First Aid and CPR for Life by Thaddeus

First Aid and CPR for Life by Thaddeus - August 2016 Scholarship Essay

During High school I have been influenced by the several courses I have taken. Not only by what the course was, but the great example of a person as a teacher. But I believe that the class that influence me the most was CPR and First Aid.
Even though the instructor was kind of weird, he taught me so many things beyond where the curriculum led us. Our instructor couldn't emphasize enough the importance of preparing for the worst and expecting the best. I even carry first aid gear with me and have been looking for an opportunity to apply my newfound knowledge. Not very many classes I have taken have had that affect on me.
Mr. Lark, our instructor, really took this class to heart with such a passion that I could only share his passion with being ready to respond to any emergency situation. One story he told us that really stuck with me was that once he was taking a walk with his wife in a neighborhood. They smelled something funny in the air and decided to take action. They called in the situation and ended up saving the entire neighborhood from exploding!
This story was told several times over the course in order to emphasize the importance of keeping our wits about us.
How did this class help me grow as a student? I have heard on so many occasions that what is done in the now will affect what will happen in the future, but I never really gave this concept a big thought until I took CPR and First Aid. What decisions I make now, such as taking the First Aid class or writing this essay to win a scholarship will benefit me in the future rather than using the class period as a study hall or this time on social media. The way I learned this through the class was the concept of long-term guilt. I believe the best way to explain this concept is to provide a scenario.
For example, Charlie took a walk in the park and came across someone lying in a ditch after a nasty fall and was bleeding to death. Charlie couldn't bear the thought of getting his hands bloody so he called an ambulance and waited for help to arrive. It took the emergency personal 5 minutes to arrive, but it was too late, poor person died! Charlie realized if he had only done something to slow the bleeding that person would still be alive. Now Charlie feels guilty because he believes that it is all his fault.
This is long-term guilt, but the main point I want to get across is "long-term." The actions anyone makes now can affect them in the future. The cool car I want to buy may not be worth it in the long-term once I receive the bills.
So overall, not only did my First Aid class teach me technique and helping others, but also to think in the long term and to prepare for the worst and expect the best!