Justin Zhou, Period 7, 11/17/22

As a senior in high school, the expectations are nearly always stacked against us. The ever looming deadlines and college dread paints the perfect backdrop for inequity and angst to run rampant throughout the class of 2023. But in a time of chaos and a constant barrage of deadlines, I’ve found a simple release and an effective way to stay sharp: by attending to my relationships. In the past, I’ve found myself missing fun times with friends and family just to get that extra credit assignment in or to study for the infinite line of tests and quizzes laid before me. But in doing so, I lose the individuality and people that matter far more than the number set on a screen. Tying my worth to a number or grade has brought out the worst in me and further degraded the time spent with others. Another standard I uphold constantly is to always find the time to talk to anyone, whether it be in a class discussion, with friends or with complete strangers; I’ve found true respite in talking or speaking in front of others. It has become a skill I’ve devoted my entire high school career to refining, which I plan to continue honing as interpersonal skills have had a much more significant impact than the smoke and mirrors of a grade. The interpersonal skills I have gained from simply overcoming the fear of conversation has led me to where I am today. A final standard I’m struggling to maintain (but will stop at nothing to refine!) is to hold my head up high in the face of oppression. Climbing the ladder against self doubt has felt impossible for the last couple of years, but each time I confidently rise against the odds or lose and learn from my stumble, I ascend one painful rung at a time. My issue with self doubt has indirectly made me very sheltered as I lacked the confidence to project myself. But the more I can stride with the confidence knowing I can has made me adopt this standard as a key tenet of my life. 

Even now, I sometimes find myself poring over a single test grade or caught up in the snowball of a bad day. However, I still proactively think about my three core standards. On bad days (colloquially known in my friend group as “L” days), bouncing back came in the form of going out with friends to divert my mind from the issues without betraying the sanctity of my standards. Within a group of friends, I can find myself easily attending to relationships, talking constantly and naturally confident. “L” days are still invaluable learning experiences I take in stride. I acknowledge the mistakes and self reflect in short but frequent moments throughout the day. Reminiscing about my previous class or what I had said to someone earlier allows me to assess myself quickly and accurately throughout the day, giving me more time to make adjustments and ultimately improve. These adjustments soon form habits, giving me the motivation and strength to continue the slow and interminable climb towards my version of the gates of nirvana: self improvement.