Dangling
from a rope, 150 feet from the ground, the only thing that
kept me from falling was a knot, which I had tied myself.
I gave every bit of strength that I had left, and pulled myself
over the face of a massive rock. I stood, looking over a sunlit
valley, smiling, because I had just accomplished something
I never thought I would have...climbing up the side of a mountain
with my own two hands and feet.
Throughout my life, I have had many memorable experiences.
The one I just described was the most unforgettable one yet.
Last summer, I went on Outward Bound. It was in North Carolina
for nine days, and eight nights. The course consisted of backpacking
and rock climbing with nine of my peers and two leaders. Teamwork
played a major role on this course. I learned how to work
with all different types of people, which was sometimes hard,
but for the most part, enjoyable. I saw how different people
thought and reacted to certain situations. We all learned
so much from each other, although we did not know it at the
time. Nobody, including myself, could have completed the course
without the support of the others in the group. However, I
also needed to believe in myself in order to successfully
complete the course. During the nine days, I pushed my limits
and I would not have made it unless I thought I could have.
Sometimes, my attitude got in the way of my determination.
Luckily, though, I learned to get over my negative attitude
and realize that I can do a lot more than I think I can. It
was extremely hard, but when the course was complete, it was
the greatest feeling of accomplishment I have ever felt.
The last night of the course, we had a "solo".
The leaders brought each of us to a separate "solo"
site, away from each other, so that none of us would distract
anyone else. They explained that this was a time for us to
reflect on what we had gone through the last eight days. However,
I felt that it was much more than that. I saw it as a time
to think about what I had accomplished on the trip, how it
had benefited me, and how I would act now that I saw things
differently than before. This was also going to be a great
opportunity for me to think about the greater questions in
life. Who am I? What do I want in life? Am I going to be happy
when I "find myself?"
It
turns out that I actually did not contemplate very much that
evening. I figured that if I went looking for anything I wanted,
especially the person I wanted to be, that I would never find
it. Therefore, I just sat and waited for it to come to me.
Eventually, it did. The next morning, before I returned to
base camp, I thought about what a great night I had had by
myself. I liked being alone for once; I liked me being my
only company. I realized that I am whoever I take the time
to become. A personality is not waiting for me to come find
it. I get to choose how I act. I get to control my feelings
and emotions. I can do whatever I want with myself because
it is I.
Since I made those realizations, I have been a changed person.
I want to do well in school, I want to have many friends,
I want to succeed in life, and most importantly, I want to
be happy. I have been working hard to become the person I
want to be, and I am going to keep on working to become a
better person until I feel that I am. The memories I made
on Outward Bound are unforgettable, but the thing that I will
always remember most is the way it changed my life.
Dangling
from a rope, 150 feet from the ground, the only thing that
kept me from falling was a knot, which I had tied myself.
I gave every bit of strength that I had left, and pulled myself
over the face of a massive rock. I stood, looking over a sunlit
valley, smiling, because I had just accomplished something
I never thought I would have...climbing up the side of a mountain
with my own two hands and feet. 
It
turns out that I actually did not contemplate very much that
evening. I figured that if I went looking for anything I wanted,
especially the person I wanted to be, that I would never find
it. Therefore, I just sat and waited for it to come to me.
Eventually, it did. The next morning, before I returned to
base camp, I thought about what a great night I had had by
myself. I liked being alone for once; I liked me being my
only company. I realized that I am whoever I take the time
to become. A personality is not waiting for me to come find
it. I get to choose how I act. I get to control my feelings
and emotions. I can do whatever I want with myself because
it is I. 
