My Resilience In High School

Resilience It was the best of times, it was the worst of times – high school and the years leading up to it, that is. In retrospect, I did not think I was prepared for that day, but I had it in me to cross the stage on that football field to receive my high school diploma. Although, my legs were shaking, hands clammy from anxiety, heart beating, and minding racing as I side-eyed all of the unfamiliar faces glaring at me from the stadium seats, I pushed forward to accept what I had worked my tail off for. Despite all of the obstacles and hardships in my path, I beat the odds, I made it, graduating in the top of my high school class. It was a heartwarming, celebratory feeling to hear my name announced and the cheering afterward on that scorching day in May of 2013.
I remember growing up without much, literally without much. I can think back to my first, but not last, taste of bullying, ridicule, and embarrassment in elementary school. The fact that we, my family, did not have as much as others, coupled with me being the shy, nerd, I began to hate school and speaking up in class. I would shrink in my seat, trying to run away from the sharp looks and taunts. I grew up to be a passive individual, who barely spoke, stuttered when it came time to present or simply stand in front of peers – figuratively lost my voice. I was scared of how others perceived me, what they would say, what they were saying. However, I realized, there are certain things you cannot control, aspects you have to deal with. When life deals you a deck, you play the deck you are dealt and play it smart. I watched the people around me struggle and made a promise that I would find a way to better myself so I could lead a different life. My education was the only thing I had. So what if everyone picked on me for being a know-it-all, I was driven, with a great work ethic and a strong sense of self-discipline, all of which have gotten me