The Story of A Time You Failed At Something

The Story of A Time You Failed At Something

presented by Me, Katy Perry & George Bernard Shaw

Two weeks. Three hundred and six hours. Twenty dollars spent on Java Chips with a shot of espresso at Starbucks. And a trip of a lifetime. This is a story of a time I failed at getting my schedule back in order.

It was the end of November and we had just return from a long trip across the world. Stuck in the nostalgia of recent events, I walked into school feeling a bit under the weather. However, I was feeling determined to getting myself back into my old routine. Fast forward to the end of the day, I was exhausted, in tears, and ready to collapse. Waves upon waves of homework, meetings, and due dates came crashing down on my head. I had five test to make up in Math, two projects to hand into Civics, and five stories I had to read, annotate, and analyze by the end of the week. I was not even close to being in college, but I felt as if I was already in debt. How I got here is all because I did not do my homework while I was away.

The weeks before in preparation for the trip were decent. I felt confident and hopeful that I was going to get things done. Leave the country without a worry over my head. I gladly accepted the challenge each teacher presented to me when gracefully receiving my slip to homework hell. Katy Perry once said, “If you’re presenting yourself with confidence, you can pull of pretty much anything.” Thats how I felt in that exact moment. What. Could. Possibly. Go. Wrong.Do you know the feeling of being on a roller coaster? The carts slowly climb to the top and your anticipation and excitement builds as you make your way up. You reach the top, feeling content as you now have a clear glimpse of what lies ahead. Then, suddenly you come rushing forward downward fearing what may happen next. That is the exact same direction my grade went into. From November till the end of January, I tried so hard to bring my grades to a mediocre level. I pushed due dates upon due dates back, I asked for third chances when I had already second chances, and I begged and pleaded for a half a point on any test I knew I would not do well on.

I realized when I had failed was during our study tour presentations. The night before I was up till four o’clock in the morning trying to finish editing the last few pieces of our video together. I realized in that moment when my body was shaking, my head pounding, my heart pounding, and my soul feeling light as a feather was when I truly failed. I pushed myself too far. For months I felt angry, at myself, the system, school, my grades, I mean I could go on. I would barely eat anything for lunch, then scarf down a tub of ice cream for dinner. I could not stay up in class and tried so hard to stay up at night. I failed myself because I tried so hard to save myself from drowning, but ended up sinking further and further into the grown. My grades, health, and mental state followed swiftly.

Through all the struggle I endured, this moment in time made me realize and see how important it is for me to prioritize my schedule, work, and the things I love to do over the things I have to do. I am still working on trying to gain a balance in my schedule and overall daily routine. [But] “Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” -George Bernard Shaw