming this obstacle, I learned that when it comes to furthering my education and bettering myself, I can do it all through determination, motivation, and the help from my loved ones. I realized that your future is not just going to be handed to you on a silver platter, and if you work hard towards your goals, success will feel so much greater. One of my favorite quotes that I have always lived by throughout my high school career was, “Success doesn’t come and find you, you have to go out and get it.” -Anonymous