Failing and Dealing With It by Mary Ellen

Failing and Dealing With It by Mary Ellen - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

From a young age, I have always been extremely hard on myself. My mom once told me that when I was in preschool I used to rip up my drawings when they didn’t meet my standards for what was worthy to be put up on the fridge. For as long as I could remember I felt as though anything short of perfect was not worth anything. The summer going into my freshman year, I decided to try out for the high school soccer team since I had been playing all throughout middle school and most of elementary school. When I walked on to that endless field I felt the worst fear I have ever experienced. The girls that surrounded me were so much bigger and more experienced; I was not only terrified of their physical appearances but also of there athletic ability that would probably lead to my failure to make the team. I ended up getting cut during the second day of tryouts. After hopelessly searching for my name on the list of girls who would move on, I climbed into my dad’s car completely distraught. Tears streamed down my hot, sunburned cheeks as I explained to my dad that I felt like such a failure. That day my dad gave me the best advice that I have ever received. He told me that being short of perfect is not a failure. You cannot just expect to always be flawless. In the years since my soccer career I have learned that human beings are inherently flawed and that is ok.
My New Year’s resolution this year and every year is to accept my failures and use them to make me stronger. Academically, this resolution will help me improve drastically. High School is full of failures whether it is in the classroom or on the court. When I do badly on a test, I will tell myself that it is ok and then study harder for the next one. This year, I will use my failures to motivate me to persevere.