Immaculata
Hard work. Discipline. Perseverance. It is because of high school that I have begun to discover what these truly entail.
High school at Immaculata has not been easy. All four years I was swamped with homework. There were many times when I just wanted to give up. I was so stressed; I felt that I had nothing left to give. But somehow, by the grace of God, I always made it through.
Immaculata has taught me to push myself beyond my limits. Often, I felt that I was going to break, that I was at my maximum capacity, only to find in the end that I still had a lot more to give. These were uncomfortable moments, but beautiful nonetheless; I could see that I was growing. It was from pushing myself that I began to value hard work. I could see its fruits. Hard work is what pushes you past your boundaries so that you may soar!
Along with hard work comes discipline. Many deem discipline to be harmful or repulsive, but it is truly one of the best things for a person; it builds character. I myself have fallen in love with discipline — something I naturally hate!
However, we all naturally hate discipline, but it is when you adopt it that you begin to see its beauty.
High school at Immaculata has forced me to be disciplined in my work — to do it on time and to do it well. This was not very easy, but once I just stopped making excuses and got down to business, the initial discomforts vanished.
In addition to hard work and discipline, Immaculata has also taught me perseverance. No matter how much homework I had, how depleted I felt, how stressed I was, I knew I had to go on. I would get through it. Like hard work, it has taught me to push beyond my limits, and because of discipline, my mind was steeled to move forward.
Hard work, discipline, and perseverance have taught me to be excellent in all that I do, to give my best. This is something our principal, Mr. Fout, frequently encouraged us to do, and it is something I will always attempt to live out. I know it is important to cultivate these practices in our lives because doing so makes us more charitable.
When we give our best, we are becoming less selfish and are thus more useful to those around us. This is important in all aspects of life. It is because of this that I know Immaculata has prepared me for my future. It has trained me to behave as a true Christian, being at others’ service.
As a Christian, I shall go out into the world with God’s words ringing in my ears: “Fear not, for I am with you!” (Isaiah 41:10)