¶ … Higher education costs money, especially in modern day United States. Although some have parents that save to enable their college education to be an easy ride, some do not have it that easy. I had to work hard in order to gain the ability to go to college. While I have succeeded in affording classes, it did not come without some sacrifice. Dr. Martin Luther King explained the importance of critical thinking within the context of education. Critical thinking being a main objective of a Jesuit education, it shows the importance of critical thinking not just within an educational environment, but also outside one. What is critical thinking? Critical thinking is the objective examination and assessment of a problem or obstacle in order to create a judgment. MY obstacle was paying for school. My assessment was I had to keep my grades high in order to qualify for scholarships and look for a part-time job. I knew I had to work and do well in school in order to continue my journey to a higher education. I examined the steps needed to keep up my grades and realized the two main things that are needed to get a high grade were attendance and notes.

As long as I attended class with around one absence and I took notes in each class, I was able to understand the material given as well as have the ability to do any classwork or homework given. Exams were easier with notes made while in class. Because I did a lot of work during class, I had time and energy to work outside of class. I had a best friend when I was younger whose mother worked three jobs. While it looked like anyone with that amount of daily work would have a hard time, she managed well because she kept things balanced in her life and did things efficiently.

Efficiency is essential within any area of life. This is especially true for overcoming obstacles. For someone like myself to go to school and work, I have to make some sacrifices in order to get through it all. While other students party and go out late at night,...

This seems like something very basic, but so many people do not do it and it leads to imbalance and inefficiency. If something is worth doing, then it must be done right.
Intelligence, talent, sometimes it comes naturally. Other times it comes from practice and the ability to persevere amidst an unstable environment. When someone goes through adversity and he or she are able to make it out in end that generates a transformation. No longer is she or he lacking in confidence or self-esteem. When someone succeeds in facing a tough obstacle, that person becomes stronger and something like education thus becomes something someone can do versus something that seems impossible. It is all about choices, making the right choices for one's own future.

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. However, it is how one responds to these mistakes that either strengthens or weakens someone. Critical thinking allows someone to see the big picture in an objective manner. Then the steps needed to overcome an obstacle become feasible. In fact, any hard task can be broken down into easier tasks that can lead to successful completion.

Although critical thinking requires objective reasoning and planning, it also requires another key ingredient, passion. I am passionate about my education and receiving a quality education. That is what motivates me to continue despite adversities. Without that passion, I would not be able to handle all the obstacles that naturally come my way. People have to have that drive to propel themselves passed the hard times into the good times. Without passion and motivation, any plans generated will fail.

A good example is Calculus. Calculus is a difficult subject. Math in general involves a lot of steps, rules, memorization, and practice. If someone like myself wants to pursue a degree that requires taking that kind of math class, I have to decide and plan what to do to get myself motivated…