Embracing Challenges: My Journey of Growth and Resilience by Ricky

Embracing Challenges: My Journey of Growth and Resilience by Ricky - August 2023 Scholarship Essay

My story can be summed up with a simple proverb: nothing ventured, nothing gained. As middle school was drawing to a close, I was preparing to take a test to enter one of the specialized high schools in New York City. Although I put a lot of work into preparing for this test, my test scores were just below the threshold for admission. At first, I did not overthink it. However, as the school year started, I realized that I wanted to achieve more and be better than what I was embarking on. I decided to study and retake the test! From this decision, I learned that only through failing can I wake up and become the person that I envision myself to be. This realization has sparked a period of personal growth and propelled me to set my sight on newer heights.

Fast forward one year, and my first day at The Brooklyn Latin School had arrived. The first moments were full of excitement as I was finally receiving a better education. However, as the thought of a new school began to sink in, other thoughts raced through my head. Will I be able to catch up? Will I have time for homework or my family business? The culmination of all these obstacles made me doubt myself and my choice to attend this school. Thousands of thoughts were going through my head as I walked into my first class. The sight of not knowing anyone and sitting alone with my new mandatory uniform was the final straw in seeking to distance myself as soon as possible from this school. I was so distraught that I quickly went to my counselor to transfer back to my old school. As I wept and cried in his office, I thought of the familiarity of my old school. After speaking to my counselor, he determined that I could go back due to the commute. Before finalizing the paperwork, he encouraged me to reevaluate my decision. This forced reflective process created a series of fresh questions that I was not ready to answer. Was I genuinely terrified of the long commute and challenging curriculum? It indeed stemmed from my reluctance to take risks to better myself.

When I arrived home, I shared my day’s occurrences with my parents, who surprisingly agreed for me to transfer back. However, my dad somehow convinced me to consider it for only a week to ensure that I was making the correct decision. And so I did and learned so much about myself and how to come to terms with obstacles. I realized that calamity, turmoil, and adversity are part of the process of achieving great things. It’s like a diamond that, without friction, can not be polished; so does my development rests upon complex trials to make myself a better person. My journey to better myself started when I reluctantly went to school every day for a week, getting home late, exhausted with a lot of homework to do. I had no time for things I enjoyed, in addition to my responsibilities. As the days went by, I realized that I could sacrifice specific wants to develop myself further. In a way, I realized that the answer was always in me but needed a challenging event to allow it to flourish and manifest itself. I have always cared about my future, but sometimes the easy way out is just so tempting.

My past 2 years at the Brooklyn Latin school were not without challenges, some being more challenging than those I faced in that first week of school. I learned that you should never sacrifice your academics for something you think you would prefer at the moment. I would find myself willing to try new things if it could positively affect my future. No longer did I have the mentality of wanting to give up so easily.