I find it hard to imagine that just a few years ago, I had lived just south of the border in Mexico. With regards to the school atmosphere in the United States, there was not as much of a divide in Mexico; we were stronger together because of how we supported each other. However, when I walked to school early each morning, I observed the people living in deplorable conditions: numerous families living under the same crowded roof, a needy vagrant begging for aid due to lack of medicine, fellow students walking to school under a sheet of rain. Whereas, there was little I could do for my peers at the time, I plan to make a change in the world to benefit people like those mentioned above. As a result, these experiences built aspirations for who I am now. They ignited a fire that lit my yearning …show more content…
"There's us in this classroom, and then there's them."
That's the attitude taught to my peers and I from our first AP class. My teacher was talking about the vast gap between students at the top -with the best grades and highest goals- and those at the bottom. Perhaps the most important part of my educational career was the teachers who instilled a sense of willingness to learn and passion in me; however, I wondered what factors caused such a gap to be made. Students were always praised for their achievements, consequently, we utilize praise, but forget the constructive criticism that allows us to grow. Does this phenomena lead the standard of mediocrity?
I decided I didn’t want to lag behind in the land of mediocrity. When I saw the on-level classes where students were given 5 minute worksheets for an hour of class, it left me unsettled. Who could stand to live their life in such numbness? As a result, I decided to take classes that challenged me. I worked my hardest to understand the course material and where the class lacked, I picked up with outside studying. I bought study guides and review