Taekwondo Elite has helped me so much throughout the years. In fact, it has played such a huge role in my life, that I decided to write my college essay based off of my experience as a Taekwondo Elite student. I guess you can say that my college essay is really my review of Taekwondo Elite.
College Essay (Ami Patel, North Brunswick Location)
I'm not going to lie. When I first put on the white uniform and white belt of a Taekwondo student, my first thought was, "Revenge".
I was a vengeful 11-year-old who had been the butt of jokes and the subject of gossip, and it seemed like for once, I had the upper hand. I thought, once I became a black belt, I could wreak .havoc on those who have crossed my path. Little did I know, I wouldn't reach my black belt without learning there was more to martial arts than fighting.
In fact, the day I received my first black belt in Taekwondo, was the day I transitioned from an immature juvenile to the adult I am today.
However, my transition didn't happen all at once, but rather, in little pieces. Every day brought new challenges. By the end of my black belt training, I didn't just learn how to take down a man two times my size using only my hands, or how to kick a bag. I didn't only learn how to fight with another person in the ring. I learned how to fight myself.
"Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, Indomitable Spirit."
However, my transition didn't happen all at once, but rather, in little pieces. Every day brought new challenges. By the end of my black belt training, I didn't just learn how to take down a man two times my size using only my hands, or how to kick a bag. I didn't only learn how to fight with another person in the ring. I learned how to fight myself. Instead of planning the perfect revenge against classmates I didn't like, I pushed myself to the limit in school, making myself smarter. Instead of using violence against my former tormentors, I applied self-control and transcended above my own impulses, making something of my own life rather than destroying the lives of others. I replaced my self-pity with courtesy and integrity by being more humane, respectful, and honest towards my peers and friends. I learned to fight with myself and for myself, relying on only myself and no one else to take control of my life.
It was in Taekwondo that I learned that the power of improvement is more potent than the power of destruction.
This accumulation of knowledge was most noticeable on the day I got my first black belt. Standing in front of the spectating crowd of relatives, I stood, wearing my new black belt uniform. My red belt laid neatly folded next to me, and tied around my waist was my new black belt, reading the words, "AMI PATEL" on its side. It was at this moment that I realized how much I changed in those four years.
Today, two years of additional training after my first-degree black belt, I've attained a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo. I have been volunteering as an Assistant Instructor for the past two years, teaching students as young as 4 years old. However, I don't simply teach forms and kicks. I teach these students to improve themselves, control own impulses, and value themselves and others.
It is during these days that I look around the dojo, and reflect on the day I received my black belt. In this dojo, I grew up.
With these tenets instilled in me, I'm ready to handle the challenges that are waiting for me at college. I will be courteous to others and maintain my integrity in both learning and testing. If I come across a low grade or difficult concepts, I will persevere to learn from my mistakes and do better. Impulses will no longer dictate my actions, for I have self control. And when none of these tenets can help me through a situation, my spirit will remain indomitable, refusing to yield to the worst of problems. read more
