I chose prompt #2 on the common app which is:
The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
The sting and disappointment of failure is almost too much to bear, however, there is always a silver lining in a cloud of stormy gray. I was eight at the time, full of energy that desperately needed to be let out. My parents signed me up for a local soccer league that a few other girls in my class participated in. My mom had a passion for soccer which I admired and hoped to impress her with my own skills. I imagined myself scoring the winning goal of a game and leading the team to victory on several occasions. It was a long stretch for an eight year old, but the fantasy of living up to my mom was wholly inspiring. I was convinced that I would be the MVP. I can remember my first game quite clearly. It was a sunny day and everyone in my family had piled into the car to drive to the field. Even my grandparents had traveled all the way to see me play. I was given the honor of bringing the halftime snack, a tupperware filled with oranges that I had helped my mom pick out at the grocery store the previous day.
The first half the game was uneventful, so I knew that I had to give it my all in the second half. I took my place center field and anxiously dug my cleats into the grass that stilled smelled as if it had been freshly cut. The referee blew his whistle and the ball was off in the direction of the team’s goal. Like any ambitious young player, I did not quite understand the noteworthiness of teamwork. In my head, I was the star of a sports movie, traversing across the field with the ball dribbling swiftly between my feet. I broke through the barrier of the team’s other players and kicked the ball with the power of all the great soccer players of history. The ball sliced through the grass and hit the net of the goal with ease. I turned towards my team and the crowd to take in the cheers and excitement of my spectacular play, only to make eye contact with the other team’s goalie at the opposite side of the field. My magnificent goal had just scored the other team a win.
My aspirations crumbled and shattered to pieces, I could not even find the dignity to play another season. Of course I finished the season, although I was rarely allowed to play during a game. With soccer and possibly my affinity for sports behind me, I turned towards something new. Little did I know, this terrible failure would lead to my passion for the arts. I traded my sports gear for a pen and paper as well as a set of art supplies. I refused to allow my previous embarrassment to avert me from my newfound eagerness towards art and writing. Even today, as I look back on that point in my life, I am grateful for the opportunity that the failure presented me. I continue to be ambitious, although I no longer act rashly and contain my pride. I realize my strength and weaknesses towards a situation and utilize them for the task at hand. I do not bask in the glory of my accomplishments or pity myself in the bane of my failures. I always try to find the good in a bad situation, because sometimes failures may just lead to success.