Why My Best Qualities are Grit and Resilience

Lessons in Grit

Grit and resilience have always been my best qualities. Football injuries and negative health effects resulting from contracting COVID-19 put these qualities to test. I went from having a 4.0 GPA and being starting quarterback of our celebrated Pittsburgh high school football program to having to take neurocognitive therapy three times a week just to be able to learn how to focus, regain my baseline memory, and analyze problems. Throughout this process I never once questioned myself, regretted a thing, and doubted whether I could do it. Instead, I embraced the challenge as part of what makes life and what makes us who we are. As a result, today I am not only a high school graduate but also have a paid internship in a reputable financial services company that has given me the opportunity to develop my skills in basic accounting, digital and business-to-business marketing, sales, operations, and post-market surveillance.

As a first-generation college student, I am eager to take part in internships that will reinforce core behavioral and personality traits such as leadership, interpersonal communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills. My brother is attending IU, Bloomington, and I have also fallen in love with the university after being with him through his admission process. This is where I want to begin the next phase upward.

My work experience has offered me a platform to interact with peers and mentors who have helped me become better each day. I consistently show the drive and dedication to succeed to the best of my ability and the capability to learn new skills quickly and comprehensively. What do I owe this to? Of course, I owe it to parents, friends, teachers, advisors, and so on; but without grit and determination—and the desire never to stop believing that everything happens for a reason, and a good one at that—I would still be struggling with those early set-backs and obstacles. In the end, we have to look within ourselves to find the strength to step up.