8th Grade Year Research Paper

My 8th grade year was one of the most stressful and difficult in my life. I was taking on a high school math course, Algebra 1, while also balancing a 9 month research project, National History Day, and my First Lego League robotics team. While I was experiencing pressure from all of these, I realize now that I put the most pressure on myself. However, it was through this trial that I learned more about myself and how I manage stress. 8th grade year was the most challenging, but it is the most influential in me becoming the person I am now.
With FLL and NHD, I was dealing with deadlines that always seemed too close. I pushed myself to work harder and to do more than I thought I could do. I was not lazy, but I never thought what I did was enough. When I pushed myself to work harder, I forgot to first work efficiently. When I took on more than I could handle, I forgot that sometimes its okay to say no, and that giving your 150% everytime is not necessary. I needed to find balance, and with that, I would become a better student and a better person. …show more content…
While this might seem ridiculous, it absolutely tore me up. I had always gotten all ‘As’ and I thought that I needed perfect record to get into a good college, to get a good job, so that I could have a good life. I believed only then I could be happy. I tired using the internet, I went in for tutoring with a local professor, and I asked my mom to review my homework every night. I tried my best, and I got a ‘B’. It was a high ‘B’, but no matter what anyone told me, I felt it was inadequate. This turned to me believing myself to be inadequate. I felt sad and stressed all the time. To my surprise, my negative feelings leaked into summer. This is when I realized that something had to