What do people do when they find a mountain in their way during a long journey? Most turn around and leave, choosing a different path. It makes the most sense—who would want to cross the mountain, all battered and exhausted? Even if there were treasure beyond the mountain, most people wouldn't take that risk.

As I stood on the balcony of my school, staring at my fall grades, I wondered if I should have taken it easier. For the first time, my strategy of taking college classes had failed me—largely due to my decision to tackle third- and fourth-year undergraduate courses. In my other hand, I held a schedule for an even heavier spring semester, driven by an urge to learn as much computer science as possible.

Everyone told me to cut my workload and take easier classes, urging me to focus on the hobbies I had lost along the way. Even I doubted myself. Would I get even worse grades than before? Was I really capable of handling this?

As I lifted my spring semester schedule over a trash can, I hesitated. Instead of throwing it away, I folded it and slipped it into my pocket. In that moment, I made a decision: I wouldn’t give up. If I wanted to take that risk, I needed to become the person who could handle it. Instead of believing I wasn't capable, I resolved to improve myself until I was. If I wasn't strong enough to climb mountains, I would train myself until I was.

I took responsibility for my success. I optimized my time wherever I could. I fixed my poor sleep schedule to become more efficient. I focused on results and structured my work to avoid burnout. Over the next few semesters, my grades transformed. I finished with solid As and even earned awards from competitions.

I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, and in the end, I succeeded. The storm that once shook me to my core now felt like a gentle breeze. When I look back on that moment, I am grateful that I chose not to give up. I was able to obtain the treasure of knowledge without compromise—the satisfaction of standing atop the mountain of failures.

There is an unspoken beauty in seeing someone face adversity and, instead of turning away, charge forward. Despite the obstacles and the lack of belief from others, the will to chase one's desires can overshadow even the deepest fear of failure. And in my case, that will made all the difference.