The Difference Between a Stumbling Block and a Stepping Stone Is How High You Raise Your Foot
Your last two years of high school provide an overview of your entire life. During these two years, you not only face the initial set of challenges but also can learn more about yourself. Every obstacle that a student faces and overcomes helps them grow as a tough and determined individual, much like a sculptor who gradually smoothens over a rough stone to reveal its underlying beauty. Our experiences throughout this period, whether positive and negative, aid in the transformation of our entire being. Using the proverb “the difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you raise your foot” as a guide, I will describe the highs and lows of the journey toward education as well as the transformational potential of persistence and perspective.
Perspective or attitude one holds determines whether a challenge or obstacle in life becomes something that hinders progress (a stumbling block) or something that helps in moving forward (a stepping stone). When a student moves from grade 10 to grade 11, they are thrust into a completely new educational setting where they must work nearly twice as hard and greatly expand their imagination. Most students don’t know how to handle this and end up getting low grades in their first semester. This eventually distinguishes them from the toppers. I experienced the same thing. Though the academic record is less significant because this is not a board year, the effort put in pays off in the 12th grade.
In 12th I was completely lost and didn’t feel like putting in the work. Half yearlies went by with severely poor performance and the real feeling of boards kicked in. Winter vacations wasn’t enough for me due to foreign applications and right before boards, I failed in my chemistry preboards and scored only 75% in my preboards.
But amid hardship, I came to the important insight that my own determination was the only thing preventing me from achieving my goals. With only one month to go before the board examinations, I set out on a mission of unrelenting pursuit, devoting every ounce of willpower to my studies. Days became nights as I worked nonstop, driven by a steadfast faith that I could overcome the constraints of my situation.
In the end, the fruits of my labor were bountiful. What once seemed insurmountable became a testament to the transformative power of perseverance. With a score of 94.6% and admission to the esteemed University of Waterloo for computer science—a feat once deemed improbable—I emerged victorious, the proverbial stumbling blocks of the past transformed into steppingstones toward my aspirations.
Looking back, the experience of the last two years of high school is a moving reminder of the transformational power that is present in every challenge. I overcame academic difficulties and came out stronger, more resilient, and more prepared to face future uncertainty because to my unyielding determination and a change in viewpoint. Each obstacle is a chance for improvement rather than a barrier in the larger scheme of things, and it is evidence of the resilience of the human spirit.
