Mr. Kumar's MAT 151 College Algebra course completely broke and rebuilt me. Before enrolling in this class, I was a lazy student whose good grades relied solely on natural talent. The ease of on-level classes padded my GPA and allowed me to have a great record without valuing what it meant. When I first heard about Mr. Kumar's class, I assumed it would be another slightly difficult obstacle that I would overcome. This misconception was completely shut down on the first day however, as I found myself completely lost in the questions my teacher handed to me and even more estranged from my classmates who understood them. My "natural genius" was reduced to nothing but a formality and the bad habit of working without effort only led to my grade dropping. The first months in this class can be easily summarized with the image of me sitting in a classroom confused, keeping quiet, taking down notes of things I didn't understand, and gazing at the clock anxiously waiting for the class to be over. The intensity of Mr. Kumar's class gave me a mirror for my condition: I was lazy, my work ethic was nonexistent, and I had no foundation to be successful at my current pace, not only in this classroom but in any kind of avenue that I'll come to take in life. When November came, I reached my absolute worst academically and mentally. The personal issues I've always dealt with reached their peak and ripped away from me the drive to not only work, but live as a whole. I let every aspect of my life slip in this state of emptiness, which led me to score 42% on one of the most important tests in the class. My grade was now a 60%, which would have terrible consequences on my GPA once the semester was finalized. Through a seedling of responsibility, I managed to end the first semester with a C, but contemplated dropping the course. The prospect of leaving Kumar's class was a viable, but disgusting one. Although it entered my mind enough to be entertained, it always left my train of thought with an unsatisfactory aftertaste. Would I leave the class and take the easy route like I have all my life, or completely dedicate myself to overcoming the curse I've placed against me? Ultimately, I decided that I would take the second semester, and with that decision came a promise to myself that there was no such thing as hoping anymore, only a goal to accomplish: a B or higher. The new mindset I adopted proclaimed that nothing was impossible because every question had an answer. If I dedicated my all to learning the process behind each question, I would be able to answer every single one of them. I studied intensely with no time limit until it was engraved into my life, and so were my new habits. The amount of hard work I put in the class changed my way of life and can be shown by the accomplishment that I am proud to share: I proceeded to pass every test, ace the final, and finish the course with a B. As I write this, I am enrolled in MAT 187 Pre-Calc and currently hold an A. The turbulent times that once plagued me turned into the biggest blessings I've received. My GPA is now a 3.9 unweighted, I was accepted to the Franke Honors College of the University of Arizona, and am now in the top 5% of my class. Sincerely, I owe it all to the obstacles I faced.