No Longer a Chore by Olivia

No Longer a Chore by Olivia - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

Yeah, we know the drill. Wake up at 6 in the morning, take a warm shower, get dressed for school, and grab something small for breakfast on your way out the door as you glance at the clock and realize that you're going to be late if you don't hurry. Over the past three years, I have come to master this routine. Every year, August through May, Monday through Friday. When will school stop feeling like a chore? I love to learn, but hate going to school.

On August 21st, 2013, I'm not going to lie; I was absolutely dreading the first day of my junior year. I was excited to learn new things, but definitely not looking forward to all of the homework, projects, and tests that come along with them. Everyone always says that junior year is the hardest, and I was really hoping that they were wrong.

My first four periods were kind of a blur. I sat through all of them with tired eyes and a silent mouth, but ears always attentive. It wasn't until I walked into my fifth period class that I noticed a change in the atmosphere. The dark, dreary cloud that had been looming over my head from the moment I woke up that morning seemed to disappear. It was Mr. Yunker's sociology class, and as the bell buzzed and he began to speak, it was obvious that this was a man who loved his job. Within his voice was a confidence and kindness that I had not heard from a teacher before. His words rang with a sense of contentment that quickly earned my admiration.

As the school year went on, he continued to gain my respect and his class had procured my interest. I have always believed that teachers should be more concerned about the student's understanding of a subject instead of whether or not their homework had been completed, and this was a concept that I realized Mr. Yunker had implemented. Of course he wanted us to do our work and attain the highest grades we possibly could, but he always appeared to care more about our understanding of the material being discussed. The explanations he presented to us were always crystal clear, and if I ever did have a question, there wasn't a single one he couldn't answer.

Incorporating humor into lessons was frequent in fifth period. Every now and then he would slip a joke into his lecture, and they never failed to make me laugh. Mr. Yunker made me realize that learning can be a lot of fun, even when you're stuck in a classroom for an hour. He was also someone that I could easily relate to. There are always those teachers that you can only talk to about school related things, but he was the kind that was willing to help you with life problems instead of just math problems.

I guess if I had to put it simply, I would just say that Mr. Yunker made me view school in a different light. Not once did he bury me in an insurmountable amount of homework, call on me in class when I didn't know an answer, or feed me boring, useless information. He made me realize that you can't walk into the building expecting to have a bad day. You've got to work with what you've got and realize that school is what you make of it. After spending a whole year with the best teacher at Troy High School, I can truthfully say that I am looking forward to the beginning of my senior year. I am looking forward to keeping a positive attitude and taking the spirit of Mr. Yunker's classroom with me as I continue my education.

I will no longer let school feel like a chore.