Overcoming Obstacles

Giovanni Olaya: Time felt like it was always slipping away. I never had time to complete an assignment, practice violin, or be with friends. It was as if time was draining away. Once I started realizing that I could control how I spend my time and that time, although limited, can be very productive, I overcame my gripe with time. I started planning out my days, setting aside time for certain activities, and holding myself to strict schedules that although strict, allowed me to spend more time with my friends and family due to my increased efficiency.

Gabriel Zapata: Going through it and falling into depression. All I did was fight through it and try my hardest for Ja’Asia.

Mohand Abdelkarim: COVID-19, which I overcame by finding ways to keep my mind and body active.

Emily Antinori: Passing the year that we did online. I put a lot of work in and a lot of effort even though that was the hardest year of them all.

John Kilroy: Passing certain classes, especially math. I’d try my best to get all the work done though it was stressful.

Yasmina Abufasha: I was afraid to ask for help. Whenever I had trouble with the material or did not understand something, I would rather have done anything but ask questions. I had to spend extra effort to teach myself things without the help and guidance of a teacher. Even for simple things like asking for directions, I would hesitate to request help from others. I guess it was due to some innate fear of being looked down upon; I had an obsession with wanting to look independent and capable to others. Rather than overcoming this in some grand and distinct way, I slowly became more comfortable with the idea that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of humanness.

Claudia Natoli: My junior year when I was very hard on myself. Between balancing school and my job, it was a struggle. I overcame it by always being on top of my work, whether it be school or my job. I was pleased to see that I had a GPA that satisfied me, which was a 3.96.

Ryan Liszner: Being complacent. Whether it’s on the field where you have a good game or in school where my grades are good. I always think, “How can I be better?”