C Company Report

Rct. Qidwai – Staring at the ceiling in my new room on a hard wooden bed, I reminisced about the warmth of my old bedroom, the comfort of a house and my ever so loving family. I remember coming home from school earlier that week with red writing all over my assignment. I was horrified not because of how it would affect my GPA, but rather how my parents would react to it.

Their reaction was never great, this time their concerns and stress led me hours away to Robert Land Academy (RLA). A military-themed private boarding school. I felt completely alone, as if my family had abandoned the love and care that I so desperately needed. The communication was little to none in the first few months, which didn’t seem to help my emotions. I got no calls home until I got promoted to the cadet rank. This was when I began to learn that things are earned, not given.

I felt as if everyone had forgotten about me. I was upset and felt offended that my family had abandoned me. Over time I adapted to the system and obtained the techniques needed to allow me to live a successful life both academically and in extracurricular activities.

Robert Land Academy has been the perfect addition to my life every single day for the past year. It is now my second year here at the academy. RLA provides me with a broad range of skills such as making my bed properly, ironing my clothes, polishing my boots, and becoming confident in my own capabilities.

Soon after settling down, I realized I had to put my best efforts towards anything I tackled. Not only did RLA help me in my academics, but it also gave me various opportunities to play an active role in sports as well as volunteering, ultimately earning me a leadership position.

Thanks to the sports activities RLA provides I can now run 5 km in 25 minutes with ease.

Earlier this year I participated in an annual Fall Exercise, one of the Top Gems of the RLA program. I had never done anything close to 70 km in three days; in the end it taught me the importance of resilience in life as well as being a good team player, which requires cooperation and helping people who may be struggling as you move forward.

Now, only weeks away from graduating at RLA, I have been presented with an amazing opportunity. I have received more than three offers from universities that I never thought I would be considered for. Despite having marks in the low 70s when I first came here, I am graduating with high 80s to 90s and now I have offers from prestigious institutions such as uOttawa, Carleton, Ryerson, Waterloo, and UFT.

This level of achievement is beyond what I ever imagined for myself, and to top it off, I have been awarded scholarships worth over $4000. It’s something I never believed I could accomplish.

An interesting thing I’ve realized is that hard work gets easier the more consistent I am. Thus, after a while it stops feeling like work. Perhaps successful people are not born as so but rather worked hard to succeed.