What is a small habit or routine that has made a big difference in your academic or personal success? by Eyosyas

What is a small habit or routine that has made a big difference in your academic or personal success? by Eyosyas - February 2026 Scholarship Essay

As a kid, my parents, like all parents, forced me to sleep early and like all children, I would throw a tantrum. Beginning to approach my teens, this habit stayed with me until my freshman year of high school where video games became a big part of my life.

I was considered a straight “A” student throughout my childhood. New concepts came easily, studying felt natural, and tests were often more enjoyable than stressful. Focus and studying was never a problem. My parents credited all of this to studying habits and I believed it too.
What none of us didn’t realize is that sleep was the quiet foundation supporting everything else, and not until my high school year did i realize the importance of it.

After graduating from middle school, a gaming PC was gifted to me . Everything after that was history. For a few weeks, things were normal and the middle school routine continued, but as days went on, I slowly got hooked on games, to the point where secret midnight gaming sessions became a habit. Even though the studying routine continued, my sleep received a big hit. Energy was at an all time low and focus was even worse, so as a result, I started slacking on classes and tests became a nightmare. Most of all, harmful behavioral changes began to manifest.

I wanted to quit this harmful lifestyle, not only because of my parents finding out, but also for dismissing every other aspect of life, so we went back to square one. The sleeping schedule was back, and to make sure I don’t repeat this mistake, the PC was locked and secured in my father’s cabinet. It was hard getting used to it; there were some sleepless nights spent thinking about how to get the keys to the cabinet, but after a while I gave up. The foggy feeling in my head began to clear up and those behavioral shifts calmed down.

Looking back, the small habit that made the biggest difference in my life was simply protecting my sleep. Even though working hard is very important, without resting , it will lead to pointless observance of the task. Right now, I am not as smart as I used to be, but this habit has helped me stabilize myself and work even harder for my future.