College is a place where young adults learn to grow, become self-reliant, become responsible and mature, and get to know what they want to do in their future career path. As students transition from a familiar environment to an uncharted territory of university life, they encounter social dilemmas, peer pressures, and the quest for self-identity. Perseverance becomes important, empowering students to navigate through these social challenges with resilience, fostering meaningful connections, and overcoming the hurdles of interpersonal relationships. Moreover, the uncertainty of job security casts a shadow over their college experience. The competitive job market demands perseverance in the pursuit of internships, networking opportunities, and the continual enhancement of skills. As college students grapple with the uncertainties of their post-graduate futures, the ability to persevere becomes a linchpin for not only securing employment but also for thriving in an ever-evolving professional landscape. This essay dives deeper into the critical question of to what extent college students must cultivate perseverance to not only excel academically but also a sense of self identity in their career. 

In my journey into adulthood, I’ve learned firsthand the significance of perseverance that it can bring, especially when approached by the academic success of others and the development of self-identity. Reason for this being that we know that there are always people that are more gifted and talented than us and no matter how hard we try they will always come out on top which in the long term, can cause a false image of ourselves. With this kind of mindset people often get depressed and a sense of self doubt which can cause long term bad health and mentality. Everytime I have gotten my exam grade back I tend to go to my friends and ask them what they got on the exam; the results were shocking as their grades are so much higher than mine. Looking at their grades, I was in a state of darkness where I felt that no matter how hard I try to work hard and study, I will never surpass them. 

There was a moment where I believe I worked my butt off just to get an 82 on my accounting exam and asked him hey Steve what you get on the exam. He said 92, the moment he said that number so calmly was in shock to me, we both studied for the same amount of time effectively and efficiently and I didn’t know what went wrong. I felt so disappointed in myself for the reason being that I was confident in my ability to get a high exam and it only came down in shambles. Right at that moment I felt more needed to be done because I couldn’t just let them beat me like this and went to study right after I went home as I wanted to assure I am up to par with my friend. As Nemko Marty suggests “Don’t innovate, Replicate.” Hearing her words allowed me to realize that knowing the material of a subject is important for your understanding but if you refine what the professor is trying to talk about to you, you can decrease the time spent in figuring out what went wrong but rather find ways to improve one’s self.

In addition, as young adults go through college, students encounter social dilemmas differently whether it’s peer pressure or even the culture of acceptance that they have to persevere through in order to succeed. As students transition to young adulthood, these challenges become a significant factor of their personal growth and well being. During college, I was one of the students who wanted to fit in a small community such as a small Asian friend group where I can experience a supportive friendship. Ever since I was a highschool teenager getting ready to become a college student my dream goal was to be able to get accepted in a group for who I am rather than being a pawn in someone’s chess game.

Embarking on this journey in college I soon realized the importance of staying true to self among the social aspect. The small friend group as well as the college experience presented me with opportunities through varied viewpoints and form genuine based on mutual connections and respect. It wasn’t an easy task as there were instances where I felt the drawback of conformity, and the pressure to reach social norms and expectations of the group. However, my commitment to staying to my true self remains unchanged which required strong determination of perseverance to push through the social expectation of the group.

During these challenges in college, I learned that perseverance was not just a trait that I possess but rather a muscle that needs constant training. The journey to finding true bonds required lots of moments of self-doubt, resisting to attract conformity, and the pursuit of finding meaningful friendship. As time passed by there were many times of setbacks and rejections that tested my resolve, but at the same time these were also opportunities to strengthen my commitment to truthfulness and perseverance. 

As Sudhir Gupta stated “If an athlete wants to become the best version of themselves, they must continue to work hard, even if they fail or get injured in a competition.” Hearing his wisdom allowed me to recuperate my mental state and developed this mindset where I turn the negative aspect of things into an opportunity to learn. Ever since then I’ve been having a better mindset in learning as well as being positive everyday with no negativity. Before I would always wake feeling sorrow and depressed asking myself will my friends ever care about me after we graduate and how will they be supportive. Now I constantly have conversations with them about related interests that both sides of the party have, such as their well being and future goals they may have planned.
As I undergo my undergraduate level in accountancy, I notice the uncertainty of landing a long term job arises. As the job market becomes more competitive, the unemployment rate has increased from 3.5% of last year to a whopping 3.9% today. Looking at the unemployment rate influenced me alot because of the rising competition in the industry and other factors that will impact in landing the job.

Recently I was watching a reality show called 令人心动的offer in translation An Exciting Offer. This reality show demonstrates the interns’ ability to adapt and grow as an intern fresh out of grad school having a taste of what it’s like being a lawyer in the real world. Although each individual is unique in their own, the spots for the full time offer were competitive to a point where 3 out of the 9 interns will receive the offer. Watching the fresh graduates fight/ persevere for a spot in a high end firm allowed me to come to my senses even though people are more or equally talented as you; in the long run it’s how much you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and elevate yourself into achieving that goal. 

As I worked through my career, I learned that the only way to get through being insecure about your job assurance is to let it go. If you work hard and are passionate about your work you shouldn’t have a sense of insecurity for your job safety unless the company wants to cut down on employment, which you should have a relaxed mental state. Being laid off can be a frightening thing but rather a room of self reflection and improvement. Students and young adults shouldn’t be frightened about getting a job or not. It should be about the steps being taken to reach that dream job. According to Angels Duckworths describes “the passion aspect of grit as being like a compass: while you may take daily actions that change regularly, your passion and perseverance is the thing that ultimately guides your behavior in the long-term.” This demonstrates how Duckworths encourages young adults to commit to something that they are passionate about and continue to persevere through the challenges to get the results they are looking for. 

As I pressed on with my journey of being a future Certified Public Accountant, I devoted countless hours to interviews in order to develop a sense of confidence in me to confidently communicate with the recruiters. As each interview session was a challenge I thought of it as an opportunity to demonstrate a path of refinement and improvement of one’s mind. Interviews are always terrifying and there’s no doubt about it, it’s what we do to make it as an asset rather than a liability. As Emily Madill states “Our spirit can feel broken through the challenges that seem unfair and bigger than life. A way to bring our spirit home to a place of wholeness, is to be curious about the different ways and options of moving through life.” Madill explains that life is full of challenges and can impact your health immensely, she encourages that rather than feeling so stressed about having a mindset of curiosity. By having a curious mindset, one finds alternative ways to reach their destinations. 

In conclusion, the college journey serves as a transformative period where young adults not only face a series of academic challenges but also undergo a series of self identity. As young adults like us, perseverance isn’t just accomplishing goals and achieving academic excellence but it also shapes our character and personality. As the wise Helen Keller once said “ A bend in the road is not the end of the road… unless you fail to make a turn.”