On Top of the World by Marija

On Top of the World by Marija - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Many times in our lifetime, there are specific moments where we find ourselves reliving the past, or pondering about certain thoughts and events. These can be memories shared with friends, feelings felt about school or a loved one, and even dreams and goals for the future. In third grade, I had a teacher who believed in me, and I often find myself thinking about her and her quotes. Prior to third grade, I was believed to be a student who was not accelerating at the level of others in my grade. I wasn’t good at math, I was often talkative and did not pay attention. My teacher thought that I would need a tutor and extra help with attention and homework. This news worried my mom, who was a single mother of two and a foreigner. She always told me to listen to the teachers and not get in trouble. When I got to third grade, Mrs. Arndt helped me with my work and gave me tips on how to try my best, no matter what the situation was. I admired her work ethic, her organization, her helpfulness, and her patience. One day, after helping me complete a difficult assignment, I said “I cannot believe I did this! I’m so proud of myself!” She looked at me and said “You did a great job, I told you you could!” I said, “I’m used to teachers not being helpful, and thinking I can’t do something, thank you for not doing that.” She looked me in the eye and said, “Let me tell you something. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t achieve something. If you have a goal, then you try your absolute best to get to it and never look back. You can achieve anything you set your mind to, and when you finally get to your dream, it is one of the best feelings in the world.”
Third grade was a turning point in my life. It was the year I realized I wanted to be a teacher, the year I learned how to be organized, helpful, and an optimist. I know I was only 8 years old, but I feel like I learned so much from a wonderful teacher. Ever since then, I have learned to be a great student, not be afraid to ask questions, and have enjoyed school more than ever. I graduated cum laude with an honors diploma, got accepted into the college of my dreams, majoring in Early Childhood Education. I even reached some of my personal goals, things I never thought I could achieve, like running a half marathon and getting picked to be in an internship two years in a row! Mrs. Arndt taught me to reach for my dreams, and to do whatever it takes to reach them. It may be a lot of hard work, but it is all worth it in the end, when you reach your dream and you feel like you’re on top of the world, just like she said.