WA 1

Walking the Stage

            When Helen Keller was born she had a disease that caused her to be deaf and blind. She described her “Most Important Day” to be when her teacher taught her sign language. Keller at first didn’t like the fact of having to learn something new. When she finally learned how to use sign language, she said that it “opened up a new world to her” (85, par.3). The most important day in my life is when I graduated high school because it was a sign that I had to grow up, it showed my hard work, and it was a start of a new chapter in my life. I would always dream about how good graduating would feel. After graduating I had an excitement that was similar to Helen Keller’s. As it opened up a whole new world for her; in a way, going to college is a whole new world for me.

In high school, you always have someone there to make sure you wake up on time, do all your work, and go to school. When you’re in college you have to do all this on your own, and this was a big moment because it made me realize that I had to grow up and start taking care of myself. Waking up graduation morning, my parents were very excited to see me finally graduate. I wasn’t all excited as my parents were because I was already thinking ahead about college. I was happy to finally be graduating but also sad because I knew it was going to be the last time I see most of my friends. In high school my parents would constantly be on me about my schoolwork. When you’re in college almost every grade counts; unlike high school. I have brothers in college that give me advise about college. They told me that I have to try my best on every assignment, and I now have the responsibility to take care of myself without anyone’s help. Helen Keller’s mom was the one who brought her to Miss Sullivan. She did this because she knew that it was beneficial to Helen. Helens mom knew that it would help her to grow up and be aware of what is around her.

I was keeping the tradition alive by being the third generation in my family to graduate from Central Catholic. Going through four years of a private high school like Central was not easy, but I knew once I received my diploma all my hard work will have paid off. When I was sitting in my seat waiting for my name to be called up I had a lot of time to think. During high school it was not easy and there were plenty of times where I wanted to quit just like Helen Keller did, saying, “I became impatient at her repeated attempts, and seizing the new doll, I dashed it on the floor” (86, par.6) especially when her teacher was trying to teach her new words. When I was waiting for my name to be called I thought back to all the times I became impatient with school. I always had moments were I just didn’t want to learn. Like most people I have a tendency to get frustrated when I get too much work thrown at me. Helen Keller didn’t like the fact that she was being taught something she couldn’t understand at first, but there was a purpose for learning sign language. She realized that even though she was blind she could make the most of it by loving nature and lifer. I realized my purpose to learn all the information I got in high school was to help me in the future. As a result, I was about to receive my high school diploma.

After receiving my diploma, I was as happy as could be Graduating was one of my biggest goals in life. But once it was finally over, realization started to settle in. I knew that I had to put all my high school problems away because I was going off to college. I was on my way to a new environment with new people, teachers, and harder work. College was an opportunity for me to have a fresh start in life.  In high school, I did not make the best grades; however during the summer, I had time to reflect and understand that now I’m in college.  I have to give one hundred percent to every assignment. College is a new opportunity to meet new friends, make better grades, and to have fun. Having overcome great struggle towards the end of the story Helen Keller was so appreciative of what she had learned she couldn’t wait to learn more. She was a new person with excitement for her future. She was ready to start a new chapter in her life and couldn’t wait to start. Like Keller, after graduating high school I was also excited to start a new chapter in my life and I was looking forward to my future in college.

Keller went through problems as she was learning a new language. She described her best day as the day she learned sign language. She was so thankful for what Miss Sullivan had thought her and couldn’t wait to start learning more. Helen was so appreciative and excited about having learned sign language she expressed her feelings by saying, “It would have been difficult to find a happier child than I was as I lay in my crib at the close of that eventful day and lived over the joys it had brought me, and for the first time longed for a new day to come” (86,par.9). My most important day was when I graduated high school. Graduating high school was a day I will never forget. It made me realize how blessed I was to be able to go to such a good high school like Central Catholic. Graduating made me acknowledge that I had to grow up, it showed my hard work, and it was the start of a new chapter in my life. High school was one of the best experiences for me and I will never forget it. 

Work Cited

Keller, Helen. “The Most Important Day.” Models for Writers: Short Essays for Composition 11e.Eds. Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2012. 84-87. Print.