Asking For Help Is Not A Weakness by Madison

Asking For Help Is Not A Weakness by Madison - September 2022 Scholarship Essay

“Asking for help means that you are struggling”, I thought to myself as I sat in my ninth grade Latin classroom not sure on how I was supposed to write a paragraph about myself in the Latin language. This was not the first time that I had trouble in this dead language; it was a few weeks into the school year and I already experienced multiple B’s and C’s in the class. I was so frustrated at myself for not understanding why I could not comprehend this ancient language that I did not have time to remind myself that it would take longer for me to master Latin, as everyone else at my new school had taken Latin since fourth grade. Yet, I, stubborn and prideful, refused to ask for help from my teacher. This struggle began to affect how I felt in general about my school and the classical education I was receiving. I became angry when we read works from Augustine or studied Nero because I could not see the point of reading books and studying history that happened so long ago. Yet, in reality, my acrimony from not understanding Latin was creeping into the way I felt about other subjects I was being taught.
If I could give one piece of advice to my past self, it would be that it is okay to ask for help. In fact, it is not only okay, but it is good to ask for help. Asking for help shows that you are actively making an effort and are genuinely interested in the material that you are learning. I believed that asking for help was equivalent to showing a weakness. Yet, guidance grows you as a person because it keeps your pride at bay (and your grades drastically improve). It was not until pre-calculus in eleventh grade when I forced myself to go to after school math tutoring hosted by my teacher. Not only did doing this increase my pre-calculus grade, but I also learned that my teacher truly cared about me and was willing to spend however much time with me that she needed in order for me to succeed in her class.
Although I learned it the hard way, now, entering into my freshman year of college, I truly understand that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of perseverance. I wish that I grasped this important lesson earlier, but I am grateful that now I live this out. Asking for help has deflated my pride and caused me to have a stronger interest in the material that I learn. So, younger self, asking for help does not set me back, but sets me up for future success as I learn how to properly communicate my perplexities to others.