College Essay
One day I was walking down the halls at Animas High as a Junior, when my college counselor asked me to come see her in the office. As my years of being a troublemaker had taught me, this is when you panic. As I walked in, one of my old Spanish teachers was also there. They quickly told me not to worry. It was apparent to them that I was used to being called into the office, but not for good reasons. Before I could think of why I was in trouble this time, they told me that the teachers voted for me to receive the, ‘Junior of the Year,’ award from the Masonic Lodge. Skeptical at first, I insisted that I got the award simply because it was the first year I had good grades. I was told that this had nothing to do with grades, but how far I had come. They said that the teachers loved the attitude I brought to the school. Any words commemorating my good attitude sounded like a different language to me. I slowly realized at that moment that I had really grown up, and found my voice that year.
Looking at the type of student I was freshman year, the thought of me receiving any type of award in school would have shocked anyone. One example that is reflective of my attitude back then was when I got in a small dispute with my Humanities teacher over me talking in class. My inability to admit I was wrong resulted in a meeting with the teacher, my mom, and the principal. This was not a stand-alone issue by any stretch. I could not concede that I was being disrespectful because I was not thinking in a solution oriented way, I was just trying to win. Towards the end of freshman year, I decided that despite playing baseball my whole life, I could no longer manage it and school, so I quit.
While I was a marginally better student sophomore year, I think the real transition began the following summer. I was bussing tables five days a week with shifts that start a 5:30am. I didn’t take a single day off that summer, and even kept working weekends through junior year. I was very excited to be driving my first car and working a job at the same time, but the stigma that Junior year is the hardest was constantly stressing me out. My grade did not have a very structured Biology class sophomore year, so we struggled in junior year Chemistry. After getting our grades back for our first lab report, I noticed that we were being held to the expectations of students who had more experience than us. Instead of doing what I used to do, which was not solution oriented in the slightest, I sent an email explaining my concerns to the class’ teacher. In response to my email, he developed a survey that was sent to the whole junior class to collect positive and negative feedback that he implement into his curriculum. In addition to this positive change, I also reformatted our school assemblies by changing how often we have them. I saw that the student body wanted these changes to be made, but was having trouble conveying it, so I advocated on their behalf. I saw that my passion to win could be used to help everyone instead of just myself.
These examples speak to how my perspective changed from trying to help myself, to trying to help in general. Now, I am able to handle school and work while receiving good grades. In addition, I learned how to have good relationships with my teachers and be a true part of my community. I will always look at the award as a symbol of how I transformed, and made the major breakthrough into adulthood.
Looking at the type of student I was freshman year, the thought of me receiving any type of award in school would have shocked anyone. One example that is reflective of my attitude back then was when I got in a small dispute with my Humanities teacher over me talking in class. My inability to admit I was wrong resulted in a meeting with the teacher, my mom, and the principal. This was not a stand-alone issue by any stretch. I could not concede that I was being disrespectful because I was not thinking in a solution oriented way, I was just trying to win. Towards the end of freshman year, I decided that despite playing baseball my whole life, I could no longer manage it and school, so I quit.
While I was a marginally better student sophomore year, I think the real transition began the following summer. I was bussing tables five days a week with shifts that start a 5:30am. I didn’t take a single day off that summer, and even kept working weekends through junior year. I was very excited to be driving my first car and working a job at the same time, but the stigma that Junior year is the hardest was constantly stressing me out. My grade did not have a very structured Biology class sophomore year, so we struggled in junior year Chemistry. After getting our grades back for our first lab report, I noticed that we were being held to the expectations of students who had more experience than us. Instead of doing what I used to do, which was not solution oriented in the slightest, I sent an email explaining my concerns to the class’ teacher. In response to my email, he developed a survey that was sent to the whole junior class to collect positive and negative feedback that he implement into his curriculum. In addition to this positive change, I also reformatted our school assemblies by changing how often we have them. I saw that the student body wanted these changes to be made, but was having trouble conveying it, so I advocated on their behalf. I saw that my passion to win could be used to help everyone instead of just myself.
These examples speak to how my perspective changed from trying to help myself, to trying to help in general. Now, I am able to handle school and work while receiving good grades. In addition, I learned how to have good relationships with my teachers and be a true part of my community. I will always look at the award as a symbol of how I transformed, and made the major breakthrough into adulthood.
Colleges I’m Applying To:
Colorado University at Boulder Colorado State University University of Oregon |
Essay Prompt:
Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community or family.
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