<p>As I give a one last tug at my faded black belt with my name stitched thickly with gold thread, Im filled with nervous anticipation and dread at what would be the most physically demanding three hours of my life thus far. In my eight years of training in tae kwon do, I have devoted countless hours repeating difficult forms and perfecting my self-discipline, concentration, and self-awareness, and I eventually earned a first degree black belt. This was not enough for me, so I strove further. I devoted myself to instructing four- to six-year-old martial artists many hours a week, which boosted my confidence and leadership abilities. Now, I was facing another obstacle, another goal; the second degree black belt. The final prize I earned was not the new black belt with two stripes, but the skills that would be essential to succeed in college and beyond. </p>
<p>(I know there are problems with the tenses here, but is this topic overused? I didn't think this was a typical sports/volunteer essay since not a lot of people are involved in martial arts... I need some critique on the topic, the idea, the effect since I'm willing to change pretty much anything about this right now. And also if this is appropriate for the short answer. Thanks!)</p>