This is the Beginning by Natalie

This is the Beginning by Natalie - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

Do you want to end up a super senior? Having to watch your fellow classmates graduate without you? Do you want to drop out of high school and have a minimum wage job at a fast food restaurant or have a successful career as a doctor or an engineer? High school isn’t just a waste of time. It prepares you for the real world. Although it may seem like the next four years will take forever, the truth is, it will be over in the blink of an eye. You will be at your graduation grabbing your diploma remembering freshman year like it was yesterday. Treat these years with hard work and don’t make any mistakes because one mistake like not paying attention in class can hurt your future. High school isn’t easy and I want to help you make good decisions. It may be challenging and unbearable, but it is possible.

For me, my first few years weren’t going so well, so I decided to make a change and do well my third and fourth year of high school. I want to motivate you to not make bad choices like slacking off, procrastinating and messing around in class so you can go to college and have a great future. If you manage your time, work hard, and not procrastinate, you will go far. Many students don’t graduate or have to repeat senior year due to bad decisions they made throughout high school. Hard work takes time. You have to study every single day so you can pass your quizzes and exams. Manage your time studying and don’t wait until the night before to cram everything in your head. When you put that much pressure on yourself, you won’t be able to succeed. Procrastinating is not the way to go. Doing your work on time will show you and others how prepared you are for school. You want that feeling of accomplishment when your teacher says great job. Everything you do in high school matters. Whether you like it or not, your teachers, parents, and other students will judge you for your mistakes and accomplishments. We get judged for our test scores, unexcused absences, grades, etc. Some of you might not care about where you stand, but it will determine how your future will look.

These four years are to be used wisely. You aren’t here just to waste time. You are here to get an education. Your life has just started and you have many more years ahead of you to do whatever you want. But for now, stay in school and do your best. You will pass through some struggles, but that is what high school is all about. There are many challenges and you will just have to overcome each and every one.