What comes to mind when you hear the word failure? How do you respond when it happens to you? Do you take it negatively or positively? Everyone has a different perspective and interpretation about failure. Some people see failure as an unpleasant thing or a limitation of their capabilities, while others see failure as a learning opportunity or a guide on how to become better. For example, in the article, “Want to Get Into College? Learn to Fail,” the author, Angel B. Perez, implies that failure should not be feared because it is not as harmful as most people think it is. He points out that failure is necessary if we want to succeed in college and in life. Personally, before I read the article of Angel …show more content…
Hence, students desire perfection in order to be noticed by admission officers. According to Perez in paragraph five of his article, “students try their best to hide factors they perceive to be negative and only tell us things they believe we will find impressive.” This means that students conceal their true selves and pretend to be someone they are not by only providing information that are appealing in their applications. However, as we focus on how to be perfect, we are unknowingly violating the values of honesty and integrity. Furthermore, we are forgetting that this craving for perfection is disabling us to see and consider the things that matter the most in college and in life. In my own perspective, college is not a straight road where we can get to our destination easily without going through many hardships. College is a bumpy road that is full of curves and obstacles. Most of us think that perfection is a requirement to be successful in college and in life, but there is something more important than just being perfect. “What is it?” you may ask. It is the courage to take risks and challenges, and the ability to learn from our mistakes every time we …show more content…
Failure can be our greatest teacher. It teaches us skills and knowledge which cannot be learned in a classroom - skills and knowledge that are not only necessary to thrive in college, but also essential to flourish our characteristics needed to become successful in life. Specifically, the most important attributes failure can teach us are determination, patience, and resilience - qualities that are vital in keeping up with the rigor of college. As stated by Perez in his article, “The lessons of failure can’t be taught in a classroom; they are experienced and reflected upon.” This means that the lessons we learn from failure are not just ordinary knowledge which we can get from anywhere else; they come within ourselves. The courage to take chances, the ability to bounce back, the capacity to let go of shame, and the coping skills are some of the most important lessons of failure mentioned in the article. Particularly, in paragraph seven, Perez states, “The ability to bounce back is a fundamental life skill students have to learn on their own.” This implies that the aptitude to stand up after a failure would help students boost their chances to do well in college and increase the possibility to keep pace with the harsh realities of life. These lessons are crucial in our growth and development as an individual. Moreover, the lessons we learn from failure are principles that we need to hold onto because they serve as a