Donivon Johnston Varsity Tutor Essay by Donivon

Donivon Johnston Varsity Tutor Essay by Donivon - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

One academic topic that challenged me at first and ended up strengthening my critical thinking skills was college algebra. When I started taking dual credit classes at Dallas College, I thought I was ready for it. I had done well in math before, so I figured it would be just another class I could get through without stressing. But once the assignments started coming in, I realized I was in over my head. The problems were longer, the steps were more complicated, and I couldn’t just memorize formulas the way I used to.

At the beginning, I was honestly struggling. I would stare at the homework for way too long, trying to figure out where to even start. Sometimes I would get halfway through a problem and realize I had messed up the first step, which meant the whole thing was wrong. It was frustrating because I wasn’t used to feeling lost in math. I even started doubting myself a little, wondering if I was really ready for college-level work. There were days when I wanted to give up and just take the L, but I knew I couldn’t do that.

Over time, I started changing the way I approached the class. Instead of rushing, I slowed down and broke each problem into smaller parts. I asked more questions, watched videos, and practiced until the steps made sense. I stopped trying to guess my way through the work and started focusing on understanding why each step mattered. It wasn’t an overnight change, but little by little, I started improving. Problems that used to confuse me started feeling familiar, and I could explain my reasoning instead of just hoping I was right.

College algebra ended up strengthening my critical thinking because it forced me to think deeper and be more patient. I learned how to analyze a problem from different angles, how to check my work carefully, and how to stay calm even when something didn’t make sense at first. The class taught me that struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means you’re learning. What started as one of the hardest classes I’ve taken turned into a lesson about consistency, focus, and believing in myself. It made me a stronger student and showed me that I can handle challenges as long as I keep pushing.