If you were to peek into my life, it wouldn’t be hard to guess that I don’t like change. There’s nothing more comforting than knowing exactly where and who I’m going to be eating lunch with every day, the familiar faces of classmates, and dependable teammates, all in which I’ve been with what seems like all of highschool. The harsh reality is that you can’t stop change. However, there’s a beauty in knowing that with change, there’s growth.
My relationship with academics is probably one of the biggest growths I’ve undergone. Growing up, academics have always been a priority for me. However, there came a point in time school brought me more anxiety, tears, and frustration than knowledge. In high school there seems to be a mutual agreement that “school sucks” and we tend to bond over sleepless nights, painful test scores, and venting over tedious assignments. My resentment towards school and specifically math, reached a boiling point my sophomore year, as I spent countless hours trying to keep up with the rigorous workload, and yet still couldn’t help feeling behind. My energy was spent on things I didn’t enjoy and I lost passion in other aspects of my life. However, these moments of struggle truly shaped me into the person I am today.
In the moment, I took struggling as a sign of weakness, as a sign of failure, but I grew to appreciate those moments of frustration because I now understand that those moments of not understanding was an attempt of learning.
Finding a balance between pushing yourself academically, but without burning yourself out isn’t easy. My junior year I decided not to take Math 3 Honors. By taking a course that fit my pace of learning better, I was able to immerse myself into the material and understand it better.
Similarly, as a senior I’m taking classes that inspire and motivate me. My dream is to become an occupational therapist and I’ve been able to enjoy subjects such as Medicine Terminology and Sports Medicine, two classes in which I’m actively learning new things. In many ways my coursework hasn’t gotten any less challenging, but my regained curiosity has motivated me to overcome stressful weeks.
I know I have much to learn, experience, and grow in. The future that awaits me is exciting, but I will miss the small things in which I’ve taken for granted. I will miss the football games that I describe as boring and yet always attend, I’ll miss walking to classes with my friends, and I’ll miss the friendships that seem to blossom most when inside a classroom.
A final thank you to my friends, family, and teachers who have witnessed, encouraged, and taken part in my growth throughout high school.
To those reading, don’t feel discouraged in times of uncertainty. Remember that struggling is how we get better, practice is how we get stronger, and asking questions is how we learn.
