The majority of kids in our society live at home, attending a school within driving distance from their house until they graduate high school. However, this is where I differ from a normal high schooler. I was born and raised in Grimes, Iowa, and the thought of leaving my family and friends before I graduated high school had never crossed my mind. That was until I became a freshman in high school and began to feel like I needed something more. I was searching for a new challenge, and that is when I found Shattuck St. Mary’s, a college prep boarding school located in Faribault, Minnesota. Soon after I found this, I applied to the school and soccer “center of excellence”, and before I knew it, I had been accepted and was moving into my new …show more content…
This is a very accurate description of me and is shown via my athletics and schoolwork. My motivation to work hard and be successful is due to my competitive edge. My parents say that my competitiveness has been apparent since I was a toddler. I believe that being competitive and driven to success is a good quality to have because it allows one to push their boundaries and go the extra mile to ultimately better oneself. I always knew I was competitive, especially on the soccer field because I wanted to win, but coming to Shattuck has taught me how to focus my competitiveness and turn it into self-motivation. For example, the schooling at Shattuck is very competitive in itself and everyone is fighting for the best grade possible. By coming to school at SSM, I had surrounded myself with others who were also very driven. We all want the same thing; we all wish to be successful, and that means in the classroom, athletics, or music. I found myself doing the extra homework problems and coming into classes on days I didn’t have to be there because I was interested in making myself the best possible version of me. This is how my school functions and this is the reason for our success. We motivate each other, and in doing so we are also very self-motivated. I have come to the realization that there really is no substitution for hard work. On the soccer field, I try my best each day to create an intense and competitive atmosphere for my teammates, and in return it creates high level competition for myself. Now that I have experienced the Shattuck community, I have the awareness that bringing your best encourages others to do so as well, and in return everyone’s standard is raised. The truth that comes from this is that good things come to those who wait, but better things come to those who work relentlessly for