Grit by Susan

Grit by Susan - June 2024 Scholarship Essay

I didn’t know what grit was until I entered high school. Well, it was defined for me when I was in third grade. In fourth grade, I learned it had several meanings, but I had little care for the nature-related definition. By fifth grade, I could use it in a sentence, and during eighth grade, I incorporated the word into my vocabulary as I diagrammed its position in a sentence. According to Webster’s Dictionary and my Pearson textbook, I knew what grit meant. I didn’t understand how it would shape my character until I was forced to adopt it.
I’ve been playing tennis since I was seven - barely strong enough to hold a racket. Still, it was a passion of mine and a way to connect with my family, so I pursued the sport. As I geared up for my high school season, I slammed balls against the garage wall every day and practiced my serve every night. I allowed it to become an obsession, and I saw how my work paid off when I was voted Varsity captain, given a competitive rank on the team, and finally, when we represented our school at state for individual and team. My experience with tennis taught me how to both compete and collaborate while maintaining a healthy mind and body.
When I was a junior, I agreed to manage my school’s coffee shop. This role entailed taking inventory, managing the drawer, creating beverages, and promoting business. It also meant knowing the names of our customers so that we could label their drinks. With a sharpie and plastic cup, I began to recognize our student bodies by name and drink order. To take this volunteer job meant that I had to wake an hour early to open the shop and sacrifice my break during the school day to serve orders. But it offered an invaluable opportunity to truly know and love my classmates, and with every instance I wanted to quit are numerous more reasons why this connection and commitment has shaped my character and school community.
As a member of BreakDown St. Louis, I have spent hundreds of hours over these past four years serving my community. This ministry organization combats mental health, abuse, and addiction through the form of an interactive presentation designed for high school students. Through the conflicts with the team, discussions with audience members, and exposure to societal injustices, I have learned more about myself and the world around me.
Now, I am a recent high school graduate reflecting on who I am and who I want to become. From a bird’s eye view of my life, I value the hard work that allowed me to achieve the top rank in my high school and attend my dream college. To label four years of late nights, early mornings, and long weekends as grit seems bold, but I feel it is an accurate motivation for a series of exhausting yet rewarding experiences.