Please describe a time when you experienced a personal or professional challenge.
Looking down at my freshman fall quarter grades, I didn’t know whether to cry or throw a rage fit. Coming out of high school as a valedictorian, I didn’t know how to deal with the huge blemish of my math grade on my transcript. I don’t know what possessed me to keep continuing the series (maybe stupidity, maybe something else), but going to that class every day became a dreaded chore. I started hating math with a burning passion and forcing myself to study for that class was exhausting and so I found myself procrastinating and avoiding thinking about it as much as possible, which made the concepts so much harder to grasp.
How did you overcome this challenge or issue and/or persevere in the face of adversity?
If you know anything about me outside of school, it’s probably that I do a lot of random arts and crafts projects. I had been doing really colorful and artistic chemistry notes and one day I decided to start incorporating some layout design and letter art into my math notes as well. Sometimes, it felt like a huge waste of time, but through the process of drafting the notes in my head, drafting on paper, outlining in pen, and reviewing the final masterpiece, I noticed that I was getting much more repetition. In addition, by having to avoid flaws in my art piece, I noticed that I was much more willing to ask questions and pound out answers from my friends and the TA because I was more willing to look dumb than to have to make a correction to my art piece or to rewrite the notes all over again. Although the results were slow, and things got slightly worse before it got better (it took time to adjust and find the best method) I found the studying less burdensome and ended up doing very well in spring quarter. Although the first and second quarter grades still taint my transcript, now sitting next to the shining grade of spring quarter they serve as a reminder to me to work hard but to find a way to not make myself miserable. Now, whenever studying gets really difficult and painfully boring, I find a new artistic or crafty method to try out. That way, I can bribe myself through learning the new artistic skill to get through studying. Also, although I am naturally very introverted and was initially very afraid of asking questions and looking dumb in front of so many smart peers, my determination to make my notes pretty has helped me reach out and ask for help when I need it, something that I found extremely valuable in the sophomore year – especially in core. Although I still have a bit of resentment towards math and the couple of months of angry neglect have definitely left holes in my math knowledge, knowing that I have a method to deal with the difficulties in math as they come (and with BioE core, I know they’re coming…) and a method of helping myself through the difficult times has made a huge difference in soothing some of my fears.
What advice would you give students relating to resilience and failing forward?
Find a way to make things fun for yourself! Make a list of things you love to do – things you can do for hours and hours and hours – and get creative. I think the biggest misconception people have is that studying/working and activities/hobbies you enjoy have to be done separately. I used to tell myself “work hard, play hard,” as if I had to earn my right to play, but when the work becomes longer and the play becomes less frequent it’s hard to keep your head up with that mentality. Instead, find ways to play as you work – your mind and sanity will thank you later.
Hannah Redden