No, I Don’t Need the Last Cupcake

There’s a table full of cupcakes.  They’re a mixed bunch.  Some are vanilla with chocolate frosting, others the inverse.  Yet, within a 5 second time frame, they’re all gone, stuffed into the mouths of adorable little

children.  You are one of them and not having been able to reach the table prior, you reach for the last one.  However, you’re met head on by another child, one who has already had his/her cupcake, but wants a second.

What do you do?

Growing up, we’ve all had our trials, struggles we’ve had to face each and every day.

Yesterday I met mine head on.

Yesterday I cried.

When the initial shock finally settled however, I gathered my wits, picked myself up and moved on (Even if only part of me did).

Why?  Because I’m not the type of girl who anyone’s going to comfort or hand hold in order to get through a situation.  Some people expect more of me.  I expect more from myself.

Throughout life, I‘ve never been the exception, I’ve been the rule.  No matter what happened on my journey, I always managed to get my work done and in a timely fashion. 

I didn’t and don’t need incentive or special treatment.

I wish I could say the same for my counterparts, but it would be a lie.  Sadly, this isn’t a trend that stops in High School. 

Today in advisory, we read a chapter from Say This, NOT That to Your Professor by Ellen Bremen.  The chapter focused around college students and all the excuses they make in order to come to class late or leave early.

In the guide, students asked their professor if they could leave early or come late and the author responded by saying that it wasn’t proper.  If one student got special treatment, then every student in the class would have to be offered the opportunity.

Sadly, this doesn't

happen in high school.

Yet, it did help me reflect on the point that there will always be others looking to raise their grade by getting an extension, those who stay home to make sure an assignment is done on time and those who ask others what was on an exam so that they know all the questions to study.

It’s not that they’re not smart; they just use the system to their advantage to get what they want.

While these kinds of people don’t necessarily disgust me, they do get on my nerves from time to time.  Especially when 3 am they ask me to edit a paper that they missed school to write that day and its due at 9 am later that morning.

It makes me think, why should I help you?  It’s your own fault for waiting last minute.  Also, you missed classes all day to do this assignment, it should be don’t by now, no?  Why should I help you get a better grade then you deserve?

Yet, against my better judgment, I helped them.  Not because I like them, but because in the long run it doesn't matter.

Yesterday a wise man told me “that we must let go in order to receive what we deserve.”

While I didn’t understand it yesterday in my mind state, I do now.  I need to let go of the stress that comes with the trials I encounter because they won’t matter later in life.

That is my goal for the remainder of senior year.

I am going to let go of my attachment to perfection, the need to be the best. 

It’s not our work that defines us, although it seems like that right now.  It’s our mentality and perseverance that will get us further in life.

Anyway, I like brownies more; I don’t need that last cupcake.

Do you?