College Essay: Elbow

I can lick my elbow. It's scientifically proven no one can, but I'm a contradiction to this statement. Throughout my life there have been many times where I've been told I couldn't do something, that it was impossible, and I better give up trying before I even start. Every time I prove them wrong.

I am sixteen and winning the Sierra Nevada Horse Show Association 3ft Medal Finals. My friends tell me I don't stand a chance against my competitors, but I win. The competition is stiff. Five riders leave me quivering in my riding boots. When it is my turn to enter the ring my heart beats so hard I can feel it pounding all the way down to my fingertips. My vision is a little hazy; I haven't taken a breath in minutes. This class is difficult. The judges carefully scrutinize me while I face a series of fences where speed, length of stride, and how effortless the course is ridden determines whether or not I am given the title of "Medal Champion."

At about a minute and a half through the course, holding my breath really starts to catch up with me. I have two fences to go and I start to feel nauseous. One more to go… Done. Perfect. Now the pressure is really on. Though I have the lead, it's still too narrow of a gap to call the blue ribbon mine. I have one more fight; the work-off. The work-off is a challenging test done to whittle out the best from the great. The judges ask us to counter canter showing our balance and control, hand gallop to show our horse's responsiveness, trot a fence showing our ability to be poised perfectly, and halt to demonstrate our attention to detail. I pass every test with flying colors (but mainly blue because that was the color ribbon I received). They told me I couldn't win, but I did.

I am fifteen and earning an A in my honors geometry class. My classmates think the best I can achieve is a B, but I prove them wrong. My teacher is notorious for administering final exams that are so hard, many students walk out of the room without answering even a single problem. I have an 84% in her class – the lowest in the honors group – but I am determined to accomplish an A. I study for hours on end, do every problem the text book offers, and make 400 flashcards, one for each fact in the book. I study and study and finally it pays off. I score the highest grade in the class because I do so exceptionally well on my final. They told me I couldn't earn a grade higher than a B, but I proved them wrong.

It's July 2010 and I'm traveling through Europe on the People to People Student Ambassador Program. My parents don't think I can raise the funds to pay for my trip, but I do. The trip is part of a highly selective program requiring letters of recommendation, interviews, essays, and financing by the applicants. I start a new job, work extra hours, conduct fundraisers, and pursue donations throughout the community. I raise enough money to pay for my trip and in the process, I learn financial planning. The trip itself teaches me independence, confidence, and adaptability. My parents told me I couldn't afford a trip to Europe, but I paid my way there and back.

I can lick my elbow. Experts say you can't, but I can. I've faced many challenges, many of which are considered "impossible." Sometimes I detest my own failures, though I know encountering failure makes me work harder to be successful. 2011 is my last year as a junior equestrian competitor. This year I hope to qualify for and compete in the Maclay Regionals which invites only the best riders of the United States and Canada to attend. They tell me I can't because I don't have the money, or the horse, or the time in the saddle, but watch me.