Describe something you learned in high school.
“Success is not final, and failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill
I understand from the kids, that high school includes grades, 10, 11, and 12. And these were the lessons I learned in grade 11. My first attempt at grade 11 was a success. Not in the traditional sense of the term, but in all the lessons I learned that year. Grade 10 had me in school in a uniform ensuring I sat through all classes and attempted all tests and exams securing the results expected of me. In grade 11 I joined the NCC and participated in every event they hosted that year. That was a record because, in my attempt at attending all the extra sessions at NCC, I missed all the classroom sessions of grade 11. My attendance was abysmal, and the learning curve was steep. Depending on the time of day, month, and mood, this learning curve has been interpreted differently every time. Let me list out all my learnings.
- Attendance is everything. Only if you sit in class are you going to understand what’s happening. I sat through all the NCC sessions at the HQ and learned to glue together bits of wood in the perfect hull.
– Then I learned how to use sandpaper to smoothen the rough edges and apply putty.
– Then I learned why I should sandpaper it again, to smoothen and even out the putty.
– I learned not to sandpaper my fingers, friction hurts like hell.
– I learned to apply primer.
– I learned that if the hull was not balanced properly then the model I was building would be scrap.
– I learned balancing the hull was done after the primer was applied so the wood would not get wet and rot.
– I learned the importance of waiting between applications of each coat, to see if bubbles formed, so they could be sanded down.
– I learned that when modeling a ship, especially one from the live Naval vessels you had to be careful to replicate as close to the original as possible.
– I learned that the hull, design was the easiest part of the design process, sandpapering the tiny bits and bobs that went on the model, along with the handrails on the ship was painful.
– I learned that the hull would keep getting tested every single time a bit or bob was added to it. The glue used and the shape could unbalance the model and render it useless.
– I learned that all ship models had motors that would get attached and that the model would have to be able to float in water like its namesake in the ocean.
– I learned that the painting that I was looking forward to, was always applied in three or four coats and every coat would be sandpapered down to a fine sheen.
– I learned that sitting through months of this session of ship modeling, just got me a certificate, and would only add value if I was going to seriously consider a vocational course as a carpenter’s apprentice!
I repeat, ‘Attendance is everything.’
“Success is earned one day at a time. Start by showing up”
Author Unknown
I should have sat in those Math and triple science classes. I would’ve fared better in the exams that mattered, rather than procure a certificate that added little value to my life. The reality is that today, I’m neither a carpenter nor a painter! And all those lessons on sand papering, putty, and 3 coats of paint did not matter. I applied this learning on the importance of attendance the following year in the humanities sessions I attended. Do I regret the ship modeling sessions I attended? NO! If I had not attended that session and failed at the subjects and passed at creating the perfect miniature naval ship, I would not have learned the lesson.
- Marks are just a score that showcases your proficiency. The higher your proficiency, the better the offers you receive. But, in the large scheme of things, how many attempts hardly makes a difference. I should have stuck through the course in math and triple science and attempted it a second time after I prepared for it. It could have allowed me to get a degree in caring for animals, or dogs which is where my interest lies. But I applied this learning a few years later, while I did my post-graduation and applied for the scholarship. I received a partial scholarship for the course and that added some much-needed confidence to my spine. Your scores add value to your applications. When you apply for courses, you are evaluated by how well-padded your application is. What have you learned, where have you learned, and how have you learned? At the end of the day, it does not matter how many times you did the exam, but it matters how well you did it.
“Use your low marks as motivation. Not as a shame”
Author Unknown
- Failure is a part of success. Stumbling does not mean you give up. It just means you need to get up, dust off and start again. Do it better, this time. So, changing your perspective on failure is important. Understanding that a few years down the line, what you considered a failure, was just an opportunity helps soften the blow of perceived failure. Not performing well in one exam meant that I had to spend more time on the material. At best, it allowed me to learn the material again. Properly this time. At worst, it taught me that I was not interested in the material to start with.
“Failure is just a halt, don’t make it your destination”
Nitin Namdeo
So, what was the one thing I learned from these three lessons on attendance, marks, and failure? The fact that the perception of failure and success is a personal choice. And I attached a lot more importance to my failure that year than anyone else did. I made friends. I went to college. I graduated. I did two post-graduate certifications. I worked. I got married. Had the kids. What would I like them to understand? It’s ok to fail. It’s ok to attempt it a second time. Every attempt teaches you something new. Learn and proceed.
“You can’t achieve your dreams if you don’t show up to chase them”
Author Unknown
Just a little more 