Unscripted Lessons by Santiago

Unscripted Lessons by Santiago - September 2024 Scholarship Essay

Although sitting in a classroom on those freezing school chairs listening to a teacher talk for an hour may work great for some people, it can quickly become quite dull. This has worked for many generations and continues to work but that doesn’t mean it's the best for everyone. My favorite non-traditional way to learn is with hands-on experiences and conversing with people. Talking to someone who knows something I don’t or has a different perspective can truly facilitate learning much more than reading about it could. I can ask questions, get their take on things, and have a back-and-forth that helps me process and challenge my thinking.
Currently, I’m focusing on developing discipline outside of school. Discipline isn’t something you sit in a class for or learn from a textbook, but it’s one of the most important things I’ve been working on. I’ve been figuring out how to stay on track, get things done, and hold myself accountable. It's been a real challenge, especially when distractions like social media or other recreational activities are within my reach, but learning to manage my time and push through has made a huge difference. It’s like building a muscle the more I practice, the stronger it gets, and that discipline and resistance to distractions are starting to show up in everything I do.
I’m also learning that there's more to discipline than just making schedules or reminders. There should be a balance between rest and work. I would often find myself sitting down at my desk for hours on end just studying or doing my homework, and I’d see myself not being very productive or efficient. I was talking to my friend about how long he’d usually spend studying since he always did great on assessments. I was genuinely surprised when he told me that he didn’t spend that much time studying and he took short breaks to re-energize. That’s when I realized that I’d have to teach myself when to take breaks and give myself space, so I don’t burn out. It’s not about how much time you invest into something, it’s more about the quality of the time. If you’re efficient and focused, shorter study times can be a lot better than spending multiple hours just being distracted. To add on, that balance I stated earlier is important. Taking a break to grab something to eat, go for a walk, or listen to music can be rejuvenating.
Non-traditional learning has really taught me to open my eyes and truly understand adaptability. Unlike in school, the real world won’t always have multiple-choice or strict answers. There can be countless answers to your problems. The embodiment of this can be seen when I play soccer. When I’m playing against another team, I won’t know the players. This means that I will have to keep an open mind to their set of skills or tactics and I have to be ready for multiple scenarios. Also, things will most likely not go my way at first, so I have to analyze the situation and adapt accordingly. This isn’t something you can learn by reading a textbook, it's something that is best learned by physically being there. Soccer has taught me to adapt quickly on my feet, figuratively and literally. Being able to adjust my approach and stay open-minded has definitely made me a better problem solver.
Overall, non-traditional learning has shown me that there is more to learning than just being lectured by a teacher. Certain things can’t be taught, and it’s way better to just experience them or talk to someone about them. This includes discipline and adaptability. Keeping an open mind to experiences or situations and going in with a learning mindset can do great things for your future.