Peace by Sydney

Peace by Sydney - September 2026 Scholarship Essay

The study strategy that has had the biggest impact on my academic success may not be a typical response. The best study strategy that I have ever used was getting out of my abusive house.

When I was 16 I left my abusive house. My grades went up faster than I ever could have imagined. The difference it makes for a person to have a quiet, peaceful, and calm environment for studying is greater than any study method I have ever tried.

When I was in my abusive household I would write my notes over and over again failing to remember what I wrote 2 sentences ago. I couldn't hear my own thoughts over the sounds of screaming and stuff flying. I often would be trying to study and the abuse would come into my room destroying any chance I had of learning.

After I left that house, I could hear my own thoughts, I could remember what I was writing, and I could focus. Focus is a word I never knew I was missing until I had it for the first time. My grades went up, my mind cleared, and my voice could be heard. I did not have to worry about trying to type an essay while my belongings were flying at my head faster than I could type.

I think it is easy to say the best study method is writing notes, focusing on what you are doing, and reading the material. It is just a little bit harder to say how something as simple as silence and peace can alter the way you retain the information.