By Trevor Thorpe
Managing Editor
Finding just the right topic for this “reflection” of high school was a difficult task. I could easily dwell on cliché topics like my tough college decision, the importance of electives in the process of “self-discovery” or how to survive the SAT’s.
However, among the important lessons that we as high school students will learn, the most important insight that this fine institution has to offer is the following: at some point, you will fail.
That is not to say that each and every one of us is going to receive an F in a class. However, we must realize that in high school, like in life, we begin with certain expectations that we cannot meet.
At some point, all of us will not live up to a specific goal that we established for ourselves in high school. Whether that failure is simply the inability to score a goal in a soccer game, or on a larger scale, a rejection from the college of our dreams, all of these shortcomings help us grow.
A failure to do well on an exam, for example, will expose a student to his or her poor study habits or lack of preparedness pertaining to a certain topic in a class. A student should use this failure to mend any weaknesses and be ready in the future.
In terms of a student not being admitted to his or her ideal college, this occurrence is by no means the end of the world. Rather, it demonstrates that the school was not the optimal university for this specific student. There are so many great universities out there and an admission to a single one is ultimately not that important.
I have learned that the best thing to do is maintain a positive attitude no matter the circumstance. My high school experiences have taught me not to dwell on what could have been, but rather on what I can do to improve myself and avoid future pitfalls.
When I attended my very first Model U.N. conference, I was a horrendous debater and felt overwhelmed by everyone. In fact, I was the only delegate from Mira Costa in that committee who did not win an award.
However, I did not let this stop me from pursuing this program. Rather, I utilized this experience to identify my weaknesses and correct them in order to succeed in future debates.
Through the years, I have managed to become a formidable delegate in Model U.N. Had I given in to the disappointment that followed my shortcomings, I would have missed out on the wonderful lessons and people I have experienced through that program.
The fact is we will all face failure at some point in high school, but it is important to face these weaknesses and learn from them.
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