Benjamin Mao

Failing and what I learned from it

1. Tell us about a time when your expectations and outcomes differed. How did you grow
from this experience?
Not everything in life always goes as planned, but each unexpected situation lends
itself to a didactic experience. I found this out first-hand when I elected to take Honors
Geometry in middle school.

Mr. Jackson, the Geometry instructor, gave us a lecture on the first day of class
that stated his belief that although geometry could be enjoyable, it was also challenging.
Having already taken several advanced and accelerated mathematics courses, I felt
imbued with a certain degree of invincibility. After all, this attitude was what enabled me
to breeze through Algebra the previous year. Geometry was going to be no different - or
so I thought.

The first month was fairly manageable and I foolishly believed that the rest would
come just as easily. One day, near the end of the first unit, we took our first quiz. I
finished in record time, and was shocked to see that everybody else was still working.
Undeterred, I remained so confident in my performance that I turned the quiz in without
even bothering to check my work.

Before I even got to his desk, Mr. Jackson warned, You have more than 20
minutes left. Go back and check your work.

This is the best I can do, I said.
Benjamin Mao

Ok. Ill take it if youre so sure of yourself, he said as he took my paper.

While I later discovered that I had made an error by rushing, I was nevertheless
ecstatic about having achieved 38 out of 40 with such minimal effort.

That period of jubilance quickly passed as we moved on to the next unit and I
struggled to make sense of it all. The geometry that was so tangible just a week before
suddenly vanished, replaced by abstruse concepts. I was no longer the first person to
finish. In fact, sometimes I worked past the bell just to formulate an answer. Mr. Jackson
noticed my struggles and tried to intervene. However, I still arrogantly believed that I
could salvage the situation on my own. Weeks turned into months and then the end of the
first semester came. Still, I thought I could make a comeback. Unfortunately, I never
succeeded in doing so.

My experience with the rigors of geometry proved to be humbling in many ways.
First, I recognized the importance of taking the time to understand the problems given to
me. I had made the grievous error of feeling overly confident of my abilities and
assuming that no problem was too tricky for me. As a result, I received a lower score than
I expected. Second, I learned to heed the advice of my parents and teachers, for they
recognized my vulnerability long before I did. I was determined to remain self-reliant for
as long as possible and by the time I realized I couldnt do it alone, it was too late. Most
importantly, I learned to humble myself and ask for help, recognizing that school is an
Benjamin Mao
institution where no one is expected to have a full understanding of the world. In
convincing myself to have mastered geometry, I missed the opportunity to obtain greater
mathematical insight.

I took the lessons I learned in 8
th
grade with me into high school, where they have
allowed me to pursue new opportunities. During my junior year, calculus almost turned
into a repeat of my Geometry experience. However, I recognized the danger in advance-
albeit grudgingly- and with the help of my teacher and parents, was still able to have a
successful year. Ive realized that every subject has some degree of meaning to it, and
concepts that appear simple may actually be more complex than originally meets the eye.
My experience has taught me to apply this concept not only to academics, but to life as
well openmindedness and humility are crucial for experiencing all the world has to
offer.