A few weeks ago I sat at the tennis courts and watched as a group of students volleyed a tennis ball back and forth and remembered how I used to spend my entire week practicing tennis. I loved the cracking sound the ball would make when it came in contact with the racket. I loved the rush I would get after winning a match point. I loved strategizing whether it would be better to lob it and confuse my opponent.
I was good.
But I wasn’t great.
So I stopped.
As I watched that group play tennis, I realized this wasn’t a one-time thing. Whenever I felt inadequate or started to fall short of the person I compared myself with, I stopped.
I stopped tennis.
I stopped writing.
I stopped friendships.
I think I felt it was easier to never try at all than to try and fail. Because then I would really know that I wasn’t good enough. And it's better to wonder whether you could have succeeded than to know you sucked.
But I’m in college now. And what is college other than a fresh start?
So this year I am going to focus on pushing through. To continue something I love even if I am afraid of failing.
Actually, no. Especially if I am afraid of failing.
To start, I signed up for Odyssey and here I am.
I hope you guys try to do this too. Whether you are starting college, or high school, or simply just waiting for the next day, it is never too late to make a change.