The Challenging Beginnings

Imagine giving a speech on your first day of school to around twenty other peers for a minor grade. Now even to a somewhat experienced public speaker like myself, this was a daunting task, and I had to instill confidence in myself several times before my hand stopped quivering. This experience is what I envision ISM to be like this year: a class that constantly puts me out of my comfort zone, constantly challenges me, and helps me build my confidence and character.

It is the fourth week of school and is already overwhelming. I will admit, even with the school year just having started, I felt lost in a class or two and sometimes that was ISM. However, taking six Advanced Placement classes in addition to ISM, while holding officer positions in numerous clubs, and finishing my college applications has been nothing short of exciting. Amidst all the challenge that I face in this position and all the work that comes my way, the pressure is exciting. It creates a sort of tension that people can’t appreciate until after it’s over. A rush to complete the assignments washes over you as the levels of focus and ability to check the clock at least thirty times in a five minute period reach new heights. But when it is all over, the relief and excitement you feel from having done all the work is an inexplicable feeling. It is this challenge that I crave, and though that doesn't mean that I will purposefully procrastinate on all my assignments, I want to learn and be so overwhelmed that when I do finish that last Calculus BC worksheet, I will feel like I truly accomplished something. I will feel truly challenged. After listening to discursive ISM alumni that share their experiences for hours together, I feel that ISM will provide me with this challenge, and be a much more difficult one than any I have faced before.

In my eyes, listening to Mr. Wysong’s (my ISM teacher) jokes, laughing with my classmates, and learning the small things to revolutionize my interactions with others helped transform my grueling “B” day schedule into a much more enjoyable one.So far, it has shown me that ISM transcends just a class that I'm taking in high school, as it is contains many more life lessons than any class can teach and creates many more connections than any class can provide. With the third week of school over, I can proudly say that so far, ISM has not disappointed me and I know that even in times to come, when I will be swallowed by my workload and waist deep in homework, I will not once regret taking this class.