|
No Complaints
"Sophomore Seth Langer highlights the importance of working hard and how this simple value can be used to end wars and halt global warming."
By Seth Langer
Listen
to this Commentary!
Being a teenager, I know a little bit about angst. I’m absorbed in the dramatics of high school and dating and confusing friendships and all that crap, but I’m trying to stay optimistic. I only have a handful of years left as a teenager, and afterwards, I won’t have to deal with the petty, unimportant things teenagers make such a big deal about. And yes, when I get older, I’ll inherit different problems and different crap, but I’ll get there when I get there. And thinking about it, I feel the world is in the same stage I am. We hear everyday on the news about war and global warming and all these issues that everyone is constantly debating about and arguing over, and honestly, the adults running the world sound no different than the whiny teenagers begging for attention.
Sometimes I feel that people are so busy complaining about the problems of the world that they forget that problems can be solved. I mean, I’m not a perfect example because I’m complaining about complainers now, but at least I’m getting my opinion out there in the hope that people will stop complaining and start doing. And it’s not that people are too lazy, they just don’t know how to help and that discourages them. I know that’s how it is with me.
I’ll be a junior next year. And all I keep hearing from my friends and teachers is that your junior year is the most difficult year of school you’ll have. And that might be true. But it doesn’t matter. What’s the point of worrying my pretty little head off about how sucky my junior year will be? It’s only 180 days.
I know my junior year will be difficult, and this summer I’m doing my school work to prepare myself for it. I’m going to put in the effort, and as long as I do that, I’m going to succeed. I’ll get good grades. This has been my technique since elementary school. The work gets harder every year, but I put in the effort and I’ve managed to get by.
I guess just saying “work hard” to stop war and global warming is silly. But what I mean by “work hard” is if we stop complaining about how hard solving global warming is, and just put in all the effort we can to do it. I’m not going to pass the SAT by talking about it. I have to study. I don’t want to, but I know that it’s completely worth it. So I stay optimistic that this challenge will be resolved and that I will find something new to complain about.
|
|
