Persistence is key to achieving your goals; never relent until you’ve reached your destination. Success is not merely the result of hard work but also of working smart. When my hopes and dreams of studying in the USA seemed to be fading amidst disappointment and failure, I recalled a childhood story from my middle school textbook about a snail. Despite encountering obstacles, the snail persisted in its efforts to scale a large wooden fence blocking its path. Repeatedly falling, yet refusing to give up, the snail eventually triumphed over the obstacle. This story reignited my determination after my initial failure to realize my high school dream of studying in the USA, reaffirming my belief in the power of perseverance.
Courage, I realized, is not about possessing great strength but rather about continuing onward even in the face of adversity. With renewed determination, I returned to my hometown to reapply for a national ID in order to obtain a passport. Enduring another arduous journey by bus, reminiscent of the challenging roads I traversed in Part 3 of my story, I persevered. Along the way, I came to understand that successful individuals are not necessarily the most intelligent but rather those who refuse to give up.
Being far away from my parents, there was no one to encourage me. So, I had to encourage myself and sometimes spoke to myself with words of encouragement, reminding myself each day that I would try again tomorrow, echoing the sentiment of “Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better.”
Through the setbacks encountered during my academic journey, I learned a valuable lesson: resilience is more valuable than intellect. A failure is not always a mistake. The real mistake is to stop trying. Reflecting on my journey, I recognized that each perceived rejection had actually steered me toward better opportunities. In Part 6, I will share how these rejections ultimately redirected my academic path for the better.
In concluding Part 5 of my academic journey, I want to impart a crucial lesson to young individuals facing similar struggles: perseverance is paramount. Through unwavering determination, I turned potential failure into success. Remember, whether you find a way or create one, never give up. A winner is simply someone who tried one more time. It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop, success is inevitable. Though progress may be slow, keep moving forward without faltering.
