The Best Piece of Educational Advice That I Have Ever Received by Joris

The Best Piece of Educational Advice That I Have Ever Received by Joris - May 2014 Scholarship Essay

I have received a lot of educational advice over the years. I have been told to work hard, pay attention, take notes, keep up with my assignments, and a myriad of other things. The most important thing I have ever been told, however, is to challenge myself.

It is hard to say whether this is advice in the traditional sense. True, I have been told by counselors, teachers, parents, advisers, and many others to push myself as hard as I could. The truth is, however, that I did not really get this advice from them. For me, the idea that I should push myself and strive to be the best I can be has always simply been a part of me. I cannot conceive not pushing myself, being less than my best. Being less than you can be seems like a waste to me. If you can be more than you are, why would you not? Why would you settle for less than your best when you can be so much more? It may not be advice in the traditional sense, but this idea is one that I have cherished for my entire educational career.

Pushing myself has always been important to me. While I was in high school, I always strove to take the toughest and most vigorous courses I could. I always tried to push myself harder and never took the easy road. Whenever there was an AP or honors version of a class, I would always choose it over the CP equivalent. Even classes that were not my strong suit, history especially, I would take the hardest class available. I may not have had grades as high as some of the students in the CP classes, but I took pride in the knowledge that my grade was one that I earned, one that I worked for and received by my hard work alone.

I have pushed myself over the course of my entire educational career, and I would encourage all students to do the same. Doing less than your best is just leaving behind a part of yourself that should be yours for the taking. I would not be where I am now if I did not always do my best. For this reason, the best piece of educational advice that I have ever received is one that I gave myself.