Don't Sweat The Small Things by Kierra

Don't Sweat The Small Things by Kierra - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

As I was entering high school, at the tender age of fourteen, I thought I knew everything. I chose to go to school with my best friend because I just knew that we would be friends forever. I knew that I could slack like I did in middle school, and that high school was a breeze. Little did I know, everything I knew was wrong.
Following the same regimen I used in middle school, I would usually put homework to the side until late at night. Then, whatever was easy I would do, and whatever I did not feel like doing, I wouldn't. This eventually almost caused me to be in ninth grade all over again, but luckily, my teachers made sure I was able to pass to the next grade. They gave me my missing work and let me make things up so that I could pass.
Also, in ninth grade, I was focused on so many things that were not important. Things such as boys and drama, which, no matter how important they may seem, should come after school work. I was caught up in my new environment. I loved and hated high school all at once, and this was because although I thought I knew everything, I knew nothing at all. I was excited for the new experiences, but the many things I was put through made me consider leaving my school and going to a new one.
Looking back now, though, I would tell my younger self, and any other students who are about to enter high school, that you did not work this hard to come to high school and fail. You did not waste your middle school life doing tedious homework to get to high school and focus on the wrong things. Boyfriends or girlfriends will come and go. There will always be another party. You and your friends can hang out another time. Working hard in school will make things much easier when you need to apply for college, trust me. The higher your GPA is, the less you'll have to pay for school. So remember, work hard now and play later. Everything will work out in the long run.