Scholarship / "Positivity is second to none" - NTU Scholarship essay [3]

Q:

Describe, in less than 300 words, the values and beliefs you hold strongly to

.
Please provide examples of how you have demonstrated these in your actions.

Whilst I have no intentions of falsely manipulating my position, the fact is that my achievements both on and off the paper do not involve me freaking out at any point of time. Though I have seen my peers often achieving the same with a hairy incident or two, truth is that keeping a calm head and maintaining a positive attitude throughout my work just works for me; juxtaposition in my mood just makes it taste like vinegar. Sure, there might be people who rejoice the intense satisfaction after they finish, but do they really never regret their choices in the process?

On a more serious note, positivity and a calm head lets me focus on what matters to me the most without bothering about the infinite negative permutations that are possible. Saying "You can do it!" to myself sends a rush of self-motivation through my arteries, driving me forward. This helps me not only academically, as I possess an abundance of mojo, but also socially as it helps me to take harsh comments and unfavourable circumstances on my chin. I strongly believe that my commendable academic profile is a direct result of me keeping a positive mindset and believing in myself at even the deepest troughs in my path. Keeping a calm head in dire circumstances also helps me assess all of my options before making a call on which one to choose.

I can recall an incident, just three days before a University Science Fair, when the parts for my planned project got caught up in shipping and wouldn't make it in time. Not bogged down by this hurdle, I prepared an alternate presentation and participated in another category, where I won the 'Young Researcher of the Year' award. I can't imagine an alternate timeline where I would've lost my cool and ultimately gone down the drain. I believe my positivity and cool-headedness creates a positive aura around me, enhancing my social life whilst also allowing me to reach new heights and perform admirably in my academic and professional career, and I believe that these traits will allow me to create a better learning atmosphere at NTU, symbiotically benefitting everyone.

Any suggestions to refine and improve my essay are warmly accepted. I would also welcome help to bring it under the word limit (it currently stands at 362 words)