Perseverance in the Face of Adversity: Overcoming Challenges

Almost everyone has had unpleasant experiences in their lives that may range from loss of property to loss of people among several examples. Several Universities use the adversity score of one to one hundred to analyze the adversity of students during the consideration of admission. Every college students wants to have a memorable experience. Most students that live high school think that college has new social encounters and a place of fun. However, they should realize there are many problems that are faced by these students that require certain aspects to be implemented as solutions to these problems. These problems can be referred to as areas of adversity. This essay aims to analyze how individuals, such as students, should persevere in adversity. Five primary and secondary have been selected to enhance the comprehension of the topic sentence. These five sources include; 'Boxers & Saints, Jane Eyre, before the law, Pride and Prejudice, and The Great Gatsby.' The key findings on adversity in students are that with the right coping mechanisms, among other strategies, students can preserve in adversity. The research question that will be asked is, how can students overcome adversity? The answer is by becoming aware of the adverse situation and accepting that it is inevitable in life. Students can also draw inspiration from others who have successfully dealt with adversity as a point of learning. They can also establish the right mindset to implement in terms of their thoughts. Three arguments will be examined in detail in relation to perseverance in adversity among students. These questions are: why students should have their pursuit, why they should live out their personality, and why they can't give in to fate; instead, they should make efforts to change fate. Counter-arguments will also be provided with evidence to support the research.

Support and counter-arguments

Argument 1

Support: In life, several individuals face experiences that turn out to be trials that create difficult or unpleasant situations. This situation is referred to as an adverse situation. It is characterized by the occurrence of misfortunes, distress, as well as a calamity. The first argument that is related to the perseverance in adversity is that students should have their pursuits. Pursuits can be described as the activities that individuals perform that bring them joy and happiness. These include hobbies such s hiking, fishing, running, or reading and vocations, to mention a few. The guarantee of happiness is directly associated with the mitigation of adversity. No individual can be happy with an unpleasant or difficult situation this is why there are several individuals that go through extra lengths to try and achieve happiness in a world filled with gloom and adversity. Jane Eyre is an excellent example of how individuals pursue what makes them happy despite the presence of adversity in the environment. During her childhood, she faced numerous instances of adversity moistly from her aunt. She was always picked on by her aunt who called her a liar and warned her children not to engage with her. However, even though there were such un-pleasantries, she managed to find happiness playing with her doll and reading books (Brontë). Before the Law examines how not pursuing what one loves can live one in misery and adversity. The inability to fulfill his desires left the man feeling depressed as he tried to persuade the doorman to let him in with hopes that died with his death (Baruch). When a student faces adversity, they face a difficult and unpleasant situation in their lives. Most students will not know how to pull throughout adversity because of the uncomfortable situations that many have faced in their lives efficiently dissipate within days or weeks (Reilly). There are unpleasant situations that University students face that create platforms where their friends reconsider continuing their friendship because of the lack of knowledge on how to help those in adversity, among other reasons. Some of the areas where students face adversity include; the financial aspect of education, social scenes, lack of self-esteem, college adjustment, and lack of consistency in their education (Gates). All of these are bound to cause severe stress to individuals depending on their mental health. That is why the above paragraph has answered the research question on how students can overcome adversity. If they apply the strategies that have been jotted down, they would be able to persevere through adversity, which will make them stronger and fearless in case the unpleasant situation occurs again (Cardone). If they cannot, then they risk developing mental ailments such as anxiety which can eventually be causing agent of depression, a disorder that is affecting several University students, especially in the United States.

Counter argument: Having clear objectives and a clear understanding of the goals a student wants to pursue is not always crucial in the perseverance or mitigation of adversity (Reilly). Hobbies and fantasies fall under this category. It is never wise to follow all of the fantasies that one has because, in fantasies, there are no negative repercussions, but in reality, there are plenty. Mellissa Kirk, who is a psychologist, explains how following your dreams is not the best policy because one cannot be expected to drop everything they have worked words to follow their dreams. In a student's life, following dreams might be hard. The following hobbies are much simpler (Kirk). It is clear that in such cases, following one's pursuit is not the best choice in trying to preserve or overcome adversity. However, in general terms, following activities that are not deemed as 'work' gives the adverse student a sense of calm and peace, especially if they enjoy this activity. This is where the link between perseverance in adversity and pursuits by these individuals connect.

Argument 2

Support: The second argument is that students should live out their personalities. If a student is outgoing, they should relay this personality to society. If a student is an introvert, they should embrace who they are because engaging in different personalities tends to create an imbalance of the mind which lays the groundwork for mental disorders, especially in times of adversity. Playing out one's character was evident in the book Jane Eyre. At the age of ten, she had learned how to defend herself from the abuse of her aunt. She spoke her mind, which made her feel free (Brontë). Personality revelations have also been viewed in the book boxers and saints, where a rebellion group was formed to get rid of the western influence in China. The group responsible for this rebellion is the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fist (Jaffe). Although overcoming adversity is a prime strategy to have peace of mind after the occurrence of an unpleasant event, studies have shown that students find it hard to use the necessary steps to overcome adversity. Many fall into the pit of the past, which puts them in a tap of self-wallowing in feelings of guilt, regret, despair, and other emotions (Cardone). Living in the past distorts the present and compromises the future. It is hard to accept the occurrence of unpleasant events, but it is vital to take the necessary steps to heal to achieve a balanced mindset. A2Z college planning analyzes how the common problems that students face might lead to a detriment in student life. It examines how these problems are evident in several students, ensuring them that there are solutions that can be utilized (A2Z College Planning). To overcome these common problems, students need to follow their pursuits as it may bring them happiness; they should also live out their personalities. Adversity tends to change the personality behaviors of many students. It is vital to living out one's personality to ensure a balanced mindset. Giving into fate is one way of saying that the student is too lazy to make a change to the state in life that they desire (Reilly). However, this is only one perspective of the word in relation to not making changes in one’s fate (Carver, Johhnson and McCullough). The above statement is related to perseverance in that those that persevere tend to achieve their desired results. Not changing one’s fate according to the desired results is one way in which adversity can be mitigate (Carver, Johnson and McCullough); however, this discussion is to be examined in the next subtopic not the current subtopic.

Counter argument: Some studies have shown that living out one's personality can have detrimental effects on overcoming and persevering adversity. In a student's life, persevering through adversity as an introvert can prove to be complicated. There is the need to communicate about troubles, and if students can do this, they risk the increase of adversity in terms of how the unpleasant event affects them mentally. In most cases, depression and anxiety are contracted by these students. Some studies have shown that adversity, especially in childhood, can create disorders in personalities (Carver, Johnson, and McCullough). The results of this study were that there was a direct association between the higher levels of childhood adversity that were reported and the inferior agreeableness and higher aggression and anger, as well as extrinsic focus (Carver, Johnson, and McCullough). Such students might find it hard to cope with diversity in the present if, in the past, it created personality disorders that they carried on to the present. Such students need the aid of a counseling psychologist. Not all cases are similar to the one mentioned, meaning that students should live out their personalities to create a balance of the mind.

Argument 3

Support: The third argument is that students should not give in to fate; they should make efforts to change it to what they desire. There are several ways that individuals, such as students, can create their fate. Some of these ways include; finishing what they have started, viewing problems as opportunities, investing aspects such as the community, networking, and building relationships that are beneficial, and lastly, investing in one (Cardone). Those that create their fate end up living lives that are free from diversity because they lessen their chances of controllable unpleasant events such as financial strain and failure to achieve accomplishments. If one was to assess the lives of students, many are falling into the pit of depression because of such controllable unpleasant events that create adversity. Knowing how to control such events is one way of mitigating the occurrence of adversity. Pride and prejudice is an excellent example of how individuals give into fate. This statement is true when one assesses desire among the characters (Tandon, Mullan, and Williams). Most characters hide their desires well and conform to the standards that are imposed in society back then (Tandon, Mullan and Williams). This creates cases of mistrust and betrayal. Characters come to discover agendas about each other, which on almost all occasions, shocked (Tandon, Mullan, and Williams) because of not making their fate and following their hearts' desires.

Counter argument: Some individuals believe that it is unwise to make efforts to change fate to what they desire. This can either positively or negatively affect adversity in students. They view fate as an aspect of the natural order where the course of events is predetermined by order of the universe (Cornelius). It is about the present where every decision a student has made has led them to the current scenario. It is often perceived to be divine (Cornelius). In the Great Gatsby, the change in fates, especially the meeting of Gatsby and Daisy through Nick, played a role in the death of Gatsby. If Gatsby had not made efforts to change fate and re-pursue Daisy again, he would have no quarrels with Daisy's husband, and he would not have been shot in his swimming pool (Churchwell).

In conclusion of this chapter, it is feasible for students to preserve in adversity. This chapter analyzes summaries and facts of perseverance in adversity by students including aspects such as the areas where students face difficulty which are; the financial aspect of education, social scenes, lack of self-esteem, college adjustment, and lack of consistency in their education and the analysis of the studies that show how students find it hard to use the necessary steps to overcome adversity (Cardone). The three arguments and counter-arguments in relation to the personalities, fate, and pursuits of students in association with the perseverance of adversity have also been examined in detail.

Conclusion

In life, several individuals face experiences that turn out to be trials that create difficult or unpleasant situations. This situation is referred to as an adverse situation. It is characterized by the occurrence of misfortunes, distress, as well as a calamity. When a student faces adversity, they face a difficult and unpleasant situation in their lives. Most students will not know how to pull throughout adversity because of the uncomfortable situations that many have faced in their lives efficiently dissipate within a short time. If they apply certain strategies including consulting those who have had similar experiences, they would be able to persevere through adversity, which will make them stronger and fearless in case the unpleasant situation occurs again This research matters as it enables the reader to comprehend the issues that students have and how they can be solved. Future research should be conducted to provide more effective strategies to persevere and overcome adversity.