What integrity means to me:
C. S. Lewis said that integrity is “doing the right thing even if no one is watching”. I have heard this quote my entire life and have always kept it close to my heart. My integrity is one of my most valued qualities, as I believe that it is a trait which I solely based on effort. It doesn’t require any special skills or qualities to maintain integrity. I have learned throughout my experiences that integrity is a good value of character. Many teachers and mentors in my life have impressed upon me and my peers of the value of integrity. Almost everyone understands how important it is, yet the ones who are truly willing to act on this belief are few and far between. I believe that integrity has the greatest potential to affect our world in a positive way. The launching of a rocket serves as an illustration of the impact of integrity on my life, and highlights the different aspects of this impact.
Structure:
The process of launching a rocket into space is no easy feat. It can be full of complications and uncertainties, which often lead to failure. Yet, the engineers and scientists always learn from their mistakes and eventually reach success. It requires a myriad of different developmental stages, from design to construction. The rocket itself is basically a bunch of different parts and pieces that have all been assembled in a variety of ways to finally launch into space. Throughout the process, the rocket is shaped and formed into its optimal form and the journey that occurs from design to launch represents my journey through life. Like the engineers encountering problems, I am constantly trying to improve myself and learn from the mistakes I have made. In every aspect of my life, I have added some element to myself in order to prepare for the future. Throughout my life, I strive for my metaphorical rocket launch, trying to achieve great things.
Style:
The style of the rocket is one of the finishing touches that the designers add. While the functionality and success of the mission is more important than the design, it serves to accentuate the final product, creating something to be proud of. The sleek design and logos which adorn the outside serve to make the process of building the rocket worthwhile. Seeing all of the pieces coming together instills a feeling of pride for the accomplishment of creating this rocket. In my life, the people who help me to enjoy the process are my friends. They give me the opportunity to have fun and create unique experiences with them. In addition, they leave lasting impacts, changing my own final project. Just as the logos remain attached to the rocket, my friends have given me lasting memories that I will cherish forever. Their impact on me is not only on my experiences but also on my personality. My friends have helped me to be more outgoing and encouraged me to be more self-confident. While these impacts may have been unintentional, I am so grateful for all of the people who have made my life more unique and interesting.
Cohesion:
As the rocket launches, it requires a dedicated team to monitor and control the entire process to ensure success. The team working at mission control keeps the rocket launch on track and balances all of the different complex elements into a successful mission. Their job is not only to prevent potential problems but also to react to the situation and recover. In my life, the people who always seem to fix my problems are my parents. They help me to manage all of the different parts of my life, from school to basketball to Boy Scouts. By serving leadership positions in my activities, they have become more involved in my life and have given me guidance throughout. I can always count on them for support and advice when I make a mistake. My parents have continued to prepare me for my life ahead, just like mission control prepares the rocket for launch. The advice that they have given me has made me confident in my ability to be on my own next year. My only hesitation about the college experience is being separated from them but I know that their guidance will help me to succeed.
Strength:
Once the rocket launches, it travels through space, protected from the exterior by its outer hull. Any force that comes in contact with the rocket is negated by the strong material and has no effect on the rocket’s construction. In my life, I am constantly trying to find different ways of preventing life’s stressors. One of my favorite ways is by travelling. My family has been lucky enough to travel all over the world and it has helped me to relax and experience new things. As the rocket travels through space, it encounters many new things but the outer hull remains strong throughout the journey. For me, the new experiences form my outer hull and give me memories and mentalities to protect me from the stresses of life. Basketball is another way in which I relieve my stress, through exercising and playing the game. Both of these activities allow me to divert my attention to something else and immerse myself in a different setting. The protection from stress that I feel when playing basketball or exploring a foreign country is something that I love about life and I hope to continue into the future.
Durability:
As the rocket descends back to Earth, the heat shield is what protects the rocket from burning up in our atmosphere. Once attached, it serves as a protective coating that lasts through even the most difficult challenge. The things that I have learned from Boy Scouts have helped me to make sure that my plan doesn’t burn up in the face of the first obstacle. As a Boy Scout, I have learned to stay determined and persevere towards my goal of becoming an Eagle Scout. When I finally reached that goal, I was overjoyed and I still cherish the values that have helped me to become who I am today. Much like the heat shield keeps the rocket moving and prevents it from exploding, Scouting has helped me to carry out my goals and to follow my dreams. The influence that the Boy Scout values have had on me since I was 5 years old have truly shaped the young man that I have become. I know that I can trust the lessons that have been instilled in me to help me to face any obstacle that may lie in my path.
Direction:
The rocket keeps moving in the direction of travel thanks to the powerful boosters that emit a constant force to push the rocket. These boosters use a large amount of energy and fuel to create their propulsion and to generate enough lift to exit the atmosphere. The thing that keeps me moving and motivated is my desire to learn. I have always been interested in finding out more information, whether that is through reading books or searching the internet. My desire to learn has inspired me to take the most rigorous classes possible and has helped me to enjoy even the most difficult course. Like the rocket boosters, it requires a lot of effort to fuel this desire. I often find myself waking up at night to discover the solution to a problem that I had been trying to solve as I tried to fall asleep. The strenuous course load has also impacted my life, forcing me to spend my time wisely and use every moment. However, the fuel is worth the happiness that I feel when I feed my hunger for knowledge. I know that despite the struggles I face my desire for knowledge will continue to motivate me and help my dreams become realities.
