When faced with individuals that misunderstand my goals and never-failing curiosity about the world around me, an important thing I have learned is that everyone comes from a different background and was raised in an environment that could have been entirely different from mine. My peers might not have my focus academically because their parents might not have pressured them to do well in school. Some might misunderstand why I'm involved in several clubs because they're just trying to graduate from high school and see no need to participate.

Just understanding their side of the story goes a long way in preventing these misunderstandings from having negative impacts on my goals. Understanding allows me to view my adversity as a means of motivating