Adaptability Through Uncertain Circumstances by Erin

Adaptability Through Uncertain Circumstances by Erin - January 2022 Scholarship Essay

Throughout 2021, my school went through a variety of learning styles and I developed a very strong skill of adaptability. After winter break of my junior year, we started completely in distance learning, moved to hybrid learning after Spring Break, and finally finished out the year fully in-person. Throughout it all, students had the option to continue to learn completely online, and many did, meaning classes were fairly small and there was little interaction with other students. This way of learning was completely new to me and presented a lot of challenges. Academically, my classes either seemed to be two different extremes; incredibly easy or impossibly hard. In many of my classes, I did not have much work. As long as I showed up to the online Zoom call, I was fine. However, a couple of classes, Calculus 2 in particular, were very hard. Signing up for Calculus 2 as a junior, I already knew that it would be very hard for me because the subject is complicated and the class moves at a fast pace. Additionally, my Calculus 1 knowledge wasn’t as strong as I would have liked because we never got to finish the second semester of my sophomore year. Being online, even in a hybrid model, I had very limited opportunities to ask questions of my teacher and couldn’t work together with classmates. Emotionally, this was also very isolating. Some of my friends that chose distance learning, I didn’t see in person for over a year. We all wanted to keep each other safe, but it was difficult not knowing how they were doing.
Despite these setbacks, I was able to find brand new resources, especially online ones. Sites like Khan Academy, College Board videos, and more, were extremely helpful in my understanding. Oftentimes, I spent hours watching these videos and doing their practice problems, on top of all the homework I was already getting from my teacher. I was able to adapt not only to different resources but also adapted my schedule to allow time for me to study each night. Moving into in-person learning, I felt more prepared for the competitive environment of Calculus 2 and was able to succeed on each test. I eventually earned the hardest A I have ever received and passed the Advanced Placement test. Another skill this taught me was being able to work on something every day. Instead of cramming to study the content right before a test, I spaced out my learning. This made me more aware of which topics I needed to spend more time on and gave me the opportunity to ask more questions in and outside of class.
At the start of my senior year, I was thrilled to be learning completely in person, back with all of my friends with nobody learning online. However, I felt overwhelmed to be in such a crowded school with classes back to the rigor from before COVID. Luckily, I was able to adapt once again, using the study skills that I had strengthened during Calculus 2. Despite many students around me struggling to learn how to study and pay attention inside of school once again, I immediately was doing well in my classes. Learning to deal with such a crowded school was more difficult for me, but the longer my classes went on, the more accustomed I grew to it. It was amazing to be able to rely on my classmates and friends once again. Participating in group activities felt way more fun and helpful than previously, and I felt like my education was benefiting greatly. I was glad to be able to continue to succeed in school during such a difficult time and although it wasn’t easy to adjust to each change, I made it through.