Freshman: Fill Your Schedule with Activities by Stephanie
Stephanieof Heidelberg, Germany's entry into Varsity Tutor's November 2014 scholarship contest
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Heidelberg, Germany, FL
November 2014
Freshman: Fill Your Schedule with Activities by Stephanie - November 2014 Scholarship Essay
Every single high school senior should leave high school a completely different person than who they were on their first day of freshman year. If you go to college only because you studied hard in high school and got top grades, you only learned what can be taught in a book. While grades are extremely important, from a book you learn nothing about yourself or what you can accomplish in life. The one piece of advice I give to incoming high school freshmen is to fill your schedule with activities!
Self-discovery is part of the growing process and, with such a wide array of activities, high school is the ideal time to learn. Perhaps you will unlock the hidden artist within by learning a musical instrument or a healthy way to relieve your test anxiety on the tennis court or a hidden love of Shakespeare in the Thespian Society. The main point is to leave no stone unturned. Not only will you learn more about yourself but also some unexpected and important lessons in accountability, time management, punctuality, prioritizing, and socializing.
These skills are expected of you once you leave high school to attend university or pursue a career. College professors and employers will hold you accountable for being on time, managing your work life with your social life, prioritizing tasks, and working well with others from day one of school or work. If you have mastered these skills already, you will be ahead of many others. Imagine how much simpler college finals would be once you learn to manage your schedule or how stress free your mornings would be when you get to work on time.
In freshman year hardly any student has a clear idea of what they want to do in life. So take this incredible opportunity to try out everything from the Future Business Leaders of America, to Anthropology Club, to Golf and I guarantee you will graduate senior year prepared to be a success at anything you choose to pursue.
