What’s up, my name is Michael Polgur. I’m a freshman at Baruch college, and I’m loving it.
I think my biggest fear is failure. Not failing a test or being rejected or something like that, not at all, I’m talking about self-failure. Like… I wouldn’t really care if my parents weren’t proud of me… but I would care if I didn’t do something that I expected that I could. Weird? Maybe. That’s me.
I like the fact that I never give up though. It’s pretty cool, especially when you consider the fact that there’s so many places where I could have given up. I’m not saying that i’m special or anything… just that… I’ve got a lot on my plate. Aside from school, and school-work, I’m on a team, and I’m practicing six days a week (intesively). It’s one extra addition, but it’s one heck of a commitment.
If I was a…. giver-upper… I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am today. I’m not saying that I’ve gotten above and beyond everyone around me, but what I am trying to say is that I started off behind everyone… we all share the same finish line (our goals in life being complete), but everyone else had a 100 yard headstart, on nice, smooth pavement. My first 100 yards were a rocky road with lots of terrain, steep uphills, and rocks that seemed stable to step on, but weren’t.
I had scoliosis, with a 29 degree curve in my spine, and doctors were telling me that I had to either wear a brace until I’m 18 (which I am currently STILL not), or get surgery (and that was out of the question). I was also a pretty bad kid in junior high, and I did a lot of stupid stuff that put my starting line even farther back. I caught up on the grades and the maturity, and I swam every day, for two hours a day to strengthen my spine, and currently (thank God if there is one), I have a 0 degree bend in my back, and I am in tip-top shape.
I guess that my curse was my blessing. Those setbacks had set a pace of self-bettering that is higher than everyone else’s. Primarily, it was so that someday, I could catch up. I feel like now that I have caught up, my pace hasn’t slowed down, not at all. The finish line is still far ahead, but I’m not tired, and my pace is hardcore.
I’ll get to wherever I want, because I know that nothing is impossible. Nothing.
-Mike.
