32Q
I grew a lot learning to stay on top of things. I was failing almost all of my classes and I got it to where I was only failing one. To me, I couldn't have done it better. This improvement is evident with the evolution of my grades, and with how I worked closely with Janae, my advisor, who I met with every week in order to get my grades up. At the start of the year, I just didn't care, and this went on for such a long time that, when it was suggested to me to try to get my grades up I was a little surprised because, if I didn't care about my grades, I didn’t think that anyone else did either. This was proven to be false as soon as I humored Janae just once and talked to Dan about my spreadsheet reflection. He was very willing to be flexible and let me finish it and turn it in, and when I finally did, I started passing his class. After that success I got more and more willing to fix my grades and it got to the point that despite it seeming like there was no way for me to even get close to recovering my grades, with the help of my teachers, I have been able to get all but one of my grades back up to passing and to me, there is almost no greater victory.
Sports… I grew up with them, baseball, hockey, soccer and my favorite one, lacrosse. These sports have ruled my life for as long as I can remember. My only passion was to get bigger, stronger and faster, to be able to outperform anyone. I took it to such a point where I lost track of who I was. I needed a break. A break from everything. I started going to the gym with friends as a sort of social thing, and then I was asked about going back to playing lacrosse. I hadn’t intended on going back, but I realized that, no matter what I try to do, there are only two things that I will be able to find success in. Those two things are, being independent and playing lacrosse. On my soul-searching days in the weight room, I learned that sometimes, success isn't being the best at what you do. True success to me is just being: being yourself, being the one to get things done and more. I was lifting at the rec and I remembered something. Something so small that it didn't seem like I should have remembered it. Months and months ago, I had a girlfriend. I loved her with all my heart and when she left me for someone else, I was devastated and that's when I had my realization. Thinking back to those times, I remembered something that a good friend told me to do when I am having a hard time. Rather than praying in long formal sentences to just go outside and say two words: “I am”. Those words mean that you are anything you choose to be, that you can accomplish anything if you are just who you are. This was my absolute biggest success. In my whole life I have never felt better because I went from nothing-- thinking that I’m not good enough because my grades aren't good-- to having enough confidence that I am invincible to anything that would have hurt me in the past.
My final not so great accomplishment was when I got out of the house. As a 16-year old, I feel that it is an achievement to be able to make my own way in the world, admittedly, my reasons for leaving home were selfish and at first my parents didn't want me to, but eventually they warmed to the idea. I now live with my brother in all but blood, in a little apartment. We don’t have much because all our money goes to rent, but to us, it's paradise. We are hoping to eventually earn enough savings to have a full house, and even if we do get there, it will take a long time. So far, we have been able to get ourselves a pitbull named Snubs. He is the sweetest dog I have ever met, despite all the negative stereotypes that have been placed on dogs like him. So far, I would say that this is a success other than the fact that it has gotten in the way of school, but not too much. Recently I have changed my work schedule to be able to make it to school on time everyday. In every way I call it a big achievement and I have hopes of becoming emancipated by the end of next year.
By far my biggest challenge this year has been getting my schoolwork done. I have always had problems concentrating in class, and despite having put many various plans into place it hasn't gotten better. Time and time again I have failed to get things done in class and thus, I fail classes more than I should because I know that I can do it. I feel now more than ever, that I need to be able to get my school work done.
My other challenge this year has been with my family. I don't get along with anyone and it has been very hard to get work done for school between having to clean the house and arguing with my parents. Every counselor that we have gone to has said the same thing, that it is not an environment that I can work in. I wish that we had caught onto this before now, seeing as I have failed multiple classes because of it. Now that I am moved out and on my own, I have been able to bring my grade up in almost every class and I believe that next semester I will do a lot better because I will have a better work environment.
Questions:
How can I improve on getting all my work done and turned in on time? I have struggled to find the answer to this question for years and I believe that I am finally getting close to achieving the answer and as soon as I do, everyone will know because my grades will not go back down to failing for the rest of my highschool career.
Sports… I grew up with them, baseball, hockey, soccer and my favorite one, lacrosse. These sports have ruled my life for as long as I can remember. My only passion was to get bigger, stronger and faster, to be able to outperform anyone. I took it to such a point where I lost track of who I was. I needed a break. A break from everything. I started going to the gym with friends as a sort of social thing, and then I was asked about going back to playing lacrosse. I hadn’t intended on going back, but I realized that, no matter what I try to do, there are only two things that I will be able to find success in. Those two things are, being independent and playing lacrosse. On my soul-searching days in the weight room, I learned that sometimes, success isn't being the best at what you do. True success to me is just being: being yourself, being the one to get things done and more. I was lifting at the rec and I remembered something. Something so small that it didn't seem like I should have remembered it. Months and months ago, I had a girlfriend. I loved her with all my heart and when she left me for someone else, I was devastated and that's when I had my realization. Thinking back to those times, I remembered something that a good friend told me to do when I am having a hard time. Rather than praying in long formal sentences to just go outside and say two words: “I am”. Those words mean that you are anything you choose to be, that you can accomplish anything if you are just who you are. This was my absolute biggest success. In my whole life I have never felt better because I went from nothing-- thinking that I’m not good enough because my grades aren't good-- to having enough confidence that I am invincible to anything that would have hurt me in the past.
My final not so great accomplishment was when I got out of the house. As a 16-year old, I feel that it is an achievement to be able to make my own way in the world, admittedly, my reasons for leaving home were selfish and at first my parents didn't want me to, but eventually they warmed to the idea. I now live with my brother in all but blood, in a little apartment. We don’t have much because all our money goes to rent, but to us, it's paradise. We are hoping to eventually earn enough savings to have a full house, and even if we do get there, it will take a long time. So far, we have been able to get ourselves a pitbull named Snubs. He is the sweetest dog I have ever met, despite all the negative stereotypes that have been placed on dogs like him. So far, I would say that this is a success other than the fact that it has gotten in the way of school, but not too much. Recently I have changed my work schedule to be able to make it to school on time everyday. In every way I call it a big achievement and I have hopes of becoming emancipated by the end of next year.
By far my biggest challenge this year has been getting my schoolwork done. I have always had problems concentrating in class, and despite having put many various plans into place it hasn't gotten better. Time and time again I have failed to get things done in class and thus, I fail classes more than I should because I know that I can do it. I feel now more than ever, that I need to be able to get my school work done.
My other challenge this year has been with my family. I don't get along with anyone and it has been very hard to get work done for school between having to clean the house and arguing with my parents. Every counselor that we have gone to has said the same thing, that it is not an environment that I can work in. I wish that we had caught onto this before now, seeing as I have failed multiple classes because of it. Now that I am moved out and on my own, I have been able to bring my grade up in almost every class and I believe that next semester I will do a lot better because I will have a better work environment.
Questions:
How can I improve on getting all my work done and turned in on time? I have struggled to find the answer to this question for years and I believe that I am finally getting close to achieving the answer and as soon as I do, everyone will know because my grades will not go back down to failing for the rest of my highschool career.