For this week, I want you to reflect on a moment. What moment in your life prepared you to meet and excel beyond this milestone? Tell me a story about one of your stepping stones to graduation. Your stepping stone may have been a moment of failure where you learned to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and then persevere regardless of any obstacles; or, it may be a moment of inspiration or success where you knew in that moment you were bound for success. Tell me a story.
With only a few weeks left until the end of this journey, you can see the finish line. Don't slow down, don't stop believing (Sorry Journey!), and don't allow yourself to be detoured.
Happy blogging:)
Guidelines: If your story is negative and would paint another person in a negative light, please refrain from using their name. This is not meant to bash others, but to celebrate you and your many stepping stones.
55 comments:
The moment in my life that prepared me for graduation was in middle school. At the end of each year i went up a grade and my brother stayed in the same one. It reached the point when my older brother that is 5 years older then me was going to be in the same grade as me he dropped out. I see all the problems he has and i am bothered to answer his phone call because he is asking me for money or to drive him somewhere. I don't want to have to bother others for money to buy something i want. I would rather work for it and earn it. My mom bought a picture frame for when i graduate when i was in 10th grade. She made me and has taken care of me for 17 years and deserves to have one of her sons to walk on that stage and receive a diploma. That is what has made me go through school. To make my mom happy to hear from her son and not expect to be asked a favor every time.
In middle school, I had very few problems academically. I got straight A's by barely paying attention and doing homework minutes before it was due. It was not until high school that I realized I could not always get away without trying. Towards the end of my freshman year I nearly had a mental break down. Projects and tests were piling up and it all became too much. I sat at my computer, staring at a blank word document that was supposed to be a five to seven page essay, thinking of all the work I had yet to do and I began crying.
Obviously, I did get through that stressful period. The experience, however, taught me a lot. I learned better time management skills and I learned that high school was not going to be easy. This moment prepared me for the inevitable stressful period that always accompanies the end of the school year, and each year it gets worse. I look back on that moment in ninth grade and I am grateful for it because without it I probably would not have reached my full potential then next three years
From third grade until the summer after eleventh grade I took piano lessons once a week. I was a decent pianist, but I never practiced my lessons at home, therefore making me an excellent sight-reader without the ability to perfect any of my pieces. Once a year in early June we had a piano recital where we played a fairly hard piece of literature from memory that we had been practicing for months. On this particular occasion I had been playing for about three or four years and it was cram time. Cram time was the week before the recital when I decided that if I didn’t want to embarrass myself then I had to crack down and spend all of my free time on that rickety piano bench plucking out incorrect piano keys until my chords started lining up and my accidentals were to a minimum. Then came the first Sunday in June. My cousins and I all in dresses sitting on the steps with only our memories to hold onto fighting out the correct fingering in our brains, and my family waiting in the audience to hear us all play an incorrect chord or a sloppy trill. I was very well practiced by then and confident in my piece, and I found in previous years that I actually played better under the nerves and pressures that the audience provided. Once it was my turn I adjusted the bench for my short stubby legs and sat down to play my first piece, which went wonderfully. I nodded my head in thanks and went on to play the next piece. Measure five came in the second piece and my fingers had simply forgotten the next section. I turned bright red and looked out into the audience for some kind of reassuring smile from Mrs. Haines. She neither had a smile, nor an extra copy of my song. I played the beginning over a few times in hopes of remember the sixth measure, but finally accepted the failure. I turned to my family and friends and said, “I had a brain fart” and then walked off stage. --- Big no-no. Those words were not proper etiquette and my whole family was traumatized at what was said. To say the least I cried… a lot… and I learned a lesson. I learned that practicing ahead of time was very important and that cramming in something for memory would only help me but for a short time. My family also never let me forget the words that slid out of my mouth as I hopped off that piano bench. After spending those hours the week before practicing I realized how talented I could be if I put in the hours and worked hard. This memory gave me the realization of how much can be accomplished if you just put in the time and effort.
Samantha Hoyt 2
From kindergarten until about ninth grade i always did average in school. i got mostly C's and B's and was pretty much satisfied with that. About tenth grade i realized that i could study hard and get mostly A's with a few B's. This even affected the way my parents viewed me, they became so happy and proud that i was excelling so much. As the years went on my cumulative GPA slowly increased, and this is what changed me. I realized that i could graduate with a summa cum laude which is the highest one. I became determined and with that i have reached my goal that caused me to stay focused on my schoolwork. My parents are very proud and so am I!
Madison Smith
From Leaving Middle school to highschool my grades were just average, all i had were C's and even D's. I was okay with that because i thought school was useless and dumb. But passing my freshman year getting C's and D's i realized when i came back that i need to really step it up i cant get anything below a C. A's and B's would be wonderful, C's would be okay just nothing below those. From there on i realized that the more i study and do work the more easier it would be for me to learn. I had many teachers help me out, they wanted me to succeed as much as i can. Getting good grades also changed my parents perspective of me. They were proud of me and wanted me to keep up the work. My GPA went up and my teachers and parents were happy for me. That is what changed me. In life there are some thing you should take serious and some things you shouldnt and school is a serious thing. Because your going to want to get that diploma handed to you at your Graduation. I've been keeping up the hard work and i can say that i am happy with my grades, yes ofcourse they could be a little bit better but i'm proud of my self and so are they people around me.
Breanna Hartory 4/5
I think a moment in my life where I finally realized that I was bound to be successful was when I got an A on a math test 2 years ago. I had failed every other test but I had studied so hard for this test and actually passed it. Even though I had to re take the test becasue the teacher thought I had been cheatin, I realized I can do anything I put my mind to. And yes, I got an even higher score on the re take. I realized also that maybe I should work that hard all the time and maybe I would pass all my tests.
A.MacIvor
It's not the moments that occurred in my life that have made me who I am, but the events that happened before. My parents and grandparents, especially, did not know of electricity, clean drinking water or money. It is through the suffering that they were brought up in, that taught them how to bring me up. I was raised to make myself a better living, a better life and not go back to where they came from. I learned that it takes hard work, dedication and inspiration to gain well-being.
One of my stepping stones to graduation, and although it does not seem like such a big deal, it means a lot to me, and it was a talk I had with my brother. My brother, Warren, is 35 years old, old enough to be my father, and we do not get the opportunity to see each other often. He is the "golden child" of the family ...every one has one... And he has always made my dad proud. He is very intimidating but I know he is always looking out for me and loves me. One night he was visiting and we were talking about life. The conversation turned into a 2 hour long talk about life, college, and the future. He is able to talk to me about college because they were the best years of his life. He made the friends he has today, started his successful career, and was very involved in his college by being a freshman varsity baseball player. We were able to talk about things that I wouldn't be able to with my parents because they are older and did not go to college. My brother gave me advice about life that I will hold onto forever and always remember; definitely a stepping stone in my life. It was nice to have a personal talk with him because it probably wont happen again until something big happens in our lives. It has set me up for the rest of my life, given me a positive attitude, and a more confident look on trying new things. I thank him for it every day.
-Erica Jacks 7/8*
Last summer it really hit me that I was going away to college in a year. I had no idea how much went into choosing a college and getting accepted. Last summer I had my first college visit, I visited Mount Union. I had no idea what you did on a college visit besides look at the school. The day of my visit I met a counselor and several professors that talked to me about my career path. I also met with a sergeant in Army because I plan on doing ROTC. I was extremely overwhelmed by all of the decisions I had to make in a year. I was so excited, but nervous about my future. Visiting Mount Union made me realize I’m growing up and fast. At this point in my life I have decided that I will be attending Kent State University in the fall and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. My sister didn’t go to college so my parents are very proud of everything I have accomplished.
K.Monkowski 1*
One moment that has really been a stepping stone in my life that has prepared me for graduation and to move onto a new chapter in my life was the changing of schools between my freshman and sophomore years. My freshman year I attended another school. I thought going to a Christian college prep school would help to make me a better person and to make better choices than the ones I had been making. Unfortunately though, it did not help. It actually got a lot worse. I was making a lot of really dumb decisions and allowing the people I was friends with to represent me. I started realizing that everyone around me was stereotyping me as a "bad kid" because everyone I hung around was. During spring break that year, having time away from my friends and the pressures they placed on me, I decided to go back to public school. I knew I had good friends there, friends better than my prep school buddies. It was a hard transition, but I have grown a lot from it. I learned to not allow others opinion and standards define who you are. I also learned that at times, you have to break off from your friends. It hurts initially, but it has to be done for growth to come. I never would have been in the place in my life I am now had I kept those friends and continued down that path.
During junior year I had a lot of drama with my friends. Long story short, I stopped being friends with them because of the way they treated me. I was always upset and didn't need to be friends with them. Although I was losing my core group of friends, it was for the better that I let go and move on. Surprisingly, I noticed other friendships that I had had before growing stronger.
This was the moment that prepared me for graduation. I now know how to let go and not get caught up in obsessing over leaving people. When my friends and I go off to college, I will be able to know how to say goodbye. What will be different is that I won't be ending my friendships with them. I learned that the people who are meant to stay in my life, will
I have had many moments in my life that have prepared me for graduation. But this year, I have had a lot of moments that struck me and made me realize that I am almost there and I can make it through.
This year I was absent a lot and got behind on a lot of my school work. I had a lot of other outside of school problems that occured in my life (& still are) I was beyond stressed and became quite overwhelmed. I failed two classes last quarter, and thought I could not make the requirements to graduate.
I did not let that bump in the road stop me though. I knew I had to keep my head on straight, and keep my head up and motivate myself to do what I have to do to graduate this year.
I started coming to school everyday and began to talk to my teachers more to help me out with catching up or with any of the assignments that were told to do.
My entire highschool career has been a struggle for me. From 9th grade, up until 12th, I have not recieved the grades I always wanted to. But, I am doing good now and have everything on track to graduate from high school. The past is the past, and I can no longer dwell upon that. After high school I want to start a new beginning and move on with my life. I cannot wait to start working and go to college. It will be a new lifestyle for me that I will enjoy!
Chelsea Durr 4/5
The moment that prepared me the most for the 'real world' and graduation was when my aunt was hospitalized. My sophomore year my aunt's body got overtaken by a disease that left her temporarily paralyzed. Due to this illness, she was hospitalized for over 6 months and could not to anything by herself. My parents were constantly with her and I practically lived at the hospital,forcing me to learn how to manage my time wisely. I had to balance school work, taking care of my younger brother, and taking care of my aunt, as well as daily household tasks. This made me grow up a lot. Because of this experience I have grown up and now know that I can face the real world.
-EZaranec 7/8
I would say that the moment that most prepared me for graduation was getting my acceptance letter from Cleveland State University. Before I received this letter I was worried about my grades being too low as well as my ACT and it began to lower them and drop my GPA. After I got accepted I knew that it was ok and I was smart and should keep doing my best to succeed in life. Now all I need to do is take my AP tests and hope for the best. Now that this year is almost over I am ready to take on the world waiting for me and have fun doing it.
The moment that my life was prepared for the cruelty and harshness of the real world was when I began working at a grocery store in Strongsville;
It was to be my first long term sustainable job in a long time, in addition to hopefully being the most reasonable, sadly this was not the case. It was an entire different realm of people, holding a very unique presence over me. It wasn't necessarily a bad presence, but, I just felt, darker there, people were a bit cruder and noticeably more impatient with me than in Brunswick, the management was always in a rush, as running a business was no easy task. But I can't help but feel that some of my managers just had anger and frustration welled up inside of them, yelling at employees, regardless of how they completed their tasks and keeping them in the store up to an hour past the time they were supposed to be staying until. Here, there was no negotiation, it was either do it, or the door is that way.
Here, you learned to swallow the hatred of others and try to work past it, to ignore it and simply survive. Granted, this lesson was not the best to learn in the way it was applied, but its purpose was noble, in a sense. Not everyone in this world is going to greet you with a smile, not every person will respect or befriend you. Sometimes, you just have to power through it and outlast the suffering, because in the end, you get to go home and rest after a long day. Never take being young for granted, once the rug is pulled out from under you, you meet the gravel of reality, and quite quickly.
In 8th grade I had a rough time with my tourettes. I didn't know what to do with everything going on. I was losing friends and was not able to go to school. My freshman year it was similar. I didn't have any friends at first though, and had a bad time with tics. I had to leave school for a month because the stress was making it worse. When I got back some were happy to see me and some didn't even know I was gone. I hated having tourettes and everything it did to me. I would get made fun of by kids and would feel worthless. One day Something clicked in my head that I was glad I had tourettes because it made me different even though it would give me a hard time at times. I know that I wanted to get better at controling it and stay in school. I hated missing school and would try my hardest in trying to stay when they got bad. That day I realized I can't always control what happens with it but I know I wanted to try my hardest to stay in school and prove everyone wrong that though I couldn't make it that I did. That moment gave me the biggest push to make it through high school despite what everyone thought of me and it.
Last summer I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. I worked in a medical clinic where none of the patients spoke any English and my Spanish is less than impressive. I learned how to communicate with other means than words. This was also a big maturing process because I knew no one going on the trip. I learned how to be responsible for myself and got to see a part of the world very different from I was used to. I learned happiness does not come from how much you own and I learned how fortunate I am. I also learned how to part with friends, when we had to leave the villagers at the end of the trip. I learned there is a lot more in the world than Ohio or even the United States to see and experience. From the independence and skills I learned there I believe I am ready to move on to the next part of my life.
The moment in my life that prepared me for graduation was entering high school. I came from a cathloic school in Strongsville and had no idea what a public school was like at all. Being at Brunswick shaped me into who I am today because it taught me to always be myself. Coming from a cathloci school I had no idea how many kids there were in this school and how diverse they are. It also taught me as long as you stay on the right path and do your best you will not fail. I had poor grades up until about tenth grad and i finally realized that it only takes a little effort to do good so why not do my best?
The moment where I found my first C on my report card killed me inside. All through high school I had been working for my Honors diploma! That C wasn't part of my plan! I felt like I failed. I know its a passing grade but that's not what should have been on my report card! I got A's. I was so disappointed and I thought my mom would be too. She came up to my room to try to comfort me and she said it's no big deal it was only one grade on one quarter and told me I'd be fine. She said I slacked a little but she knew I'd perform better the next quarter. That was a wake up call, I knew I couldn't start slacking now, I still had to get through my senior year. So at that point I knew I had to step up, stay focused so I could reach my goal this year! I knew I could succeed.
During my (k-12) education career I've done average in my classes sometimes a little below, but while always staying active throughout the years, but the thing that really hit me, stopped me dead in my tracks, and really opened my eyes was that I could take all of my diving endeavors to the next level in college. Although my ehpiphany has been rather recent I am still working hard staying on top of my homework and studing profusely on my tests and quizzes. I can see the finish line and I'm striving to end in a positive approach."It's not how you start it's how you finish" Ergo this saying, this is a statement i'm trying to live by until the end. Then after high school the saying I'm going to start basing my decisions off of is "start strong...and finish even stronger"
The moment that prepared me for real life was when my father told me that i will be the first one to attend college with his last name ever. He is the only one to finish highschool with his last name and i want to be the first of many to finish highschool then also get a degree. Since freshman year my parents have input the thougt of going to college and succeeding and that is what i plan on doing becuase nothing will make me more proud than showing my parents that all the time and money they invested in me was not a waste of time and that they should be proud of the man i have and will become.
My "journey" through school has been rather average, I guess. If I had to pick a moment, it would be that classic time that everyone experiences where they turn in an essay that they thought they wrote really well and ended up getting a terrible grade on it. Everyone experiences it, some people like me have multiple moments of such. I think it has happened to me at least in 8th grade and once every year of high school.
What it has taught me is that sometimes your best just isn't good enough, and I'm okay with that. Not everything I will accomplish in life will be a top-notch piece of excellence. Sometimes life will give me a D-, and I've came to accept it. Failure can be acceptable, and long as you just turn towards the next horizon.
The moment that prepared me for graduation was last summer when I spent a week on a mission trip in Cleveland. We spent the week at homeless shelters, Child day cares, and nursing homes, helping anyone we ran into along the way. I realized then how much I wanted to use my life to help people who needed me. I can't say I was ready for graduation before then, but this was the moment that I was ready to finish with high school and enter a world who needed me.
Jennifer Sens 7/8
If I were to focus on one thing that has driven me to where I am present day, it would have to be the day I got my job at McDonald's. Applying for a job was something that I truly dreaded, and when I found out the only response I got back was from McDonald's I was obsessed only with how awful it was going to be working there. Little did I know that it would develop me into the person I am today. Having to work with the public and developing the social skills necessary to calmly assess situations and solve problems in a major restaurant in the fast food industry has constantly put me to the test. I've also formed extremely valuable relationships with coworkers of all ages, races, and backgrounds. It opened my eyes to the real world, where problems are not always on paper, and everything doesn't always have an easy solution. It has also taught me the value of hard earned money. These are all lessons I will take with me as I begin a new life in college with new peers and challenges that await me.
The moment that got me prepared for the future was the summer going into senior year when i joined the Navy. This was a choice I knew would change my whole life. It made me have more responsibility to me and to others. I was 17 at the time and extremely nervous but knew it was something I wanted to do. I knew this choice would bring me experience and travel and new relationships. I am grateful to even get into the military because they dont accept just anyone anymore.
I came into high school coming from a catholic school for grades 1-8. The new experience of a public school was something that I wasn't expecting. I've been an A and B student all my life up until junior year. Junior year is when I got my first C and I was not happy about it. After receiving this grade that I was not happy with I realized that I need to try harder and study more. With a little more dedication to my work I brought my grades back up to A's and B's. This situation helped me towards graduation because it helped me keep in mind of the goal that I wanted to achieve of graduating high school with good grades.
I haven't really had one particular moment that has prepared me for graduation. In the beginning of this school year, I knew nothing about applying to colleges, financial aid, or scholarships. My parents weren't pushing me to get anything done for college, so it got to be February and I still had not done one thing towards college. It made me realize that this is an important milestone in my life and if I that's what I want to do with my life after graduation, then I better hop on it. These past couple of months when I received my acceptance letter to Cleveland State, got prom tickets, and hearing things about graduation have hit me hard. I never realized how fast my senior year has gone by and cant believe its coming to an end so quickly. I can say that I am ready to graduate and pursue what life has in store for me.
One year ago I visited Ohio University. I didn't really know what to expect out of the visit, but I got to stay with my cousin who attends the university. From that point on I knew I wanted to go there more than anything. I knew that I would have to work harder than I was to get accepted though. From then it really hit me that in one year, I would know if I would be going there for my freshman year or not. So I tried to do my best in school and work at everything because I knew that was what I ultimately wanted.
A moment in my history that changed my life and effects me still today that had a huge impact on me was the transition from 7th grade to 8th grade. From 7th grade and down I was not a good kid. I would get in trouble all the time, lie, go kicked off the school bus, lots of detentions, CLC's, taking back, not good grades, cheating, Plagiarize, forged my parents signatures. I did it all. Then it was Mr. Merrill and Mrs Yost who changed me. They were the assistant principal and the principal. They told me and talked to me about how I needed to start changing my life around. Always punishing me for all the wrong I did and keeping me in line. After 7th grade though I changed. I went from the bad kid to the best kid in the school. I was always helping out with stuff. I got great grades. I no longer got in trouble. I even turned out to me Mr. Viz at the end of the year. It was great. And ever since then. I try my hardest. I work. I'm respectful. I help out. I do tons of volentuerr work. I am one big leader now in my class and I wouldn't ever want to go back to the bad days now.
I think one of the most prominent moments in my life that started preparing me for collage was when I helped move my sister into collage. It was the summer before my freshman year and I had never seen a collage campus before. It was one of the most amazing places I had seen up to then. Helping her move in and seeing how excited she was I began to understand the goal that lay ahead me. Ever since that day I couldn't wait until I got to experience the same thing. My entire high school career that is the moment I look back on, the goal I wanted to achieve. The closer I got to that the more excited I became and the more I pushed myself in school, always with that day in mind. The first time I went to see Ohio University I had the same feeling, only more so, because I knew that's where I was going. Now that the goal I have worked 4 years for is so close I really couldn't be happier, the fact I have almost made it and that I have stayed on track with my work pretty much all through high school is probably the greatest feeling in the world.
The moment of my life that had a huge impact on me was the transition from 8th grade to 9th grade. All the teachers made a big deal about how different our lives be in high school. I remember my language teacher in 8th grade telling our class that teachers in high school are very mean and strict. She also told us that the friends we have now most likely you will lose, or just stop being friends. This really scared me because I didn't want anything to change and my teachers are telling me it will. The truth is once I got there, yes things did change. But the teachers were nice, I kept most of my old friends, and yes my life did change, but in a good way. Sure I did lose some friends, but i gained many more true friends. I can now say that that teacher was wrong.
-Megan Chiara 4/5
The one moment that really changed me as a student and a person was my AP Chemistry midterm last year. I studied countless hours for it, beforehand, and felt confident going in. I came out of it feeling confident. Turns out I came within a point or two of failing it. I've never done so poorly on a test before in my entire life, and I haven't done that poor since, because that experience motivated me to change the way I studied. Everything picked up for me after that point, and not just in AP Chemistry. So, not only did that experience help me become a better student, it showed me how to better deal with adversity.
The moment that I say prepared me for graduation is when I stepped into the high school that day of freshmen oriatation. I thought to myself 4 more years and Im done! let's make this the best 4 years of my life and try my hardest. well these 4 years flew by so fast. but I learned a lot and met a ton of amazing people. I geel like I got to learn a lot about myself within these 4 years. I learned how to be social how to manage problems and how far I can really push myself mently and physically. I tried a lot of sports and pushed myself their as well. now im pushing the end and have the skills I need to make it out in the real world I also got the people to share my life with nd enjoy being out of school. that is the moment that pushed me to were I am today.
One of the moments in my life that prepared me for graduation the most was my freshman year. I came from a Catholic school that had about 400 kids, 50 in my 8th grade class. I was so excited to go to a school that a ton of people and that didn't make me wear a heavy skirt and have recess instead of a study hall. My best friend at the time came to Brunswick with me, and I was ecstatic. We spent the entire summer before our freshman year together: eating frozen cookie dough, playing xbox, and planning what we would do after high school.
About halfway through my freshman year, I found out that she had been smoking (cigarettes) and hiding it, and that she often came to school high. She stopped caring about her grades and lied to me about stupid things. We had a fight, and we stopped talking, except for our birthdays. We always sent each other a happy birthday text. This past year she was back from the career center, and we sat together at lunch sometimes to catch up. We were both very different people, and out futures were not what we had planned at 14. She dropped out now and is living with her boyfriend, and I have no way of reaching her.
I wanted to tell this story because it showed me that life isn't something we can plan. It made me appreciate the little things more. In my last few weeks of high school I want to spend as much time with my friends as possible to enjoy the time we have left.
-Nicole Rouge 7-8*
The past two years have been filled with challenges to the reality of the possibility that I might be a doctor, whichever doctor I might be. AP chemistry, AP biology, my volunteering experience in Medina Hospital, and my abilities in the arts have made it rough on me getting where I want to go. Repeatedly, they have made me have doubts whether or not I'd be successful in my journey in college towards becoming a doctor, but also giving me a drive to make myself better geared to be one. In both the science classes, I've wondered whether or not I really find interest in them. Of course, my answer is vague, like it is to all things. Each day I experience something that either gives me renewed faith in my goal, or another reason to doubt that I'll make it. I'd like to think I wouldn't deter off this path that I've set for myself, but who knows what experiences college will bring that makes me think in a new way. So of course, a rational person would say, "if you have doubts, then it's not for you." But I don't know if I have many options, or if the options exist, if I'd actually like to pursue them. So really, I feel like a twisted mess. There is no story to tell. Each moment I just realized something new, something small that added weight to my decision. Now, I'll continue on whatever path I'm on and keep having small new realizations.
One moment in my life that really affected me was my freshman year of high school. What was hard about that year was that I was just coming out of Edwards middle school, and most of my classes had people I didn’t recognize or know. The classes I took were very unfamiliar to me. It was a real tuff time, and to add more to the mix I was a stupid freshman. Anyway the one heart break I had that year that affected me was not making it to the awards ceremony. I know what you are thinking. Awards ceremony who cares right? But it was a big deal to me at the time. It hard to sit around in your class with maybe two to four others while the rest of your friends are getting all the awards and stuck looking stupid. And from that day I have been able to work hard for the last three years of high school, and have been able to go to that ceremony and prove to myself that I am not a failure on am a picture of greatness. When life gets you down, the only thing to do is to dust yourself off and get back into the race. You and only you are the key to your own success!!
The moment I am choosing to write about is when I moved from Minnesota to Ohio. As I knew I was going to leave Minnesota I had to prepare for a knew life and leave my old normal life behind. Even though it was scary, I was ready for the change. My maturity really shined threw when I knew I was leaving. I began writing letters to all the people in my life who had made a difference to me. Good by letter, miss you letter, and stay in touch letters. The transition from Minnesota to Ohio was a good move and I became a great new person and inspired myself. My mind was at its best, my heart was at its best, and my intentions were at their best. This is about a time that change took place for me. because of this change I would consider myself alot more prepared for my future than most other people and I am exited to take on life.
Last spring while I was preparing multiple audtions I became rather stressed. I had to drop one audition. This was extremely frustrating because I had already put a lot of time into it. However, it turned out all right as I made it into the two other groups. This taught me to be realistic about time and have concern for my health.
the moment i had that totally made me think about how far ive come and what i had to do to finish it was during the second quarter. I figured that i could ease my way through the year and i couldnt.I wasnt going tonpass if i didnt buckle down from right there and on and i definitly wouldnt be able to pass your class if i didnt do just that.To me it was like a smack in the face when u were sleeping but its something everyone should go through because in a sense it make up who you are exactly and you cannot teach determination and drive in class.
The moment of sucess i had for highschool was at the end of my junior year. I had many difficult classes, but i especially struggled with AP chemistry. It was one of the most difficult classes i had ever taken and i could only manage to get B's in it throughout the year. I barely passed the midterm with a D- my hopes of becoming a doctor were slipping away. I took the ap test at the end of the year and we got results back a few weeks later. It was a miracle. I had managed to score a 4 on the test which a moment of brilliance for me because it proved to me that if i set my mind to something then i can achieve it. That is my stepping stone and it will help me get through college.
The moment that helped me wanna graduate was back in middle when my class took a field trip to tower city mall and we saw all the homeless people down there. My parents always said if you don't get a good education then your gonna end up like those people and that really scared me. From then on I swore I would never fail at life and would go to school and get a great job that pays a lot of money that moment when I saw that homeless guy really prepared me and I wanted to strive to go to college.
My story comes from a moment during the first concert of my Senior year for Wind Ensemble... For three years the band had tried to play Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral and Russian Christmas music by Richard Wagner and Alfred Reed respectively. First off, if you've never heard either of these, I recommend both of them very highly. The story however revolves around the fact that every ensemble fell short and could not pull off either, which was disappointing. This provided a challenge however, one that while daunting, would change the face of the band for years to come. As the days clicked on toward the concert and things progressed a realization came to me. That not only could almost no ensemble play one of these, but we had just managed to play both in the same program. At the time this did not hit me, but not I feel the reverberations of what we have accomplished; It feels... amazing.
My point in telling this story is that although I was in every band that failed consecutively the years, I always held in my heart that hunger to play those pieces. My experience taught me that sometimes what I am looking for is just not within my grasp at the time, but to never stop looking and hoping for it to become true.
The event that prepared me for my senior year and upcoming graduation was an occurrence that was only an infinitesimal portion of a beautiful and much longer story. Last year, I had the immense honor of making a young lady's acquaintance. She flipped my whole world upside down so that when it finally righted itself I had lost all sense of direction. Which is just an excuse for ruining what might have been an excellent friendship with someone who is still the most amazing person I know. As summer came to a close I felt more and more pressure to not waste my final year of high school at the uncomfortable distance which was more of a truce on my part rather than the respect that I ought to have given. The talk over the phone ended in a mess and I had the next two weeks to cool off while on a missions trip in Europe. Being without cellular coverage, I drafted a letter in which I wrote out my expressed opinions until I had poked a solid hole into the open sky. I would no longer insist upon what I had felt every second would be wasted without. If need be, I'd hate myself down to the very "I" of who I am but I would never ask for more than what I ought to be given and always see her side first and foremost to my own. I came home from Europe the day before school started and I feel like the entire tone of my senior year was set by that single restructuring of how I ought to act. The resultant attitude has carried over into how I have approached graduation and leaving the era of high school. It is as it ought to be apart from my control or hopes but I wouldn't have it any other way.
My story, unlike most others that will be posted, is actually very recent. About 5 months ago, I started struggling to get stuff done to reach the Eagle rank in Boy Scouts. While it should have been easy, I had surgery that would disable me from continuing my work for a while. So after my surgery was over, I was forced into taking on less work than I needed to get done each day. It was a real struggle. Despite this, I started to get stuff done, and I got things done that people didn't think I could do in my condition, including building and installing two benches behind the school near the band practice field. I got a bunch of others stuff done too, like completing a couple extra essays a week for a merit badge or studying outside of chemistry and English (namely how to see if somebody is experiencing a heart attack or stroke, and how to treat it). It was exhausting, but I managed to get it done. This story isn't finished, however, as I still have two things left to do: Review everything I've learned with my Scoutmaster, and show my dedication to scouting is extreme and powerful. If I manage to finish this, I know I will be able to overcome anything life throws at me. It makes me proud to know I made it this far, but the rank of Eagle Scout is right there . . .
I was in one of the few classes at St. Ambrose that had Mrs. Krogman. She was my fifth grade teacher (I always remember her name because it sounds kinda like Frogman), and I found out that she was leaving. I had always been active in her class, and even though she taught social studies (I think I remember taking a states and capitals test for her class), I had always acted inquisitively. On the last day of school, I wore a red shirt to school and had everybody sign their name on one of my shirt sleeves. I went to Mrs. Krogman, and she did two things: she wrote "You're going to get in trouble" on my shirt sleeve, and she said aloud, "Never stop asking questions Alex." There had been times when she was frustrated with me during class and I had backed off with the questions, but here she clarified her viewpoint. I have carried this piece of advice with me since that day, and have taken it to heart. Through this moment, I have learned that it is ok to question the status-quo and to go off on my own path. This moment has come to define the part of my personality that teachers recognize me for: the fact that I question everything, even when there may not be anything to question.
There are many reasons for my success. While certain events did impact my success, I believe it was more than just that. I believe it was a combination of the people and events that occurred during my childhood that led me to be successful. One life changing experience was when I went to visit my cousin in Irvine, California. It was 2007 and I was 12 years old. My cousin, on the other hand, was 25. He graduated in 2004 and recieved a great, high paying job in California. When I went to visit, I was truly amazed. He had everything in life one could ever want. He had the life style that most only dream of. He was living the life I wanted to live. From that point on I was inspired to be like him. I wanted to go to the same college as him and be just like him. He went to Ohio State and graduated with a 4.0 gpa. He worked hard his entire educational career and got the job he wanted. He proved to me that hard work and dedication really do pay off. I was inspired and began to work hard at everything I attempted. Because of my hard work and dedication, which my cousin taught me, I am here today. He gave me a small taste of success that trip, causing me to crave it. Because of a person (my cousin) and an event (the trip) I was changed. That event shaped me into the person I am today.
Joey Marincek 7/8
The moment that prepared me for graduation is the beginning of senior year. I've had different relationships with people than I did in my first 3 high school years, but I feel like those changes have influenced my life in a positive way. I learned at the beginning of the year where I wanted to go to school for the next 4 years and how I want to achieve the goals I have set for myself. Beginning of senior year showed me that i was going to have to work harder to achieve success in my life, and I feel that I've gotten to that point. It also showed me that changes in life aren't the worst thing you can go through, some of them can happen and change life for the better.
Sean W. 4-5
From first grade to eighth grade, I was one of the smartest kids in my school. But when High School began, My hobbies began to turn into a career. I started doing what I loved to do at a young age. I though school was a complete waste of time. And that kids at school all learn the same stuff. I didnt want to be like everybody else. I had a talent that required my full attention and dedication. However, I started failing at school. I barely passed and struggled to get decent grades. It was a huge risk. But somehow I was able to do succeed in my hobbie and made myself a career at a young age. Call it luck if you will. But sometimes you cant fall in line with everyone else. I chose my own path. And it is one that I truly am grateful for.
My story is when my grandma got really sick. She had a stroke and she was in the hospital for 2 months. When I found out I was so emotional that I couldn't talk to anyone. During this time period I was a wreck. I went to school and just sat in my classes and wouldn't do my homework, I mean i kinda had other things to worry about then finding the slope. I began to fall behind in everything and couldnt go to work or anything else. I spent days by my grandmas side. when my grandma was starting to try and talk again she told me not to worry about her and that i need to do good so i can graduate and so she could see me. With her saying that I picked my head up and began doing my homework, paying attention and working my hardest in school. I realized that by making myself successful i was making everyone in my family successful.
The moment in my life that prepared me for graduation was when I got my first f on my report card. It was freshman year, and I thought that i could just coast through high school. I never thought that I would fail a class and from then on I decided I would try my hardest. Since then I havent recieved an f on my report card.
The moment that had prepared me to graduate was around mid sophomore year. During my freshman year I didn't seem to care about school that much and didn't care about my grades. After falling into the wrong group of friends, my dad had continuously pushed me to get back on my feet during sophomore year. He sat me down and reminded me what was really important in life and after one of those long talks with my dad, I realized that graduation is important and I knew that I could do it.
The moment that really prepared me for graduation was seeing my brother struggle some though out high school. During my freshmen year it really prepared me, I didn't want to go down the same path with rough grades as my brother. So from that point forward I started putting in twice the effort that I had been in middle school. While doing this I became more prepared for my high school graduation.
Lindsey Green 4/5
A stepping stone I had towards graduation is knowing that both of my sisters were able to graduate and go off to college. I feel that if I was to slack in school and not graduate or drop out it would be an embarrassment for my family. My sisters being in college now makes me want to reach their level and not fall short of what my goals and plans are for the future.
The moment in life that I realized I had to turn myself around was after 10th grade, i had failed my math class and i droped my gpa. THat was when I had realized. In math I started a new way to be able to pass, which is doing my homework everynight! You cant pass a test without practicing; and you cant pratice without doing homework. In 10th grade I didnt really care about my grades or if i did homework, so i turned myself around. Now i am gettin good grades, and im doing very well in math. I am so excited to graduate I personally feel proud of myself because no matter how much i didnt want to go to school or do anything, I still tried and I had succeed.
A moment that prepared me for high school graduation was the death of my grandmother in the sixth grade. Although I was not personally close to my grandmother, she means everything to me. My grandmother's death taught me that the real world is not all about rainbows and sunshine but sometimes, life gives you the hard pill that you have to swallow. I will never forget this lesson that I learned well back when my grandmother passed on.
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