Being Frank and Education by kristen

Being Frank and Education by kristen - May 2014 Scholarship Essay

"If you work hard, you will get everything you want and have a good life". This statement is one that nearly every high school and college student can rattle off in a millisecond without an ounce of thought. It is said by every principle at every award ceremony; every teacher to every student that is struggling in school; every parent who wants a better life for their child. However, I cannot say that this statement has severely influenced me. I do not have this on the wall of my room to stare at whenever I am faced with a challenge. I do not hear an adult say this to a teenager that is acting out in hopes that it will 'give them a reason to do well'. I do not look at this, written into speeches like the one for my National Honor Society Induction, and think of how inspirational the words are and how this one statement truly motivates my life. I cannot, as to me it does not do these things. Instead, the words that have given me a drive are essentially “Suck it up, buttercup. The world is not fair – if you work hard, you still may not get what you want. It is your job to make sure you just end up okay.”

These words are not what everyday people want to here. They are not what a kindergarten teacher tells her class when they all make great drawings. They are not what principals say when they speak to the top of the class. They are not sugar coated. How has this statement affected me? It has taught me to set my goals high, but not to fret when I do not reach them. No, I may not get a job that makes six figures and gives me a mansion and a fancy car, but if I make enough live comfortably in a job I love then I am doing fine. I am not an optimistic person – I have become too educated to be one. However, I know that while I may not get what I want, I do not need any of that. Aim high, accept low, but never stay the same. These words have impacted me in a way that not many others have: they have given me real world knowledge, and prepared me for the failures I must face to achieve what I need.