ExperienceisKeytoResponsibility

MarioLopez
th
8
GradeELA
March7,2015

TestofFate
Itdoesnotmatterhowslowlyyougoaslongasyoudonotstop.Confucius.This
quote
overalldepictshowmylifehasbeengoingsofar.Nomatterthereason,Ialwayshadan
occasionwheregoingslowwasaloteasierthanstopping.Irememberlyingonmybedinmy
roomonenightstudyingfortheacceptancetestforChinquapin.Iwastoldbymyfatherthatthey
didnothavethetestbackthenandthatIshouldexpectittobechallengingbecauseChinquapin
wasallaboutthe,creamofthecrop.Thiscantpossiblybenecessaryforastupidtest.Ugh,
whydoIevenhavetostudy?Studyingisforlameos,andthereissomanyotherfunactivitiesI
couldbedoing.Ididnotwanttostudy.Publicschoolhadmademeintoakidwhothoughthe
knewall,akidwhodidnthavetostudybecausetheAscameeasy.Iwasextremelyintelligent
academicwise,butwhenitcametodoingmyresponsibilities,Iwouldalwaysputthecartbefore
thehorse.
SothereIwas,studyingandthinkingabouthowstudyingwasthelamestthinginthe
world.
Ihadbooksinmyhand,someoldenoughthatonecouldsmellthemustinessthathad
beentrappedinthem.
Ifmylifewereafable,thisstoryshouldhaveendedwiththelesson,
perseveranceiskeyorsomethingalongthoselinesbutno,Iquitstudying.Ijustdecidedto
wingitandtakethetestwiththeluckthatdrovemethroughelementary,Ipassedtheexamwith
anaboveaveragescore.Imnotsayingthateveryonewhojusthasanamazingmemoryshould
dothis,butinmylittlefifthgradeeyes,thepathIhadtakenwasmoreefficientthanthepath
takenbyothers.Asagrownandmorematuredeighthgrader,Inowknowthatbycompelling
myselftoactinthatway,Iwassettingmyselftocreatingtheprecarioushabitofnotstudying.It

wasonlyoneoccasionbutlateronIwouldhavetorefinethis.
Ialsorecallonthedayofthetest
whenashoutingandcrankylady,a.k.aTina,wasdirectingustoourinevitabledeath.
TherewasnodoubtIwasalittleshakyandnervous.
Thedullsmellofpencilwoodand
hotsummerairlingeredintheair.
ThesefeelingsIconclude,camefromthefactthatIknewI
hadntstudiedforthislifechangingtestandifIfailedIwasgoingtobeprettybummedforthe
restofmylife,oruntilItriedoutagain.Thepointbeing,IknewIhaddonewronganditwastoo
latetofixit.
Ibeganthetestwithapencilinmyhandandafloodonmyforehead
.
Thepencil
movedinmyhandmakingquickbackandforthmovements,butnothingwasbeingwritten.
Whatkindofquestionwas,Nameanyways?Icontinuedonwiththetest,myfacescrunched
upintoadeepponderasIbattledwitheachquestion.Thewritingportions,beingtheonly
sectionwherestudyingwasnotrequired,werebyfartheeasiestbutthemostmonotonousas
well.IthinkthemostdifficultsectionIfacedwasthehistorysection.Maybe,justmaybeifIhad
studiedIwouldhaveknownwhohalfofthosepeoplewere.Ithoughtthehistorysectionwould
havehadatleastsomepassagetogiveussomebackgroundinformationtoworkwith.
Isatthere,
mypaperdrenchedinsweat,asTinacalledforustoturninourtests.

Thescratchingofthe
pencilsstoppedandallwassilentforamoment.
IdiedalittleinsidebecauseofthechoiceItook
tospeedrunthelastquestions.IprobablyansweredthoserightbutIdidntknowthat.Yall
kidsbestturninthattestandquicklybecauseIwokeupbadlyandIneedmyStarbucks!,
Tinashoutedemphaticallyfromacrossthegym.
Hervoiceboomedlikethunder,making
everyonejumpoutoftheirseatsasquickaspossible.
IdidntknowhowwellIdidonthetest,
andbythenIhaddeeplyregrettednotbeingresponsibleandnotstudyingforthetest.
Itleftme
withathrobbingheadachemorepowerfulthananatomicbombgoingoff.

Notstudyingforthetestwasbyfaroneoftheworstdecisionsofmylife.Notstudying
putawholelotofstressonme,whichcouldhavebeenavoidedifonlyIhadbeenmore
responsible.IdontknowifGodhaddecidedtogivemeasecondchanceorifthereweremore
challengesthatliedahead,butbecauseofwhatevermiraclethathadsavedme,Imanagedtopass
thetestwithanaboveaveragescore.Backtomylittlefifthgraderselfthoughts.Imostdefinitely
thoughtsomethinglike,
Ha!IknewIwouldpasswithoutneedingtostudy!ImsoluckyIchose
nottostudyandinsteadtowingit!
Whereasmymorematureselfwouldhaverespondedtothe
endingofthetestwithsomethingalongthelinesof,
Man,thattestprobablywouldhavebeena
loteasierifIwouldhavetakenthetimetostudy.NowIfeelstupidthatIstressedoversomething
soeasilyavoidableyetIchosetotaketheslothypathandInowhavetopayforthischoiceby
leavingwithaheadacheandanoasisonmyforehead.
Somehowthough,alessonwassentinto
mymindafterthisdelightfulexperience.EventhoughIhadpassed,Iknewthatstudyingwould
haveprobablygivenmeanevenbettergrade,butInowhadexperiencewiththechoiceofnot
studyingsomytakeawayfromthisexperiencewasthatnexttimeIhaveatestIshouldstudy.

NewSchoolNewResponsibilities
IreceivedmytestresultsandfoundoutthatIhadgottenanaboveaveragegrade,whichleftme
toworryaboutonlytheinterviews.Theinterviewswentsmoothly,theyalsohelpedme
understandthelivelyteachersIspokewith.Irememberoneteacher,Bobby,askingmewhereI
wouldliketotravel.IthinkIansweredJapanandhesmiled,hisyounginnerfeaturesshowingin
hisfacewhilehisstrongphysicalfeatureseemedtolessenandbecomelessintimidating.After
theinterviewsIwasacceptedintoChinquapinonlytofindthatmydaysofstressanddeprived
sleephadjustbegun.Onthefirstdayweweregivennorestinsteadwewereputstraightto
work.Theteachersleftuswithasmall,buttoughamountofhomeworkexceptforBill,whowas
slowerthanmostteachers.MostofthestudentswerenotusedtothebarthatChinquapinhadset
forus.Wewereexpectedtoshootforthemoononthefirstdayandfinishstrongonthelast.On
myfirstday,Ifeltnervous,butmostlyfatigued.Ihadtogetusedtotheresponsibilityofwaking
myselfupatfiveA.M.inthemorningeverydaytodrivetothebusstopandridethebusto
school.OurfirstperiodteacherwasMs.Edwards,althoughwecalledherMs.Jherfirstname
beingJessica,andshequicklybeganteaching.Itwasnotonlyherwhodidthisbutotherteachers
aswellwhichpromptlyledmetoconcludethatChinquapinreallywasaplaceforhardworking
students.Thiswasamajorchangefromtheleisurefilledrideofpublicschoolwhereteachers
onlycaredtoteachyousothatyoucouldpasstheTAKStestorSTAARtestandmakethem
looklikeexceptionalteachers.Ialsolearnedthattherewasnochoiceofwhetherastudent
shouldstudyornotbecause,unlessyouhadthememoryofanelephant,therewasjusttoomuch
materialinatesttonothavetostudyfor.

ItwasnotonlytheteststhatweremoredifficultatChinquapin,butthehomeworkwas
morelaboriousaswell.OnehomeworkIdistinctlyrememberwasoneofBillsmath
homeworks.IrememberitbecauseitwasmyfirstbadgradeinChinquapinandwasmostlikely
causedbymenotreadinguponthematerialfirst.Billgaveushomeworkeveryday,but
sometimesIlikedtojustskipoverreadingmaterialthatheassignedalongwiththehomeworkso
thatwewouldknowhowtoworktheproblemsout.IdidthisuntilIacquiredasixteenononeof
hishomeworks.Whatmadeitstickwithmeforalltheseyearsisnotonlythefactthatitwasa
tremendouslybadgrade,butthatthematerialwouldhavebeenextremelyeasyifIwouldhave
justreaditfirst.ThishomeworkalsoremindedmeofhowIdidntstudyforthetestof
acceptanceintoChinquapin,whichinturnmademeremorsleythinkofhowIhadsufferedfor
notstudyingforthattest.IthoughtabouthoweasythathomeworkwouldhavebeenifIhadjust
readtheassignedmaterialthataccompaniedit.Thiswasoneofmanyinstanceswherethe
schoolsmotto,QuidProQuoshowedmethattheschool,aswellaslife,abidedbythesethree
simplewords.Somethingforsomethingwasthelawofequivalentexchangethattaughtme
thatIcanthavesuperbgradesoragreatacademiccareerwithoutputtinginsomeresponsibility
intowhatIchoosetodo.InordertobeabletoremaininmypositioninChinquapinIwouldhave
tomatureandbreakfreeofthechainsofpublicschoolanditsmisteachings.Iwouldhaveto
bringhomeanewattitudeandbecomemoreresponsible.
NotonlydidIlearnaboutthehomeworksandthetest,butIalsolearnedaboutchores.
BeforeChinquapinIwasprettylazyandalwaysfoundafasterandeasierwaytodowhatIwas
supposedtodo.Iwasalsoanincredibleprocrastinator.Chorestaughtmethattherewillnot
alwaysbesomeonetheretocleanupafterme,soImightaswelllearnhowtodoitmyself.

Choresnotonlytaughtmehowtousedifferentmachinesandtoolstoclean,buthowto
responsiblytakecareofthemaswell.IdidntlikechoresatfirstbecauseTedhadmadeitclear
thathewasgoingtobeverystrictabouthowwecleaned,
Iwantthetrophycasetobeabletobe
usedlikeamirrorforeventhesmallestdetails!
,butlateronIfoundthathimbeingstrictwasfor
ourowngoodandthatIwouldsoonunderstandwhyitwasneeded.InseventhgradeIwas
switchedtocleaningthedorms.Thiswasanabundantlystressfulchorecrewseeingastheeighth
gradersmadeittheirtraditiontositaroundandassignjobstousseventhgradersandDarien.
ThatyearofchoresimplantedinmymindhowIshouldberesponsiblearoundotherswhoare
not.WorkinginthedormsstillprovedtobemoreenjoyablethanworkingoutsideintheGrounds
CrewwithCodyinthiseighthgradeyear.Groundscrewworkedtenaciouslyinanytypeof
weathertocleanupthecampusandmakeitlookpresentable.Weoccasionallyworkedinthe
rainaswellsincetheraincouldwetthegroundmakingitmoistandtherefore,easiertopull
weedsout.Cmonguys,pulltheweedsfromtherootsandmurdertheirfamilies!,Codywould
say,urgingustokeepgoingnomatterhowdirtywegot.IcantexactlysayIlikedthischore
crew,butitdidhaveitsmemorablemomentslikewhenweflungwormsateachother.This
chorecrewtaughtmethatIneededtoberesponsibleevenifIgreatlyopposetodoingit.Ialways
hateacknowledgingthefactthateverydayIwouldneedtoworkoutsideineitherthefreezing
coldorraintoworkinthedirt.Italsogaveme,characteraselderlywouldsayit.

TheNotCaringBear
ThelastthingIwantedtodoinseventhgradewasstudy.Idontknowwhymaybeitwas
arebelliousteenstage,butforsomereason,inseventhgradeIdecidedtonotdoanyofmy
homework.ItstartedinmathclasswhenIwouldactuallytrytoturnthemin,butTedhadthis
methodwhereyouhadtogetahomeworkstampontheduedatebutkeepituntilFridaywhenhe
wouldpickupallthehomeworksofthatweek.Theproblemwiththatmethodwasthefactthat
wehadalotmorehomeworks/otherpapersotherthanforhisclass,whichledtomostofthe
studentslosinghishomeworkbeforeFriday.Iwasoneofthestudentsthatlostalmosteverything
becauseofhowbadmyorganizationskillswere.IfiguredthatifIwasgoingtolosethe
homeworksanyways,whatwasthepointofdoingthem?SoIstoppeddoingthehomeworks
altogether,andthatdroppedmygradeinmathfromaroundaseventyfivetoaroundasixty.
This,ofcoursewasoneofthemoststupiddecisionsofmylife.Unfortunately,thestupidity
didntendthere.Iwasalsohavingproblemswithmysciencehomeworkforthesamereason
(Maybeallofthiscouldhavebeenavoidedbythepoweroforganization).BecauseofthisI
startednotdoinganyofmysciencehomeworkaswell.Thiscausedmysciencegradetogofrom
aroundaneightytoafiftyfour.Thismademyparentsextremelymadbecauseoftworeasons.
One:IhavenevergottenabadgradeonmyreportcardEVER,andTwo:aroundaninetyfive
wasthelowestgradeIhaveevergotteninscience.AnotherpossiblereasonIwasmakingthese
decisionswasbecauseofsomethingIgotintroublefor.Ididntnecessarilydoanything,but
becauseIhadalargeamountofthetiniestbadthingsonmyrecordfrombothsixthandseventh
grade,Istillgotintrouble.IapparentlywasintroublebecauseIhadmadeanotherstudentfeel
uncomfortableeventhoughtheytoldmethatIgotintroublefornotdoinganythingaboutit(I

washalfasleepatthetime).Thiscompletelychangedmythoughtsabouttheschoolandmade
menotfeelsecuremyselftothepointwhereIdidntwanttobehere.IthoughtthatifIgotbad
gradesIwouldbeabletogetkickedoutwithouthavingtotellmydadthatIwantedtogo
somewhereelse.
Ilearnedtoberesponsibleinthishorriblescenarioaswell.Igotmymyselftogether
aroundtheendoftheyearinthefourthquarterandtoldmyselfthatIwouldraisethesegradesso
asnottobringdishonortoourfamily.FromthenonIdidallIcouldtoturnineverysingle
homeworkandassignmentwiththehighestgradepossible.Somehow,againstallodds,I
managedtoendthequarterwithbarelypassablegradeseventhoughIhadfailedallmyfinals
andmidterms.EventhoughIwasondisciplinaryprobationandhadgottenallformsof
punishmentIstillmanagedtogetbackin.IpromisedmyselfthatIwouldtryextremelyhardto
excelinmyacademicsnextyearsothatIcouldmakeupformycrummyseventhgradeyear.I
learnedthatmyactionswerebyfartheworstIcouldhavetaken,andthroughroughexperienceI
nowknownevertoapplytheminmylifeagain.Iatleastcannowusetheseexperiencestoguide
meinlifewheneverIneededtheassistance,butIratherwouldhavelearnedthemtheeasyway.I
wouldhaveratherbeentoldtoberesponsiblebysomeoneelsewhohadtheexperiences.Inever
wouldhavewantedtolookbackonmymiddleschoolyearsandseethatIwasastupid
delinquentwhothoughtheknewallbutinrealityknewnothing.AttheendoftheschoolyearI
probablywontheaffectionoftheteachersastheydiscussedmebecauseofhowhardIhad
workedtoraisemygradefromitscripplingpositiontowhereitwasintheend,justbarely
standing.Myseventhgradeyearbecametheworstyearinallmyacademiclifeuntilanother
gradeaheadprobablybeatsit.ThatwasalsoanotherthingIlearnedaboutChinquapin.Itshard,

butifyoufallbehindordecidenottodocareuntilthelastminute,likeme,itwouldbeeven
hardertopickyourselfup.

TakeAway
ThereasonIwrotethismemoirwastoexpresstheideathatovertheyearsIhadgotten
moreresponsible.IwantedtoshowthatIhadlivedthroughbadexperiences,mostcausedpurely
bychoice,andthatIgrewfromthoseexperiences.Iusedtobethemostannoyinglittle
knowitallonthefaceoftheplanetandthereasonIcanacknowledgethisisbecausewhatI
livedthroughwhichhelpedmerealizeit.Ihadtheluxuryofbeingintelligentandhighlygifted,I
wasjustmissingalittleresponsibilityandaslaptothefacebyreality.Iwasextremely
irresponsibleasachildwhichwasaccompaniedbymyundeniablelaziness.Thismemoirwasnt
onlyaboutresponsibility,butalsohowIgainedthisresponsibilitythroughpastexperiences.It
wasaboutmebecomingmorematureandgrownbylearningthecorrect,ormoreintelligent,
answerstocommonproblemsIhaveinmylife.Theseexperienceshavehelpedmemake
decisionswhichwouldhavebeeneasierifIhadbeentoldthesethingsbefore.

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OverallComments:
Thankyouforsharingyourstories.Thesestoriesallowmetoseehowyouprogressedoverthe
yearsandhowyourresponsibilityhasincreased(althoughthereisstillroomforittokeep
increasing).Yourtakeawayisthatyouhavelearnedresponsibilitythroughyourexperiences.
Thisistheonlywaytolearnit.Thequestionnowiswhetheryouwillkeeplearningfromyour
experiences.

Whatyourmemoirdoesbest:
Eachofyourchaptersfitswiththeoveralltheme.
Yourdetails,descriptions,andcharacterizationwereallstrongandhelpedtoshowyour
stories.

Whatcouldbeimproved:
Exceptforafewsections,IdidntreallyfeellikeIcouldconnectwithyouwhilereading.
Youwerewritingaboutyourexperiences,butIhadtroubleempathizingwithit,likethere
wasadistancebetweenwhatyoudidandwhatyoufelt.
Thereisnotalotofdialogue,whichmakesthesefeelmorelikereflectionsthanstories.

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