From competing on the Science Olympiad team, to playing the piano for Show Orchestra, to winning matches on the tennis team, I’ve done my fair share of random things. I’ve taken way too many tests, written more English papers than I would’ve liked, and spent more hours doing homework than I even want to think about. But, at the same time, I’ve met some amazing teachers, made lifelong friends, and created lifelong memories that I hope to look back on in the future.
My journey through high school, like everyone’s, has had its ups and downs. But during my downs, I found that I spent more time worrying about the result of failing rather than actually putting in the work to not fail. Instead of actually writing my English paper, I would sit at my desk researching how to calculate my GPA if I got an F in the class. Instead of actually studying for my test the next day, I would research how to calculate an overall grade when homework and tests are weighted differently, and the highest score I could manage on said test was 65 percent. Instead of actually studying for my Science Olympiad events, I’d sit there imagining the awards being called out and our name not being on the podium. Now that I know the end result of those moments, I see that the time spent worrying about the outcome was not worth it. Did it always work out? No. But did my life end when it didn’t? Also no. And now that I’ve managed to make it to May of my senior year, it’s true that even if I did get a D- on that Mechanics test, I’m still going to graduate all the same.
All of this reminiscing brings me to the piece of advice I want to impart through this article, which can be summed up in one word: trust. Trust that your teachers will give you all the knowledge you need to succeed, and more. Trust that your friends and family will be there when you need them. Trust that if you put in the work to succeed, that things really do work out in the end. You might not be exactly where you envision right now, but if you put some faith and hard work into the process, you will end up somewhere to be proud of.
Everything on our journey through life is impacted by numerous variables and factors. It simply isn’t possible to control everything. As I learned in AP Statistics this year, the one thing you should never do is extrapolate data, because you can’t predict the future. So in those moments, remember to have some trust in yourself and in the process. To everyone reading this, I hope my advice was even just the slightest bit helpful. I wish you all the best, and know that I trust that you will succeed.
