Educated and Enjoying It by Jared

Educated and Enjoying It by Jared - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

High school can be a major turning point in life for many students. It is a time to develop friendships, develop your identity, and, of course, to gain the knowledge required to weather the blows of “real life.”
Some students actively avoid reaping the benefits of a high school education, and, needless to say, disregarding your education is not recommended. However, there is an opposite extreme as well. Many top-tier students find themselves under the impression that to truly succeed in their education, there must be a forfeiture of any-and-all non-school related and enjoyable activities.
This is not a ridiculous statement. In fact, from my experience, it happens constantly. Many students who have an enhanced will to succeed focus solely on academic work and leave the rest of life alone. They will take a full load of AP classes and spend the vast majority of their time hitting the books.
In no way do I discourage being fanatic about school, as I am fanatic about it myself. However, by refusing to leave the comfort of a textbook, one will inevitably miss the plethora of social opportunities that high school offers. There are fantastic opportunities that stem from participating in sports and clubs -- even the non-academic clubs. They will help develop social groups, and therefore social skills, not to mention long-term friends and memories. Sometimes, believe it or not, “hanging out” with those friends and doing nothing is completely okay. I have never regretted going out bowling on a Friday night and forgetting that school exists for an hour or two, but I have regretted staying at home. I have felt stressed and aggravated by my school work, but I have never regretted taking a band or foods class. Enjoying school is just as important as getting the ‘A’s. If you don’t like your job, chances are you won’t do as well as someone who comes into work every day with a smile. If you love coming to school and have periods where you can just have fun, there is the distinct possibility that you will do better than some of your hard-headed classmates.
When it comes down to it, if you only participate in clubs and sports in order to beef up a college application, there is no harm in that. In today’s competitive society there is always the feeling that if you don’t push yourself to the limit, you aren’t trying hard enough. I don’t think that is true. Throughout high school I have taken a couple easy classes and played a few sports and I am still headed to the same college that my top-tier peers are attending. Don’t sacrifice education for fun, as that will hurt you in the long run, but remember not to sacrifice fun for education either.