Be Yourself

Be Yourself

In 2nd grade, my elementary school put on the production of Willy Wonka Jr., and one of the songs we sang was called “Think Positive.” Charlie sings “Whenever I’m teetering on the brink, I think positive!” Those words resonated with me strongly, and I try to live up to them. A positive attitude helps me overcome disappointments and failures. This makes it easy for me to take risks and try new things. During my senior year, I didn’t make my school’s varsity soccer team. I was disappointed, but I stayed positive and picked up cross country instead. Positivity is infectious, so I’m always looking to spread it in my community. I helped start the official peer tutoring program at my school, which now has over 15 tutors. I also take notice of issues around the world. Last summer I co-organized a charity spike ball tournament called Spike it for Ukraine, where members of the community came together to raise over $4,500 for displaced Ukrainians. A large source of my positivity is the friends I’ve made through school, sports, and other activities. Working hard during the week allows me to spend quality time with my friends on the weekends. At times we plan out a hangout, such as going sledding or playing broomball together, but often we’ll just meet up at someone’s house. We’ll watch a movie or play cards, and talk through the late hours of the night. Connections with others help bring me immense joy.