Introduction - Mr. Donohue
One of the more powerful tools that Google has in its arsenal is the capability to instantly publish the work you create The Freshman students at Holy Cross write They write often, and they learn to write well. By the midpoint of the year, they have had many different experiences in both reading and writing. They are proud of what they have accomplished as am I.
With this in mind, the class worked on a longer lesson in how to write a personal, reflective essay. According to the textbook, a reflective essay is one where the writer explores the meaning of an experience. In class, the students read an essay titled “Carry Your Own Skis” by Lian Dolan. In this essay, she explores the importance of the lessons she learned as a child. Using this essay as a model, the students wrote about their own childhood experiences and how these have shaped who they are today.
When the class completed their first draft, they edited. And edited, and edited until they created a version of their own story that they want to tell. They prepared their work for publication What you see here is the result of all of their hard work and effort. Please read and enjoy.
Mr. Michael Donohue
Personal Essay by J. Gonzalez
One motto that helped me in life is “If you fall, get back up and don’t back down” my coach would tell me and my teammates that all the time so we would never lose confidence. It helped me on and off the field. During football season, during school it keeps me going and try my hardest to be the best
My motto that helped me in life is “If you fall, get back up and don’t back down” my coach would tell me and my teammates that all the time so we would never lose confidence. It was during our football game against our rival school St Francis Prep. Even though we lost it still it taught me a valuable lesson and it keeps me going everyday.
My motto from my coach “If you fall, get back up and don’t back down”, it has helped me on and off the football field. Most of my teammates didn’t listen to the quote, they would always fool around and never take anything serious. But the ones who did take it seriously never backed down from any challenges or any teams we played. Some of us would even play while sick or injured.
The motto that my coach taught me had helped me throughout the year. With academics, some days I don’t want to stay up and do my work and push through. During our pre-season conditioning I get tired while doing our laps and I feel like walking, but I think of the reward that pushing through can give me. Throughout all the motto’s in the world I think that this can help people the most and give people the assurance to move on and to always get up.
Gianni Abreu
In the afternoon, I am going somewhere with my family. I go to the grocery store to visit a Grandparent of mine. I talked with my Grandparent for a while. When asked if I wanted to help put some food on the shelves, I agreed. Then when my Grandparent comes over to see how I am doing with the work, he says to me If you can believe,
you can achieve. Then at that moment I realized that if I put great effort into working much, I will become great.
There is more than one thing in a lesson that can be learned This time I learned that it is not just about working hard but planning ahead. Working but not knowing what is next can lead to confusion at a certain point in the challenges. But those that have not learned the same lesson are already stuck with confusion. However, those people can still learn the lesson by listening to people who overcome challenges. The main point is being skillful which will help in life at many points.
This motto does describe my journey through life. I have got through work and education to get to the point where I am. If you can believe, you can achieve what you need. Even when I am a freshman in high school, I have much more progress to get through. I am skilled, I am wise, and most importantly thoughtful. There is more waiting for me in the future.
Learning to trust in God By:Charleny
Almanzar
A motto that has helped me in life is” trust in God” because anytime I worry about something or or try to control something that is out of my control my Mother would remind me to trust in God. That everything happens for a reason . knowing this model in my life it has stopped me from probably making mistakes or making decisions without thinking first
Well in my life I've had experiences with either my grades problems with friends or like kids being mean things of that sort . My Mother would remind me to always trust in God so that everything will be well. By living by this motto it has kept me from maybe saying something that I would regret . making a decision
before I could really think about it because instead of trusting in God I trusted in what I thought was best in that moment instead of going with the flow I guess.
A lot of people say things before they think through their emotions then they would have situations that either made their life harder or being at fault for making themselves look bad because they felt a certain type of way and one situation or in the moment and instead of trusting what God had him planned for them they made a mistake or decision that messed up other good things they had going for them. So when I learned my lesson in not trusting God and how things started happening in my life that were not good for me I started to learn that when I trusted in God everything and that I'm working out.
My motto in life still guides me throughout high school because in high school you will definitely come across a lot of situations where people speak from their emotions and not their logic. I explore this every day when I choose to trust in God when it comes to my test situations with my classmates. It is simply if I'm going to make it on time to take the bus home. If I did not follow this Motto everyday it could leave me either saying something that I would regret or maybe making a decision that maybe wasn't the right decision for me at that moment or that day.
YouOnlyLiveOnce!!ByJessicaConnolly
Growingup,MyfriendandIlivedbythemotto“youonlyliveonce,”anditreallycame tolifeonewinterdaywhenwewere8yearsold.Myfamilywasgoingonatriptothe mountainsandIo eredforhertotagalongandwedecidedtotrysnowtubingforthe rsttime.Thehilllookedhumongous,andIcouldfeeltheexcitementmixedwitha littlebitoffearinthepitofmystomachasweclimbedintoourtubes.Withno hesitation,myfriendshouted,"Let'sgo!"andwebothzippeddownthehill,laughing uncontrollablyasthecoldwindwhippedpastourfaces.
ThelessonI'velearnedfromthemotto “YouOnlyLiveOnce”hasshapedmy perspectiveonlife,ithasurgedmetotake risks,andfullyembraceeachmoment.I've learnedtoletgooffear,understandthat timeispreciousandwaitingtoolongcanleadtomissedopportunities.Thosewho haven’tlivedbythismotto,whodon'thavethismindsetwill ndthemselvesstuckin theircomfortzone,theymight ndthemselvesoverthinkingalotandholdingback fromscaryopportunities.WhiletheymightbeplayingitsafeIhavelearnedthatliving boldlycreatesamoreful llinglife.Thedi erencebetweensomeonewhohaslivedwith thismottoandsomewhohasnotisthewillingnesstolivewithoutregret,totake chancesevenwhentheymaybescary.
AsaHighschoolfreshman,thismottohasguidedmyactionsanddecisionseveryday.I trytotakechancesandexperiencenewthingsasmuchasIcan.Ilovetokeepanopen mindsetwithlifeandseewhereittakesme.Thereminderthatlifeisshortremindsme totakeopportunitieswhenIgetthechanceknowingtheymightnotcomearound again.
My baseball coach would tell me, "Don't think about the future, think about now. The future will never come without this moment." What he was trying to instill in us is that success is less about goals, it's about today. If we only focus on championships, we may overlook trying at every practice and every game. His comments helped me understand that progress is step by step, not overnight
This is comparable to "Carry Your Own Skis" by Lian Dolan, where she shares responsibility as a key to success. She recalls that her aunt and mother would have
considered skiing a privilege and responsibility. evidence to support this is "If you want to ski, you have to carry your own skis" . This means that the achievement of goals is work, as is the case in baseball. If today I don't work towards improvement, success tomorrow never comes
Dolan continues, "The lessons of skiing transferred to adulthood. We became doers, not waiters." That is, waiting for success is never the solution, you must work for it. As Dolan had to haul her skis, I have to labor today in order to become a better player tomorrow. My coach and Dolan are teaching me the same thing: being here is what promotes future success.
Getting back up - By Micah
Geraghty.
I was given an old saying that I have carried around for years: *It doesn't matter how you hit the mat, it matters how you get up.* My coach at my middle school gave it to me during my first year of taekwondo I remember my first match yesterday like yesterday. I didn't have a clue what I was doing, and my opponent just knew how to humiliate me. It wasn't seconds into the bout that I found myself on the ground. I was humiliated, I was also weak, and I was upset. My coach, however, came over to me and said, "It's not how you fall on the mat. It's how you stand up." Those were words I would never forget. Wrestling wasn't about losing or winning it was about being tough and resilient. Since that time, I knew failure wasn't the end. What really counted was how I could stand up, battle once more, and become better.
Looking back at my experiences, I realize how this lesson has influenced my perspective in life. In the world that I live in, there are a lot of people who are beset by setbacks, but some of them tend to allow failure to define them They allow one bad experience or one loss to halt them in their tracks. They suspend themselves mid-landing on the mat, frozen as if time were infinite. I've seen it happen at school,
sports, and even friendships. A few people are derailed by a bad mark or a setback and let it alter their whole perspective. I used to sympathize with them, assuming that they would never recover from what had happened. But with the years that have passed, I've realized that this is a choice Life is full of barriers, but the ones who learn how to stand back up, to keep going even when they fail, are the ones who really make progress. The saying that I've lived by is more than just something a middle school coach might say, it's what I live by on a daily basis.
As a freshman in high school, I too have had my own struggles adjusting to new classes, adjusting to new friends, and adjusting to academic pressure. There are times when I feel frustrated, when I wonder if I will ever get it all right. But instead of quitting, I think about that first wrestling match *It doesn't matter how you fall on the mat, it matters how you get back up.* It's not perfect. It's about being tough, it's about being tenacious, and it's about being able to keep pushing forward. I bring this with me on all projects that I undertake. It teaches me how to learn from my mistakes and improve at each step of the way I am progressing, whether it is academically or becoming a better individual. It reminds me daily that failure is not fatal; it is just part of the process.
As a freshman in high school, the lesson I learned from my motto, "It doesn't matter how you hit the mat, it matters how you get up," has been assisting me in overcoming academic and personal challenges. Whenever I face a difficult test or am struggling with a new subject, I am reminded that failure is just a step on the path. Instead of giving up or having failure define me, I keep pushing forward, learning from my mistakes, and using every experience as an opportunity for development. From making it through tough assignments to bouncing back from personal errors, I carry this lesson with me every day It reminds me that resilience is key, and that no matter how many times I fall, it's not the falling that counts, but how I get up every time. This motto will be my guide as I navigate high school and life, with every obstacle being just another chance to stand up stronger.
I'm uncomfortable, but it's okay.
By Isabella Guzman
Ive first learned to be comfortable and uncomfortable with my dad. It was a day at the park teaching me how to play basketball for the first time. The way I was shooting was
uncomfortable. “Why are you making me shoot like this? I want to shoot how I want to!”I said. “No Isabella, shoot like this. This is the correct textbook way, you know?” my Dad said. I wasn't comfortable shooting like that, because since it was so uncomfortable I didn't want to do it and was scared that I wouldn't be good at it As we continued through the basketball training and the basics of shooting with my dad, I became comfortable with how I shoot and I started making shots more since I had rhythm and flow in my shot. I started to enjoy basketball, even with me learning how to do moves. I never liked doing them because I wasn't comfortable with them and thought I would mess up, but all I had to do was learn how to be comfortable with how to do the move, and I'd be okay I've gotten comfortable with how to do my moves, and it also improved my confidence on the court.
I never liked doing them because I wasn't comfortable with them and thought I would mess up, but all I had to do was learn how to be comfortable with how to do the move When I learned how to be uncomfortable with being uncomfortable it started helping me in life. I've used it in sports, public speaking, and speaking to waiters and waitresses. It has helpt. I've been more comfortable and willing to speak, and to do stuff with a little bit less fear, and nervousness. When I've seen other people not learning this quote, they don't want to go out and explore because they are “uncomfortable” with it, like speaking to waiters and waitresses. “Hey friend, can you order for me? I'm uncomfortable with speaking to people I don't know.” They aren’t comfortable
This lesson I've learned when I was young is helping me with school as well, if we have a presentation, and I'm scared or uncomfortable with being in front of people. It's okay just to get past it, everyone can be uncomfortable with the presentation and scared but you’ll still always have to do it, or a 0 will be in your grade. That's why I learned with my dad.
Understanding
Disappointment
By
Christian Jean-Baptiste
I’ll never forget the day my mom taught me the meaning of the phrase "everything happens for a reason." It was a cold winter afternoon, back when I was in middle school. I had just received some bad news when my MRI results came back. I had
broken my leg and torn my groin. I was devastated, feeling as though I lost everything, and all the hard work I did in sports was for no reason at all. I went to my mom with tears in my eyes as i'm on crutches, she listened quietly as I vented about how unfair everything seemed. My mother said "Everything happens for a reason, honey. Sometimes, things need to fall apart so that better things can come together." At the time, I didn’t fully understand what she meant. But as the months passed, I realized that breaking my leg helped me grow in ways I couldn’t have predicted. I worked hard in physical therapy, developed a stronger sense of self, and even learned to appreciate the value of change My mom’s words stuck with me, and I’ve carried them through many of life’s twists and turns ever since.
I’ve come to realize that my motto, "everything happens for a reason," has shaped how I approach challenges, while others around me often struggle to see the bigger picture. When things go wrong, I’ve learned to trust that there’s a deeper purpose or lesson behind it, even if I can’t see it right away. It helps me stay patient, knowing that life has a way of guiding me to where I’m meant to be. However, I’ve noticed that not everyone shares this outlook. Some people get stuck in frustration or disappointment, unable to move past the immediate pain or setback. They can’t always see beyond the moment, feeling as though the universe is against them. I can’t help but think that if they could embrace the idea that everything happens for a reason, they might find peace in difficult times and trust that life is always unfolding in the way it’s meant to, even if it doesn’t make sense at first.
As a freshman in Holy Cross High School, the lesson I've learned from my motto, "everything happens for a reason," continues to guide my actions in countless ways. Whether it’s facing challenges in my classes, dealing with social situations, or adjusting to the changes high school brings, I remind myself that even the struggles have a purpose. When I don’t do as well on a test as I’d hoped or feel left out of a group, instead of getting discouraged, I try to see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. I trust that these moments are shaping me into a stronger person, teaching me resilience and patience Even though I’m just starting this new chapter of my life, the
motto helps me approach every experience with an open mind, knowing that whatever happens is leading me to where I’m supposed to be.
Want or need, By Sharon Leem
My parents had come from Korea as first-generation immigrants for a better education and other reasons. They had to learn how to make money, invest it, and get used to living in America. They pursued their education while managing their jobs. My Mom and Dad could not do as they pleased without facing the consequence of falling behind When they had fallen behind on some occasions, they would rise back up after learning their lesson. Of course, they still had time to themselves. Wasting away in this system never sticks with most people, like some simulations. Once they had us, they taught us about their motto. My Dad implemented different mottos for his lifestyle, such as “No pain, No gain.” It sounds corny, but it’s motivating. My Mom enforced this rule on me and has been very helpful. I understood the benefits of their mottos.
I can reminisce about being told these mottos. In elementary school, of course, when we were young, we loved and desired to play outside, even so now As kids, especially in modern times, we dread our homework. We would instead go out to play. My Mom taught me want and need are vastly different words at a young age. Want refers to the things that provide us with entertainment, enjoyment, and pleasure, such as movies, arcades, shopping, hanging out with friends, gaming, and baking. These activities aren't essential for the future but provide us with happiness. Needs are things necessary for daily life operations, such as paying bills. It is said that things we want or desire apply to things that bring us temporary happiness while things we need provide life-long advantages Still, I thought she was lying and disobeyed her As she had done, she let me do what I wanted to do instead of homework. I started falling behind on my homework, as she intended me to. I learned at a young age that I should not fall behind. Of course, even while being aware, I still procrastinated various times, as always, but if I did fall behind, I only had myself to blame. It was during grade school, so I did not care since I thought it would not have affected me, but I was wrong. My Mom reminded me countless times too. My mother felt hurt or annoyed when I procrastinated my needs, so I tried not to, but I still did I noticed people who hadn’t learned the motto in various situations. In grade school, specifically 6th grade, she was quite outgoing. It was when we got back into school after the pandemic. She mentioned that during online classes, she would
frequently use Google to search for answers to homework in subjects like math, English, and even science. All she did was rely on the internet for answers. When we had to attend school physically, the work was not cut out for her because she never did anything personally Naturally, my friends and I couldn’t let her future slip away, so we helped her. Since grade school was lenient, her teachers gave her a day to complete all her missing work to prove she understood, even projects. Projects counted a lot toward her average, and she could not fail those at any cost. She promised to finish all unfinished assignments by the end of the day. On that same day, we all decided to go to a mall, all together, and caused her to be devastated. She had to choose between her grades or going out with us As the studious student she decided to be, she decided to go with us. She wanted to be a part of the group and spend time with us. We told her to head home since we would come late, but she insisted on staying. We all left at about 4 pm and came home at 9 pm. After dropping her off, we told her to finish her unfinished assignments since she did what she wanted to do first instead of what she had to do. I found out the next day she procrastinated until 11 pm and decided to sleep, promising herself she would finish the work early in the morning. She did not. Her teachers were not lenient towards her anymore, and she failed. Her averages were not shining before. She should have done what she needed first instead of what she wanted.
The lesson I got taught through my mother’s motto continues to guide most things I do as a high school freshman. While having to be a studious student preparing for my future, I’m still a 14-year-old teen wanting to have fun. I want to play games, hang out with friends, bake, sleep for hours, and have time. Attending school with all the homework, quizzes, tests, projects, and everything else could be annoying Having the motto stick with me reminds me I could either do what I want to pleasure myself with first or do what I need to do late at night. Or do what I need to do first and then what I want to do and I won’t feel pressure to stay up for. Doing what I need to do first before what I want has helped me through the midterms. It was my first time taking them, I had forgotten everything. Before midterm week, I was eager to jump on my computer and start playing, but then I remembered the motto. It motivated me to study instead of playing for hours, which I would have lost anyway. Midterms were more manageable to go through, especially after receiving my results
It has also helped me notice how I need to study instead of playing because if I hadn’t gone over I would’ve been stuck on various questions. With finals approaching, I know I’ll need to prioritize what I have to do over what I want to do.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, BUT NEVER LATE IS BETTER by K.
Payne
A motto that has helped me in my life is “better late than never, but never is better”. My motto is “better late than never, but never late is better”. I heard this from my dad. When I was younger I was supposed to do something in a timely manner in my house but I forgot to do it. When I remembered it was already late. He asked why I didn’t do it and I told him that I forgot to and when I remembered it was too late. When I told him this he told me this quote When he said this it always stuck by my side.
What I have learned from this quote is that do everything you are required to do. Even though you might forget something and remember when it's too late just do it anyway. The reason I say do it anyway is because the outcome is always better. I have seen people who have not learned this lesson in school My classmates forgot to do his work on time and ended up not doing it. If he did it he may have gotten at least half the points, or even more. He didn’t do it at all and got a zero. This is what I mean by just doing what you are supposed to do even if you are late, because the outcome is always better.
My motto has guided me as a high school freshman very well. Being a freshman I usually forget a lot of things, and do what is required of me sometimes. Whenever I forget to do my homework I think back to my motto. It gives me motivation, and a reason to do my work even though I'm late. One time I forgot to study for a test the day before, and ended up not wanting to study at all but thought of my
motto and ended up studying the day off and passing. This is why you should just do what you are supposed to do even if you're late because the outcome is always better.
PersonalEssayByCarloPizzirusso
Mydadneverwantedmetodostu with50percentandalways100percent.Hesaid thisbecauseIwasn’ttryinguptothefullestwhileplayingmyfavoritesport.Ilearnedto notdostu halfwayinsteaddothebestIcan.Thishelpedmegetbetteratthesportand alsooutsideofsportsthisstillhelpedmenomatterwhat.`
ThelessonIlearnedfrommymottoisimportant.AtthetimeIshruggedito butI realizedhowimportantthismeansandhowmuchthishelpedmeinthefuture.Ialways pushmyselftodothebestIcannomatterwhatIamdoing.
Inconclusion,mymottohelpedwithgrades,sportsandmore.Mymottomeansalot andhelpsmewiththechallengesIhavetoface.
“Take
Responsibility” by T. Spencer
"Hold your own rope." This motto highlights the importance of being responsible for yourself and your own actions, encouraging independence and resilience in the face of challenges. When I was younger, I always relied on others to help me through tough situations, whether it was a school project or a personal challenge. One day, I was at a summer camp, and we had to work together to build a raft for a water challenge. As usual, I asked my friend to help me with my portion of the task. But she turned to me and said, "You need to hold your own rope if you want this to work." I was taken aback at first, but I realized she was right. I couldn’t rely on others to do the work for me. That day, I learned the value of independence and taking responsibility for myself. From then on, I’ve carried the motto “Hold your own rope” with me, reminding myself that no one else can take
control of my journey but me. I’ve found that when I take responsibility for my own actions, it gives me a sense of control and confidence that others often lack. People who haven’t learned to "hold their own rope" tend to rely too heavily on others for support, whether it’s in making decisions or facing challenges
I’ve seen friends struggle when things don’t go as planned because they’ve been waiting for someone else to take the lead or fix the situation. In contrast, I’ve learned to take initiative, even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain. While it can be tough at times, it’s empowered me to grow and handle challenges head-on. Those who don’t take ownership of their actions often seem stuck or overwhelmed, waiting for a solution instead of making one. I’ve realized that learning to take responsibility, no matter the difficulty, gives me the strength to navigate life’s ups and downs on my own terms. As a high school freshman, I still carry the lesson of "hold your own rope" with me every day. It’s especially helpful when I face the pressures of academic challenges, extracurricular activities, and balancing friendships. When I’m overwhelmed with assignments or group projects, I remind myself that I am the one responsible for my own success. Instead of waiting for someone to guide me or handle my work, I take the initiative, create a plan, and follow through. It’s also helped me in social situations, where I’ve learned to stand firm in my decisions and not rely on others for validation. The lesson of self-reliance continues to shape my actions, teaching me that while support is valuable, ultimately, I must be the one to navigate my own path.
Hard Work By Ayden Yeung
Two or three years ago my coach made us stay an extra two hours after practice to get better because we were on a losing streak. We had playoffs the next day against the best team in the league and he wanted us to be prepared. I was tired after the regular practice but after we complained he said “A little extra work won’t kill you. ” The extra work may have been painful but I knew we needed it badly We worked on hitting, fielding, and conditioning. It wasn't the best thing ever but after those two long hours I felt more confident and ready to play . The next day we ended up beating the team and I realized how much that extra work paid off
The lesson from my motto, “A little extra work won’t kill you ” became clear that day when we had to stay after practice Some of my teammates were unhappy and complaining about the extra time but I knew we needed to work more if we wanted a chance at making it to the next round. The others who weren’t as committed to putting in that extra effort didn’t play as well in the game. They did not have the confidence like I did to play in the game the next day. That extra practice madea big difference and it showed in how we played on the field
As a high school freshman, the lesson I’ve learned from my motto, “A little extra work won’t kill you, ” still influences me because I don't mind doing more than the next person to do better l. Whenever I’m asked to put in extra time into things I do, even if it's staying after practice or putting in extra work on my own, I know it’s worth it. That extra time makes me feel more prepared. No matter if it’s for a big game or school work . Just like that day my coach made us stay two extra hours, I’ve learned that a little bit of extra work is what separates good from great. It’s a lesson that continues to influence me to do better.
“You dont chase, you wait for your pitch” Xavier Perez.
When I was younger, I would strike out a lot. I would be out on 3 pitches no matter what. Whether it was a ball or strike, I would go down. I remember one day I was in my room, crying because I had a bad game. My dad came into my room and immediately comforted me, and taught me a lesson. He said that no matter what, you wait for your pitch, if you swing at everything then things won't work out for you. And you can use this for anything and not just baseball.
I eventually learned my lesson and took my dad’s advice, and started skyrocketing in baseball, the sky was the limit. Then when I got older, and had to make harder choices, I learned that this quote doesn't only have to be for baseball. For example, Let's say you go to a street fair and see
something cool and immediately buy it with all your money, but when you walk a little more, you see so much better things that you could have bought, but already wasted all of your money. In the end, I take this as you have to wait even if things are tempting, because no matter what, you will get good results from it.
This motto from my dad is still with me today. I've used this quote countless times to stay out of trouble, wasting money, even still for baseball. But in the end, This quote means to me that life is a waiting game; if you're patient enough and work hard and let good things naturally happen, you will succeed more than forcing it to.
GBB By Nathaniel Godard
A motto that has always helped me was “Good better best, don’t you let it rest, until your good is better and your better best. That motto was repeated to me my entire life. But I still forgot it, until recently.
Every time I would start to get good at something I would get too cocky and my skills would plateau. It was while I was playing football I realised that everyone around me was getting better and my skills were stagnant.
When I was in kindergarten I had a 4th grade reading level, I participated in a spelling bee and I made it all the way to the championship. I had been given words that were not really much of a challenge and I started to rush. This led me to losing by spelling the word sent. I forgot to ask for the word in a sentence and I lost due to being cocky. In football I had been playing for 2 years and I was pretty good. It was around the time of the 13u football championship. I was doing well in that game and it was the last play, I went offsides and got them into field goal range and they won it. I was so demoralised that even the sight of football made me sick. I started to play the piano when I was 6. I was getting better, that is when I started to play for people. After my first performance I stopped practicing and learned a new instrument. It was with the drums that I started to regret quitting the piano That instrument could have made learning drums so much easier But it wasn’t
until just now that I remembered the motto and I reflected on myself. It was while I was playing baseball, I started to get cocky after doing good for a month. It wasn't until we went outside and started fielding that I realized there are levels to this sport, and I need to humble myself before someone does it for me
Even though this motto was taught to me in Pre-k it still applies to peoples lives even now. This motto has taught me to be more humble, understanding, and patient. Throughout my freshman year I have been humbled time and time again, but I still pushed through. And I would always humble myself, knowing that there is no limit to learning.
Essay by Jack Wagrodzki
A motto that has helped me in my life is the following: always try your 100 percent, you won't know when you will get the same opportunity. Half way through my first season of football, when one game I just didn’t try my hardest and my coach could tell. That game we lost and after the game my coach pulled me aside and asked me why I didn't try, but I couldn’t answer. Then he told me to always try my hardest because you don’t know when you will be able to have that same opportunity.
The message that I learned from that is that you have to do everything like it’s going to be your last time doing it. I have said other people have also tried their hardest when doing things, for example when I see people in school or out of school trying their hardest to get the things that they want. But I have also seen people that have not learned that same lesson for example when i see people complaining to their parents when they don’t get what they want. This connects to the motto because instead of begging for the things that you want the people can help their parents to get what they want.
The motto, always try your 100 percent because you won't know when you will get the same opportunity has guided and is still guiding my actions today as a high school freshman because it teaches me that I can’t take things for granted.
