Personal Statement

“The world accommodates you for fitting in, but only rewards you for standing out.”

― Matshona Dhliwayo

What does it truly mean to be happy? Many people will search their whole lives for happiness. For some, happiness can be achieved by playing a sport or participating in a certain activity. For others, happiness is like the wind; you can’t see it, but you can feel it. I pursue my happiness by learning and overcoming difficult obstacles, and thrive upon standing out from my peers and being different. Some people are content with average, and some are strive to be average. On the other hand, the thought of being average means that I have failed and let myself down. I pursue happiness by bettering myself not only mentally, but cognitively.

While my first taste of first grade was fun, I was eager for the following weeks to come to learn new things and familiarize myself with my new teacher and classmates. To my surprise, this plan did not go accordingly. I found myself already knowing the material being taught and catching onto topics that no other student in my class knew. This impression of first grade disappointed me, as I always enjoyed a challenge and being able to expand my knowledge. I remember coming home after school every night to the same question asked by my mother, “What did you learn today?”, she would ask. Weeks led into months, and my continuous bland responses led my mother to take action and get into contact with my teacher to bring about a

It took some time to adjust, but I made plenty of friends and even established a relationship with the teacher. I remember feeling overjoyed and thankful that my school allowed me to make such a decision to accommodate my needs. Not everyone adjusts to change well, though. Of course, there were the children that were jealous of my abilities and some that simply just didn’t like the idea of a new student in class. This, however, did not impact my ability to try my hardest and do what I wanted to do most; learn. I soon noticed a change in my mood and attitude. I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night solely because I was so eager to attend school the next day. I would even beg my mother to take me to school thirty minutes early so that I could get a head start on my day. The idea of being special and an overachiever pleased me, and it gave me the willpower to put as much effort into anything else I set my mind to. At the time, this dramatic change in my life didn’t signify anything more than being more knowledgeable than the students in my grade. I did not realize until later that this event would impact my life