Try, Try Again by Winter

Try, Try Again by Winter - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

For some students, school just comes easily to them. Homework is a breeze, quizzes are mediocre, and tests are never studied for. Fortunately, I was one of these students. Although this sounds like an amazing talent, I never learned proper study techniques and I wouldn’t pay attention in class because I assumed that I would perform well on all of my assignments. For a long time, it worked for me, but when I started high school, my grades began to slip. Because I was so used to getting perfect grades, I pushed myself to take harder classes to be the very best that I could be. I always took the honors, advanced placement, and duel enrollment courses just to get as far ahead as I could. My family and friends were all so proud of me for pushing myself, but they weren’t as proud when I brought home my first “F” on a test. I didn’t put forth as much effort as I should have when it came to preparing for the test. I played it off as “no big deal”, but on the inside, I was truly disappointed.
Getting my first bad grade hurt my confidence more than I was willing to admit. I didn’t take the extra time to make sure that I was ready to take the test and I assumed that I would score a high grade. Instead of admitting that I had made a mistake, I started procrastinating doing my homework, waiting until the last minute to do my projects, and dismissing failed quizzes and tests as “no big deal”. Instead of taking a mistake that I had made and learning from it, I let my academics degrade. I started settling for grades that were lower than what I knew I could receive.
Even though I was now accepting of average grades instead of outstanding grades, my parents were not as compliant. They would tell me every time I brought home a low grade that I was better than that and that I had the potential to earn higher grades, but I had to be willing to put forth the effort. Of course, like every other teenager on the planet, I ignored them. I assumed that they just didn’t know what they were talking about and that I was smarter than them. After years of this downward trend spiraling out of control, in senior year, I brought home an interim with the lowest grade I had ever achieved; a “28 F”.
When I opened the envelope and saw that grade, my jaw dropped. I knew that that grade was a result of low test scores and missing assignments, and the only person at fault was me. After a well needing crying session and a couple of nights alone just to process how much had changed since I was an honor roll student just three years prior, I realized that my parents were right. My feelings were hurt ever since I had failed that first test and I never took responsibility for it. That was the first step of a domino effect that was almost impossible to reverse.
After three years, I finally began taking the right steps to fix my academic standings. Instead of dozing off, I began to pay attention more and take clearer notes in class. I started earlier on my projects than I usually did and actually studied for tests. I even went to tutoring if I felt like I really needed it. I’ve managed to bring up my grades almost an entire letter grade, including my “28 F”, which is now an “89 B”. Even though it has taken a lot of hard work, I’m slowly reaching the point that I need to be at… but at a cost. I’m no longer in the top ten GPA’s and my honor roll status is long gone, but this time, I will learn from my mistake and in college, I’m going to work as hard as I can to actually be the best that I can be.
Take this opportunity to learn from my mistake. From one student to another, I can tell you that it isn’t going to be easy, and sometimes, giving up seems like the easiest way to go. Life is going to try to knock you down, but it’s ultimately your decision to get back up again. When you fail, either on a test or at a task, don’t lose your confidence. You are going to make mistakes. Don’t let those mistakes keep you on the ground when you know that you belong on the moon. Admit it when you’re wrong, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. You don’t have to take the weight of the world on your shoulders every single time. Additionally, as reluctantly as I can possibly admit this, it’s a good idea to listen to your parents. Often times, they can see the potential in you even when you think it has disappeared. They only push you so hard because they know that you can do it. As Barack Obama once said, “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.”