What have you learned from facing difficulty, challenges, or disappointments? How has this shaped you?

share YOUR experiences
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​​Hind A. - "Keep fighting. You'll win some. You'll lose some. Just take this as a learning experience."


​Ajay W. - "I didn't have too many friends... It took a couple years for me to come out of the shadows... Now I'm the most social person I can be."


​Athena C. - "My family relied on me to carry out all the different responsibilities in the household. I had to translate, coordinate my brother's play dates, read the bank statements... sometimes I would have panic attacks when I didn't know what to do. I eventually got help, & I feel like I've grown a lot. From tackling these challenges, I've become a stronger person."


Tanya R. - “I didn’t get a reply, but I never stopped... I still don’t give up. The worst thing they can say is ‘no’ or ‘we’re not looking for anyone right now’.”


Nate S. - “Stay calm in the face of disappointment & failure... Keep trying, see what’s wrong, & move on from there... never give up.”


Kaitlin H. - “I just really had to have confidence in what I thought was beautiful, even if the competition doesn’t think it’s beautiful.”


Angelica - "Since my mom didn't get to finish her degree, I want to make up for it. That's all I care. I want to reach to my dreams & get that degree." 


Reisha S. - “At the end of the day, it matters how you finish. If you can finish strong or with a smile on your face, then you are building character & becoming a stronger person.”


Dean S. - “I’ve learned not to become too emotionally attached to poor results & just focus on the next one, while learning the material that I love.”


Jackie L. - “Go for what you believe in & how you want to express yourself, & it won’t matter what other people think.”


Michael B. - “I didn’t perform the way I wanted to perform & it’s something I’ve learned not to dwell on... Put the mistakes in the past & make improvements off of them.”


Payton S. - “I just kept going, knowing that I would eventually be able to compete... It’s important not to lose sight of your long term goals just because of your short-term setbacks.”


Nachiketa G. - “I realized that you can usually fix things if you put a lot of effort into them & try to look at what’s making them go wrong.”


Laura C. - “I ended up not making the team that year... but it taught me to work really hard for what I want. That next year I progressed the most as a player... It's important to persevere & learn from your disappointments. Take them as an experience & be able to move on forward. It will help you grow as a person & as a player as well.”


​Ziad A. - "My biggest obstacle has always been apathy... Justice matters & our work can make a difference."


Sasha C. - “Modeling really teaches you about the real world & how quickly you have to bounce back & keep going. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get that booking... there will be good things to come.”


Ben H. - "I’ve learned to change my aspect on how I keep my mind set during performances... You have to keep your mind in the music until the very end.”


​Kaelli T. - "Even though it may seem like a huge deal at the time, no matter what happens, you will end up in a good place."​​


Ajay M. - “I was motivated to do my best... that’s my opportunity to find the flaws, find those weak points, & attack them.”


​Tino T. - “Take care of your own feelings. Love people from a distance & be disappointed, but pick yourself up & realize these situations are not always two-minute solutions.”

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Chethan S. -“It’s important just to have disappointment... If you [learn] how to cope with them now, you’re going to be a lot better off in the future.”


Brandon C. - "We were not as good as the other teams... Next year, I will make sure that our team prepares enough, our driver gets enough practice, & we’ll be much more successful.”