Happiness by Guy

Happiness by Guy - November 2018 Scholarship Essay

"The happiest and most optimistic guy in the classroom." While people often compliment me for being a hard worker or creative problem solver, it is my sense of humor that seems to capture their attention. They praise me for being able to smile, even during difficult times. My family insists that I inherited this sense of humor from my maternal grandpa, a joyful man, despite being born in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during World War Two. Grandpa is the jokester within our family; he recognizes that life should not be taken too seriously.
My genetic proclivity to find humor in darkness comes out at different times. When my grandpa suffered a heart attack in the summer of 2011, worry consumed my parents, two younger siblings, and me. To lessen the tension in Grandpa’s hospital room, I sat at the foot of his bed and told him funny stories about school, fencing, and my life in general. I used my humor to bring humor back to my ailing grandfather; it proved to be a healing medicine.
I also relied upon humor to enable me to survive the grueling weeks when I studied for the Advanced Placement exam in U.S. History. To remind myself that I was only preparing for a test, not creating history, I would listen to the music of Hamilton on YouTube. The catchy rhymes made me laugh, putting this stressful experience of test preparation in perspective.
As the captain of my fencing team at Allderdice High School, I often relied upon humor to lessen the anxiety of my teammates. Before bouts, I would think of a particularly humorous anecdote to enable them to mentally relax. While I did not want them to lose their focus, I did hope that my peers would not allow the fierceness of the competition to reduce their enjoyment of the sport.
My basic philosophy is a simple one: Why be sad if I can be happy? I find that humor makes my pursuit of happiness a less challenging one. Instead of dwelling on the negatives, I look for the positives. Instead of grieving over what I should have done, I focus on what I will do the next time. With this upbeat attitude that even lets me laugh at myself, I feel as if I can deal with anything that comes my way.