Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?
Many people did not understand why I signed up for the Judo club. They snorted and casted disapproving looks, telling me I did not know my own limits. In many people's eyes, I was just an artsy girl who stayed away from sweaty and rigorous work. However, I knew I have always wanted to try something different.
As expected, Judo really did not turn out to be my area of expertise. I was weak, constantly panting after training. My body just could not bear the strain of racing out the carbohydrates. My muscles ached and my lungs were desperate for air after weight training. When I returned home, I collapsed onto bed with my whole body drenched in sweat.
Mother would come by and say gently, "Darling, if it is too hard on you, just quit it."
That thought of quitting actually lingered in my mind for a while. Every time before training, I felt as if I was going to an execution ground, waiting to be beheaded, and my stomach churned at the thought of the ordeal I had to pull through later. I heard people talk; they expected me to give up sooner or later. However, I also heard a small little voice at the back of my whispering, "You can do it"; then the voice became louder and louder, until it was practically shouting, until that was all I could hear.
And I continued on, all the way through dreadful trainings, through exciting competitions, and finally to the end of the year, when my Judo club threw a huge celebration. I had never felt so accomplished in my life. The sense of pride engulfed me as I held my judo uniform, which had accompanied through all the hardship I went through for that day. I had succeeded.
Determination and commitment-these are what urged me to go on. I may shudder and flinch at an undesirable situation, but I will still give my best shot. If I pick something up, I never believe in throwing it away half way. There's a Chinese saying that goes, "Studying is like sailing a boat against the current; if you don't go forward, you are actually going backwards." This saying is similar to my aphorism of life: I have to constantly march forward and never go backwards.
People were surprised by my perseverance, but this time they smiled along with me. Perhaps I am still not a sports person, but I will not give up easily, and that is my sportsmanship.
I like it alot!!!
A couple things...
"Mother would come by and say gently ..." I believe you should put a "My" in front of "Mother."
Your last couple of sentences are well written, and assuming that the paragraph before it is your conclusion, maybe you should place those sentences there.
Good Job on your essay!!!
At the start of this essay, you should write a thoughtful sentence about what it is like to work and become stronger instead of giving up. You can write another sentence about how that is especially true in the career you are about to prepare for in college. Then, finish the first paragraph with a sentence about how you gained insight into the nature of perseverance when you became a judoka.
After that introduction, write about the experience and explain how it changed you.
