For most, high school is four years filled with firsts. For me, my most important firsts came from track. It was the first sport I committed myself to, the first individual sport I won at and the first losses that mattered, and through all the good and the bad, I was taught patience, mental fortitude, consistency and patience.

Originally, I chose track because it was “easy.” I could run, so I wondered how hard it could genuinely be. Immediately through club track, I was immersed into a world of strenuous workouts and coaches who held me to a higher standard than I was used to. I immediately had to shift my mindset to that of someone who was simultaneously focused on their sport, school and balancing the two.

Every track meet and event became more significant after competing and practicing club track for a year. Every win felt deserved, and every loss brought me back to the drawing board and made me more determined.

I had to be patient with my progress and the injuries that followed. When I questioned my love for track, an injury would bring me back to reality. I would have to watch everyone do what I was no longer able to and regain my appreciation for the sport. I would devote even more time to track to recover and to improve.

After feeling the exhaustion during and after the 400-meter dash, it seemed even more impossible to do it a second time. During the race, I would want to give up, but I had to remember that if I ran poorly it felt no better than if I

 ran great — except I could leave feeling accomplished.

Track practice consistently challenged me to do things that got me out of my comfort zone. Running the 400-meter dash seemed to be the most daunting race I had ever approached. But at practice, the coach would have us run 600 meters repeatedly, and I realized the 400 wasn’t that bad.

Despite my reservations, it became one of my best events, and I learned not to prevent myself from getting out of my

 comfort zone. Through track, I have tried new things that originally seemed daunting, such as joining the Newspaper.

In Newspaper, I have had the opportunity to create many new designs and interview many interesting people. Newspaper has allowed me to find new things that I enjoy and challenge myself in new ways.

I have also, possibly for the first time, truly been a member of a collaborative team where what I do matters. If I do not complete my work, the burden falls on someone else, which is bad for the team. I greatly appreciate all that the class and the people within the class have done to help me grow as a student and as a person.