Tough Stuff by Lauren

Tough Stuff by Lauren - February 2014 Scholarship Essay

During my sophomore year of high school I went through a difficult setback that ultimately made me stronger. I tore my ACL, MCL, and two menisci in my knee, which resulted in an early end to my promising season. In the early stages of rehab I was struggling to see how it could possibly be a positive experience, but one of my coaches came across a quote that soon became the basis for my recovery. The quote was “Tough times don’t last, but tough people do”. This quote was exactly what I needed to hear during this difficult time because the only way I would come back from this injury was to be physically and mentally tough.

The rehab was both physically and mentally taxing, but all I could think about was learning to be “tough”. This meant sitting on the bench and cheering as my team made it all the way to final of the state tournament, putting in countless hours of weight training and other rehab activities, learning to trust my knee again, and never getting down on myself. At times it was certainly difficult to say the least, but I do believe that through this challenging experience, I learned how to be tough.

Although this quote was the basis for my recovery, it has also become my favorite quote and one that I often think of during situations that may not go as I had hoped. From basketball games where I may not shoot well, to a challenging subject in school, this quote can be directly related to any aspect of my life. It reminds me that determination is important and without it, the obstacle I am facing will get the best of me. It also gives me hope for better results in the future. I strongly believe I will use this powerful quote in many ways in the future to remind myself to be “tough” and face whatever obstacle is placed in my way.