Rieko Luo, 2/4/2021, PD8, Day C

Rieko Luo
Period 8
2/4/2021
Day C
Modern Mythology

Goal Setting & Growth
At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why?

This week marks the first week of February. By now, many seniors, including myself, are nearing the finalization of our college process. All that is left is sending out our Mid-Year School Reports and updated Transcripts to our colleges. However, after having the first breath of relief and finally relaxing during Regents Break, I have lost a great deal of motivation to continue doing my school work and completing scholarship applications. Perhaps the infamous “Senioritis” is finally kicking in. From numerous warnings from my teachers, friends, and older siblings, I realize that I may be walking into the endless dark pit. Therefore, before I fall into the grasp of “Senioritis,” I want to step back and take some time to reevaluate my possible future actions. One of my specific goals at this time is to set aside an hour every day for myself to do anything that makes me happy. For the rest of the day then, I need to recenter myself and focus on the important tasks at hand, such as school homework, classwork, and college scholarships.


How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I have had many disruptions and distractions spanning the past few weeks. My older sister gave birth in the middle of the night, and I suddenly became an aunt over FaceTime. My neighborhood had an internet outage for a whole day, and I missed an AP Chemistry exam I had to take that night. New York City faced one of the severest snow storms we have seen in years, and I spent all afternoon clearing the two feet of snow in my driveway. Despite these obstacles, I have not been discouraged from upholding my responsibilities as a student. I reached out to teachers about my situation, and thankfully, most of them are generous and understanding. With extension grants, I stayed up at night and immediately made up my exam and late homework assignments. These sleepless nights, unfortunately, had an adverse effect on my productivity the next day in school. I was tired, anxious, and even a little cranky. To offset this, I tried spending increments of an hour doing something that I enjoyed, something that would make me happy, and most importantly, something that would help alleviate the stress consuming me. From taking 20-minute power naps to jamming to Korean hip-hop music with my siblings, that hour dedicated to myself proved to be an outlet that I greatly needed and something I certainly plan on continuing to practice.


How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

I realize that my obstacles I may be facing are not as significant as what the world may be suffering through. For instance, my older sister gave birth alone due to hospital COVID-19 social distancing restrictions on the number of occupants and visitors in the building. Without her husband, parents, or any support system, I cannot imagine the anxiety and fear my sister was going through as she became a mother by herself in a room full of strangers. Just like my sister, many women are facing similar situations as her around the world. However, despite the foreign nature of the situation, my sister was still happy and celebrated with us through FaceTime. She adapted to the situation quite quickly and still managed to put on a smile for us through the camera. She was alone yet surrounded by her loved ones at the same time. This event and COVID-19, in general, have caused me to view my future and goals differently. Sitting by myself in front of my computer at home, it feels like I am charging head-on at my obstacles alone, but I know that I am not the only high school senior struggling to stay afloat at this time. With this knowledge comes reassurance and hidden support that will continue to motivate me to persevere and push on towards my future.