College Essay One

                I can still remember my first day of Drumline practice, and thinking that those first five minutes that followed with my little bass drum were the worst five minutes of my entire life. It took hard work, time commitment, and willingness to learn but I survived. If someone asked me what I felt the most important quality that someone needed to have in order to be a part of the Bishop Verot Drumline, I would not say musical ability or experience drumming, I would say perseverance. When I started drumming the summer before my freshman year, I was awful. The music was difficult, the drum was heavy, and the members were so strange. Yet for some odd reason, I decided that I was going to be dedicated to Drumline and that no matter what difficulties come my way, I would never stop trying.

As a part of my school community, I value the phrase non-excidet, which we interpret to mean “we will not fail.” I always laugh when people understand the phrase to mean that you are never supposed to make mistakes or that you will never fail. However, that clearly is not true. I have never met a perfect person, and I predict that I probably never will. I interpret failure to occur when one has stopped trying and simply given up the effort. Sure, if I do not get accepted to your fine institution it would not be a prudent decision to simply apply every year till I’m eighty, yet does that mean that I shouldn’t try now and do whatever is in my power to be considered for admission. No.

For as long as I can remember, my grandfather and I have been saying that “cannot” died in World War I and “can’t” died in World War II. I have absolutely clue why we started this saying or what it could mean, but I use it in all of my decisions. During my four years of high school, I found out quickly there is no reality in which everything I want is awarded to me and no matter how hard I work, I can probably always find someone with better grades than me or nicer hair, yet I will not stop striving to be the best that I can be.

One of my favorite songs, the song I happen to be listening to at the present moment, is Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae. The song inspires me to take chances and risks and live as every moment is my last. I’ve been blessed with this amazing opportunity to create something completely new and perhaps even change the world. This very well may be my only to chance to live, and I want take advantage of everything afforded, and music is simply one way I enjoy life. Clearly, I am not a perfect person, I often take too many risks, and then at other times I take too few. I do not enjoy hamburgers, and I very well may be the only person in Fort Myers who is not obsessed with Moe’s. However, whichever decisions I make and risks I decide to take, I will not fail because I will never stop trying to succeed.