High School Success in One Word by Paris

High School Success in One Word by Paris - November 2014 Scholarship Essay

High School is a lot like the real world. It has it’s ups and downs; its rights and wrongs. You do really well in other areas and you avoid the places that you don’t. There are people whose employment is questionable and others whose ability to get promoted to the next level is even more so. The lunch room is as segregated there as it is in any office building, and the girls can be just as catty. Any door with a danger behind it - whether it be a disagreeable superior or the boy’s bathroom - should be labeled with an ‘Approach With Caution’ sign, just in case, because let’s face it: when you’re new, you know less than nothing about your environment.

I, along with the rest of my classmates, had been haphazardly thrown into a four-year institution that was about as friendly as the African Savannah - except the lions didn't sit outside sunning themselves, and the hyenas weren't characterized by their creepy cackles. I would have just about given anything - including my earthly soul - to blink and suddenly be done.

I don’t say any of this to scare anyone - just to give the truth. Luckily for me, I had an awesome mom. Whenever something was difficult and I was sitting there, lamenting how hard it was and how I wasn't sure if I was able to do what had been asked of me, she had one question for me: “Do you believe you can?”
Believe.

This is the one word that I give to freshman as advice. I know it’s been said a million times, but you truly can do anything you believe. My entire high school career has been a matter of belief. I was thrown into running a race in track I had never done before, the 1600 meter relay, and because of the belief I had in myself I ended up getting my team to the State track meet - and I’m not at all athletic. During my junior year I was put into a Physics class with questionable math skills, and due to a lot of hard work and a belief that I could pass, I did.

I know this is cheesy, overrated advice. You will hear it time and time again. It’s not 100% guaranteed either. But if you pick reasonable goals, and you work with the belief that it is within your abilities to complete the goal, everything is possible. When you believe in yourself, High School isn't so hard. And when you have friends who support you and inspire your belief, then it’s even easier.

In conclusion, I say this to you, new little freshman:

Believe.