Try by Samantha

Try by Samantha - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

The most difficult class that I have taken throughout high school was physics. Physics is the properties and mathematics behind energy and the world’s movements. The math was not always the most difficult task, but the amount of effort needed to solve a problem became a huge challenge. I have always put time and effort into my school work, but a large portion of school had always come easy to me. Physics challenged me in many ways and I almost dropped the class in fear of failing.
I remained in the class for a little while and reached out to me teacher for help. My physics teacher constantly reminded me throughout the semester not to give up. He told me that many of his students in the past have a tendency to not care about their grade until it is too late. Every single test matters and they require full effort. He reminded me that physics is a very difficult class, but if you put in the time, the concepts are pretty easy to remember. Most importantly, he encouraged me not to drop out of the class because it was challenging, but rather to take it head on. He said that you never know if you never try.
Throughout the semester I developed a friendly relationship with my table partners and we became the dream team. There were many moments in which I tried my best and still received a poor test grade. In these moments I felt like I was sinking and I wanted to give up, but I always remembered what my teacher told me about trying my best on every test. Over time, I began to truly understand some of the concepts through hard work and time.
By the final week of the semester, I manage to maintain the minimum percentile that counts as an A. I knew that I had to put hours into preparing for the final, but my self motivation had grown weary. After reminding myself that this was the final week, I began to study for the final. I finished the class with a low A, but an A nonetheless.
Physics turned out to be my most valued class. This is due to the things that I learned and the people that I met. I have always been talented at math and it was my favorite subject. In physics, I learned how to apply my favorite subject to real world situations and how to explain certain phenomenons. I learned about gravity and principles of the earth and space. I also gained two great friends from my physics team. Finally, I learned from my physics teacher. He taught me to never be afraid of a challenge and most importantly to always try.