Dreams and Decisions by Chantelle Christine Battista - January 02, 2007 In less than 500 words, write an essay on obstacles or challenges you have overcome in your personal and/or academic life. The first day of dance tryouts had a lasting, profound impact on me. I walked in alone, my brand-new leather shoes held tight in my trembling hand. The unyielding bodies of the veteran dancers with their well-worn shoes rlecting their years of experience surrounded me, seeming like flexible "barbies." I immediately shrank to the corner and tied my shoes in silence. The competition amongst these extraordinary dancers was about to begin. I can still hear the blood pulsating in my ears. I can still feel the sweat that beaded on my neck and the throbbing in my legs as I rose off the floor. I remember my heart thrashing in my chest; collapsing seemed a distinct possibility. I was unsure of myself, unsure of my friends, and, for that matter, unsure of my coordination. Arriving at the gym for the commencement of tryouts for my high school&apos&aposs state champion pom squad was one of the greatest challenges I had ever faced. I lt that day in tears. I could not accomplish the moves that were demanded of a 165-pound 14-year-old. Flexibility was something that my body just did not bow to, and my arms felt awkward when I was turning, but I finished the two-week-long tryouts known as "number thirty-six" nevertheless. Picking up my envelope that Friday, I felt its feather-light weight and instantly knew the outcome. I held back tears as other girls congratulated each other, blind to my presence among them. "Find another sport you like" was the only sentence in that letter that I found usul. I was in agreement - but only temporarily. Giving up was not my nature. I enrolled in dance 23 hours a week. Every move a teacher made, I asked for clarification, and practiced relentlessly. I was determined to exercise until it became a part of me. My self-discipline developed in tandem with my passion. The front line became my home and the dance floor my life. I slipped, fell, and pulled muscles, but never once did I quit or fail to improve. 600 hours, 400 practices, and two tryouts later, I became an official member of my school&apos&aposs national dance team. I learned what it felt like to start with a blank slate. A year later, I was the strongest member of the team, lean and toned, and, according to my coach, "the most rockin." My legs leapt at every beat, and my arms guided me through every practiced turn. I have since moved on, and against overwhelming odds accomplished a similar feat. On August 17 of this year, I was the first one of only six runners to be chosen for a coveted slot on the Varsity Cross Country team. The persistence, self-discipline, and immense work ethic I have now acquired is with me everywhere I go. I learned that is not about being afraid to try or to fail; it is about the strides I am willing to take in order to succeed.

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