College Essay

Brett Lange Wilson English IIIB May 1, 2013 Discuss how some negative experience has had a positive influence on your life. There have been two instances of failure in my life that stick out to me, and motivate me to prove people wrong. One happened back in seventh grade, when I was a more carefree and not worried about the future. The second one, in eleventh grade, stung a bit more because, in my mind, I knew it could’ve been prevented. I was more experienced and better equipped to succeed than I was back in seventh grade. Fortunately, my experience helped turn devastation into motivation a little easier. I should probably mention that I’m a huge tennis player. Any chance I get, I go out and play, which is why it hurts to fail. My first instance of failure, like I said, came back in seventh grade, when I missed the first cut. Sure, I was a little upset, but I was thirteen back then and I didn’t really care if I made the team or not. It was more of an experiment. The most recent instance of failure cut a little deeper, when my lack luster performance earned me the boot yet again. I think the reason this hurt more was because I had gone through it before, and I didn’t want to feel failure again. I still regret not giving 110% to this day. Although having more experience made this process a little more difficult, what ultimately depressed me was the fact that I had made the team the previous year, when I was a sophomore. I assumed I had ensured a spot because of this, so I didn’t give it my all. Even though I failed to accomplish my goal, I was able to see the positives in my situation. It was fun playing with my friends again, but what rejection did most for me was that it gave me motivation. It gave me motivation to train harder to get ready for next year. In addition to motivation, this experience also gave me the opportunity to focus more on my classes and school work. Because I had more time to study and do homework, my grades significantly improved from the last trimester. I showed excellent initiative and dedication by coming in after school to get extra help. My chemistry teacher noticed this and I was given an award for my independence and leadership. There’s no doubt in my mind that school is more important than sports, and failing gave me the time I needed to get my act together. Although I came up short of my goal of making the High School tennis team, I was able to look at the positives. I was motivated to get better, continue being active, and prepare for next season. More importantly, I was able to excel in the classroom with more time to focus on my core classes. I’m proud of my newfound confidence, my dedication on education, and the hard work that I’ve put into all of my activities.