My prep year has been better than I would expect it to be and I like to think that I have had many minor accomplishments in my classes , with my projects and exams etc. But the thing I consider as the most successful achievement I’ve made is very recent since it did not happen until last weekend.

At the beginning of the year, thanks to my very persuasive friend Bahar and her effective descriptions of what we would be doing in there, I joined the World Scholar’s Cup at my school. At first, I wasn’t very sure about what were we going to do and if I was qualified enough or how much studying this required. So when I realized that the regional round we had to join if we wanted a chance to go to global round was a week or two away, I completely freaked out.

I didn’t at all think I had any chance next to all these schools whose students studied harder and were more experienced than me in every level. On Saturday morning, the first day of the round, I faced the very much possible risk of having a heart attack because of excitement. My hands were all sweaty and I couldn’t stand still for even a minute, I was either slowly jumping or power-walking around the room.

We were five people there from the club, we were two teams and the other four were not really in a better condition than me. They too were quite excited and waiting was unbearable. Waiting was unbearable but at the same time I didn’t wish it to be over because I didn’t at all think I had any chance of winning anything and was not ready to face any challenges. But once I started with the challenges, it was over in the blink of an eye.

We were suddenly finished with all the challenges, all the debates, tests and essays, and now we were waiting for the award ceremony which was again unbearable. My parents who wanted to come watch the ceremony was not very helping either, I knew they would be quite upset and disappointed if I didn’t win anything and our team didn’t manage to make it to the global round although they would try to hide it. Therefore I didn’t want them to come. But apparently, I’m not as convincing as Bahar and my parents showed up, all smiling and waving which made me even more nervous. When the ceremony started, I was about to pass out.

From what I’ve told you up until now, I think you can imagine how shocked I was when after two agonizing hours we were going home with over thirty medals and four trophies as a team. It was probably one of the most successful two days of my life. And I think the reason I am so pleased with this accomplishment is because I didn’t expect it at all. I remember torturing Bahar with all my whining, telling her cliche self-pity sentences like “I will get no medals.” or “I am the worst, why did I even come here?”

But in the end, I am really glad I went there. It was really fun, also really exciting and something new for me. And I hope we can do even better in the summer. I can’t wait to torture Bahar in the global rounds.