Narrative Essay Sample: The Opportunities and Obstacles of Independence

Independent. A word I fit the definition of quite well. I have always been the one to bear weight upon my own shoulders or hold myself liable for all of life’s mayhem. Despite my supportive and open-minded family, I still managed to become and stay self-sufficient in more ways than one. 

My journey towards independence began at a young age since there was no one to hold me accountable aside from myself. Sure, my parents did their fair share of reminding me to do my homework or other responsibilities, but their main focus was on their son who you could probably find swinging from the freezer door or playing video games all night long. 

In the fourth grade is when I truly began to become self-reliant. I was determined to do well in school. The first unsatisfactory grade I ever received resulted in a handwritten letter to my teacher. It read something along the lines of, “Dear Mrs. Wiersema, I do not think I deserve this grade on this assignment. I believe you put in the wrong score. Thanks, Dakota”. And if you are wondering if the score was wrong, it most certainly was. 

I continue to email my teachers and peers to make the most out of my educational experience. Why pass up an opportunity to expand my knowledge or earn a better score on an assignment? I’m sure my emails could speak for themselves. 

Life has not always been this light-hearted, though. More times than not, I stressed over little things, like a minor three point grade, or not mastering a certain move in dance class. I assumed that the messily written number that was in the top right corner of my paper denoted my self-worth. I thought that the critiques I had received from any judge at my dance competition indicated that I was inferior to all others. Throughout every swipe on social media and every step I took through the hallways of  Berlin High, I saw competition rather than peers.  

It was never my teachers, parents, or coaches who had such high standards, but rather myself who thought I had to be above all others. I felt as though I had to be strict with how I handled my responsibilities because nobody else had been doing so. And that's not to say nobody cared for me, but not one person pushed me to reach a higher level of self-potential besides myself. To be fair, there was no need for anyone to even put pressure on me when I was already pushing myself to exceed my ‘perfect standards’. 

Thoughts of being too much or falling short of being enough were only pessimistic ideas that somehow managed to take over my self-perspective. And to be truly honest, I still occasionally struggle with setting excessive standards. It is not every day that I want to face the hard truth of reality, but I have to accept life and all its chaos. 

While I and many others would love for everything to be at our convenience, it simply is never going to be. I am not always going to be content with myself or my performance, but I have to strive for an uplifting and positive mindset. Having felt like I was the only person who pushed myself to excel has been frustrating at times, but rewarding knowing that I can handle stress and pressure on my own. Though there have been times when my independence led to perfectionism, my choices have ultimately led me to become the quick-witted person I am today.