#9

Excusing are an illusion and pessimistic reaction when dealing with important life decisions. To not become and “excuse maker” I try to be realistic with myself then think of a better way to plan and accomplish my goal(s). Even though it’s hard, I admit my mistakes, accept my failure, and find a way to succeed. Blaming someone or making excuses just impedes the process of improvement and it just wastes energy. In order to help others rise above excuse making, it is important to level with them and tell them that you have been through the same thing or that people make mistakes and that complaining doesn’t get you anywhere.

Being an ally in a community is asking and listening about the struggles people have. Being a servant leader means to find out the problem and do the most in your power to fix or contribute a problem. If someone is communicating something to you, you have to listen because the person speaking can be saying something important.

In STARS LEAD, it’s important to hold your biases and opinions and listen to different perspectives. Just because I have experienced something doesn’t mean someone else has experienced the same thing. So I think knowing where people come from is an important tool when talking to my fellow leaders.

I believe that I am very open to new ideas and opinions because everyone thinks differently and being stubborn annoys people during discussions. I like to think deeply and incorporate different viewpoints to comparatively express mine. I do believe that I need to be more confident and calm because I love to express my opinion, sometimes eagerly, but if I don’t feel confident in my speech then I can’t collect my thoughts properly.

Being an ally requires that your ally feel trusted and important. Often we say one thing and do another. An ally isn’t just about getting ahead through their assistance but also assisting them to get ahead as well.

Scholarship Junkies is a great way for students to learn about their resources for attending college. Scholarships are the main reason students are able to pay for their tuition and board and not end up in a large debt later on. In order to enhance scholarship applications, students should put their personality into the essay. Always relating a certain topic to your experience and knowledge is key. Also giving a description of yourself doesn’t suffice, you have to demonstrate it. If you are on a first date and you say, “I’m an extremely funny person”, you’re date will probably be freaked out and not believe you. However, if you crack a joke or tell a humorous anecdote, then he/she will know you’re a funny person.

With this information we can let student know that college isn’t impossible and that many people have done it; many other with very small amounts of debt. Scholarships give students of lower and middle income families a boast to compete with their more privileged peers. This has the potential to create educational equality among students of all income, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds.