Lessons Learned in 2022 and How They Will Impact My Goals for 2023 by Michelle

Lessons Learned in 2022 and How They Will Impact My Goals for 2023 by Michelle - December 2022 Scholarship Essay

As 2022 comes to an end, the words of the British Statesman, Winston Churchill: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” reminds me of my challenges throughout the year. These words aptly describe the positive qualities of resilience, strength of purpose, and acceptance of my fallibility as a human, which I developed through life experiences encountered during the year. This essay seeks to describe lessons I learned in 2022 and how they will impact my goals in 2023.
As a freshman this current year, I learned valuable lessons that will impact my goals for 2023 and will ultimately help me successfully graduate from college. I learned from the mistakes I made during my freshman year. For instance, I initially choose a major that was considered inadequate as a pre-med requirement for aspiring medical students by my academic advisor. Early this year, I procrastinated a lot and was distracted from my studies by friends. This caused me to have missed submission deadlines on my school assignments and be ill-prepared for school tests and exams. Throughout the year, I learned to choose my friends wisely, let go of those distracting me, stay focused on my studies, and avoid procrastination. I was also not a good team player and never worked well in groups due to poor coordination skills. Over time, I quickly learned to work collaboratively with others including my roommates, the school “Buddy Meal” program, study groups, and project teams. This helped me effectively organize the cleaning of my apartment communal space; provide meals to sick students who are unable to come to the school cafeteria to eat; improve my grades, and use a diverse set of skills to complete my class projects, respectively.
My goals for 2023 that I believe will be impacted by what I learned earlier this year include choosing my friends wisely so that I wouldn’t be distracted from my studies in the coming year. I will also prioritize my school work by setting goals for each year and breaking down large tasks into smaller achievable steps. Achieving these two goals will enable me to excel in my studies and free up more time for resting, socializing with family and friends, and interning with a physician for clinical experience. Additionally, I plan to strengthen my teamwork skills by acquiring knowledge and skills on the use of effective coordination, communication, and team bonding among group members. This would help me become a better and more effective roommate, “Buddy Meal” participant, study group member, and project team participant.
Finally, despite all my personal experiences and lessons learned in 2022, I was able to persevere and learn from my mistakes. I hope to make effective use of the lessons learned during the year to remain focused on my studies and become more successful in teamwork. I also hope to maintain discipline, hard work, resilience, and continue to have the love and support of my family and friends, which would help me become successful in school in the coming year. I am hoping for the best in 2023.