Advice to Past Self by Liliana

Advice to Past Self by Liliana - September 2022 Scholarship Essay

I would advise my past self to be more confident. During my time in school, I regret settling for friends that were selfish and did not truly accept me, and I was not confident in my grades all the time.

Everyone has regrets in their lives about decisions that did not benefit them. I believe that I wasted time with friends who did not offer positivity just so I could avoid being alone. This impacted my school performance because I did not participate in extra curriculars and seldom studied property. The lack of confidence I had resulted in me feeling lazy and I received lower grades than I should have received.

A low sense of confidence caused me to be afraid to ask for help. I realized recently that I could positively change my grades by creating a study plan and accepting help from teachers and tutors. The thought of shame and rejection was overpowering, so I believe that I waited too long to ask for help. However, I have replaced fear with love for myself, and I had a major mindset shift. I realize that having good grades and learning the concepts in class will lead me to a successful college career and life afterwards.

Overall, I believe that I would tell my past self to ask for help and find better friends. My mindset has shifted to be more confident in myself and my talents. Also, I am firm on what I deserve in life, and I know that I deserve good people around me. In the end, regrets may appear to be negative, but they are parts of my overall journey in life, and I take them as good lessons learned.