Friday, September 6, 2019
Nice to Meet 'Ya!
When you apply for college, you'll likely be required to write essays for your application for admission. Because schools are interested not only in the academic potential of their students but also in their personal qualities, these essay prompts often ask about the ethos-what kind of character the applicant has. For this assignment, go online to find an essay prompt from a college or university to which you intend to apply. Or look on the common app for the essay choices they have listed. Respond to one of the prompts in an essay of no more than 650 words. Identify sentences that establish arete, phronesis, and eunoia within your essay.
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Learning from Obstacles:
ReplyDeleteIn life, everyone has to overcome obstacles at some point. Some are large and some are small, but they are all very important learning opportunities (pronesis). When I was young, i was diagnosed with congenital hip dysplasia. I had to have two surgeries to correct the issue, once when I was about a year old, and another when I was about 5. The second surgery was a struggle. I was just entering preschool and it was hard for me to play and do some of the things that normal kids that age could do, as I was in a large cast for about 4 months after the surgery. Although I was young and I don’t remember much of it, it taught me very valuable lessons that I still carry with me now. Since I was in such a tough situation, I had to adapt to it and find ways to still be able to play and have fun.
Such a position taught me that, although a situation may seem hard, there is always a way. Trying to find the best out of a bad situation and staying optimistic is important (eunoia). Positivity is an important aspect of my life because of this. I learned that positivity and optimism are the best ways to handle tough circumstances(arete).
This is so short. It is a good subject, but you really aren't fully developing it which does not give the reader the opportunity to truly understand the impact it has had and continues to have on you. You can give examples of ways you currently rely on optimism, you could talk about how your parents got through it and how, as a family, it has been impactful, for example.
DeleteWhile I do agree with Mrs.Messineo that you blog was quite short, I think what you did say was meaningful. When stuck in tough situations you must find a way to persevere and change the way you deal with hard times. I think by changing your mindset to being more optimistic, you definitely accomplished the perseverance aspect.
DeleteParticularly Captivating Topic:
ReplyDeleteTime is not a concept that can be measured by clocks because it is actually measured by moments. It is the moments in which I am granted the privilege of discussing my favorite conversational themes that ruffle up my feathers—in a good way. Time is typically stolen from me in these types of situations. I find myself so enthralled in any conversation involving wildlife. I just geek-out, if you will. When I was younger, perhaps around five or six, I began to take an interest in nature documentaries. I would watch these documentaries on Animal Planet regarding a plethora of nature-related themes, such as the fight for survival occurring in Yellowstone National Park among the many animals whom call the park their home. These documentaries would inspire me so much and to such an extent, that I would spend the next four hours or so pretending that I was the creature that captivated me most, or I would take the time to express myself and my love for the animal through drawing it (ploresis).
I love to inform others on what I know, do that they will become knowledgeable and be capable of spreading the correct information to others (arête). Explaining how an animal, such as a red wolf, performs in its social groups to better its chances of overall survival is exciting to me. I have a genuine interest in the topic of discussion. Nothing is forced, as it all comes from within (eunoia). If thought is applied carefully, it is easy to deduce that proper education on a subject can aid in the listener or reader becoming more informed, and this, more likely to expand upon their newfound information. So, if I inform one person correctly on, let’s say, that their is only a mere 58 to 68 members of the depleting population of Javan rhinoceros, then perhaps it would encourage my them [my audience] into supporting the conversation battle to protect these gorgeous herbivores (plotesus).
Animals in general catch my interest so much in the context of leading my mind astray whenever I get into an interesting conversation about them because of the simple fact that they are different. Unlike humans, animals cannot betray a person because they are not aware of what that means. They are unable to take advantage of a you personally. Animals are easier to understand and connect to. When I look into the eyes of an animal, even a simple-minded one, such as a sheep, to me, I cannot help but see something of value—something worth fighting for (arête). Whenever I would like to seek more knowledge on the subject of wildlife and conservation, I consult textbooks, novels, the good ole’ nature documentaries, or the Internet (ploresis). They are all quite reliable sources to quickly whip out and consolidate. Therefore, I can adopt the role of “information sponge”, bringing up all the information I can in order to satisfy the hunger for knowledge that yearns for more within me.
Tapping into new resources in order to gain knowledge is wonderful! Hungering for new material, the things we desire, and the things we love is so important to the mental growth and wellbeing of a person. I admire your youthful outlook and ability to reflect on your childhood self in order to learn now. Referring back to what we know well, in your case that is the nature documentaries, strengthens our knowledge base and the will to achieve more.
DeleteAngela, what a thoughtful comment. I wish all comments were as sincere as this one. You clearly read her blog and engaged in entering the conversation with her. This is great.
DeleteObstacles:
ReplyDeleteWebster’s Dictionary defines the word hurdle as “an obstacle or difficulty.” Therefore, I will focus on my struggles and how I have worked in attempt to improve and overcome them. I would like to concentrate on the mental aspects of my struggles: mental health, brain chemistry, pharmaceuticals, and influences.
I believe the psyche is the core of a person (eunoia). My psyche has been plagued with issues since childhood. My brain, itself, is ill; it is chemically imbalanced. Due to this, I had have early onsets of mental illnesses/disorders. I was predestined to at least have symptoms due to a paternal history of depression and a maternal history of OCD and anxiety (phronesis). I have been unfortunately graced with all of the formers.
The beginning of my struggles started with obsessive compulsive disorder. It set me apart from other children. Many of the symptoms I display are also those of high functioning autism. Suffering from OCD has made socialization, focusing, performing tasks, among other things extremely difficult. My mind works in repetitive patterns, endlessly. Typically, most people assume OCD is just being a “control freak” and super tidy. That assumption is wrong. I can’t eat certain foods due to texture, wear certain clothes due to texture, or perform tasks in a normal manner. I have to do everything in patterns of three or five, alternating or not. I need to have a set schedule or plan with time stamps or else I may become extremely stressed. It may seem minor, but it influences every aspect of my life. It’s like I am unable to control my own mind, my own self. It is a daily struggle that has been in my life since age five.
My issues with anxiety have never been consistent. Occasionally I get spikes of anxiety and dread out of nowhere. External factors do influence parts of my struggle with anxiety, but a lot of it is existential or self inflicted stress. I get anxious from obsessing over a specific thought or becoming so fixated on something.
Fatigue, disordered eating habits, insomnia, issues staying asleep, consistent low mood, existential dread, hopelessness, irritability, and issues concentrating are just a few of my depression symptoms. All of my mental illnesses are interconnected, but the depression is the most interdependent out of them. My symptoms are chronic and drawn to one end of the spectrum. No matter how much sleep I get or how well my life is going, I am sad and fatigued. I don’t let this stop me, though. I push my limits every day in social situations, work, and sometimes just getting out of the house. In the past few years, I have greatly improved from medications and forcing myself into social situations. I have learned to realize when I am drained and need to step away, which in turn lessens my fatigue caused by depression.
Mental illnesses caused by chemical imbalances of the brain affect every aspect of my life, without a doubt. Because of these obstacles, my life has been harder than I would like, but it is something I need to continue to work on and further overcome. Medications, constant support, and my own willpower have me at this high functioning state of being today.
You are very courageous.
DeleteOvercoming obstacles:
ReplyDelete“Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles”- Helen Keller. I look at this quote as a way to challenge myself to change in the hope that I can make a better situation for myself and others around me, even in difficult times. I found this quite especially necessary to find inspiration from when I was faced with a difficult situation this past summer.
It was a midsummer afternoon when I was out for a walk with my two friends. As I was having a small conversation with them , I heard my phone start to ring and saw that I was receiving a call from my sister. She was crying at her job and needed me to come into help as she was very busy. When I walked into the small wooden ice cream store, I arrived to chaos. There was milkshake residue all over the counter, scoops of ice cream flying everywhere, and a line of 20 customers at the window. Next to her I saw one of our coworkers (fake name) Roberto Don, playing a game on his phone and not helping her at all. May I point out that it was not even an entertaining game, but online one v.one checkers. I had worked with Roberto only once before and knew what a pain he was to deal with, as he did not do his job properly. Instead of getting angry, I got right away to helping my sister deal with angry customers ( eunonia), even though I wanted to yell at Roberto to help. The whole time I worked with him I had to refrain from judging him for his delinquent work ethic. Judging people for not doing the best job they can at something is definitely one of my biggest flaws. By the end of the day, it had been one of the longest and hardest days of work I had ever dealt with, but as I look back on it today, I realize it taught me a valuable lesson. Learning how to work with a difficult or toxic coworker who doesn’t have the same work ethic as you can be a big obstacle to overcome , but once the lesson is learned, it will make anyone a much more appealing candidate for a job or even make them a more sympathetic and helping person.
When I was done with the work day, it took me a long time to overcome my frustration. However, when I overcame my obstacle of getting easily frustrated with people, I feel that I became a much easier person to not only work with, but also be around. I had to persuade myself to want to change my ways of judging people on their work ethic, as it was something that I did often and viewed as second nature. Some of the ways I convinced myself to be this way was using practical wisdom. I had to learn that not everyone works in the same manner and that people learn techniques at different speeds ( phronesis). Once I had this obstacle out of the way, I learned how to be a person that carries good virtues in everything I participated in life, not just work. I did this by always trying to be nice to my coworkers and follow all of my jobs rules, like not being on my phone or being rude to customers, so that I could always help someone at work if they were having trouble(arête).
Megan, I can definitely relate to how you were feeling in this particular situation. I find myself getting way too impatient and angry when others are not doing what I think is right. I completely agree that being belligerent does not solve anything. Taking a step back and analysing the circumstances can help with overcoming a frustrating situation. I applaud you for, not only taking the time to go out of your way to help someone, but to also remain patient with Roberto. I, personally, do not know if I could have kept my composure like that!
DeleteI also have a hard time learning that not everyone works the same way. It's difficult pushing your anger away and focus on the big picture. I thought it was very nice how you were able to do that and help your sister get control of the situation.
DeleteSounds to me like Roberto needed to be fired. And you get the patience award, but when things are unjust, I believe people are called to action. I hope he doesn't work there anymore, for your sake!
ReplyDelete"Learning from Obstacles"
ReplyDeleteOprah Winfrey once said, "It is confidence in our bodies, minds, and spirits that allow us to keep looking for new adventures." I have had body insecurities my whole life up until this summer. I was born with a condition called pectus excavatum, which means the center of your chest caves in. You could definitely tell my chest was sunken in but it didn't seem like a big deal, why would anyone care? This was a huge deal for me,though, I thought it was the worst thing imaginable.
It seemed like my entire childhood, when it came to swimming or anything like that, was so embarrassing. My 7 to 16 year old self thought anyone and everyone noticed that I looked a little different. Even when I was at home, swimming with my family, I felt the urge to cover up. Covering up was a method I used so frequently that it became involuntary. My never-ending fear of people seeing my chest eventually got to my head. The thought of being different, especially when you are a little kid, is terrifying!
One night I was in our basement, helping my mom move the couch. I was pushing it and stopped because it felt like I was going to pass out. My face was bright red and my heart was beating super fast, my mom got worried and called our family doctor. She asked if it might be because of my chest and he said we should go down to Pittsburgh to have everything checked out. We went and they did a bunch of breathing and exertion tests, the tests ended up being worrisome. I went for more appointments and scans and they found out that the caving in of my chest was causing it to press down on my heart and lungs. At that point, we were presented the idea of having it surgically repaired.
The thought of it sucked but i was assured the result would be amazing. I met an awesome doctor who would be the one performing the surgery and his promise of a great result was exciting. I was told this was a minimally invasive procedure, but that it was extremely painful...great. Finally, though, it was time for it to happen. They did the surgery on June 17th and everything turned out great, it felt like i had quite literally been hit by a bus, but it looked awesome. Then my worst nightmare happened, I was about four weeks into healing when I noticed my chest gradually sinking back in. We called and they set up an appointment for it to be looked at. We took some x-rays and my doctor told me the bar they put in had moved up. I was so upset, but then the doctor said the surgery needed to be done again, with the first bar being adjusted and a second bar being put in. You can imagine my enthusiasm when being told this news. I knew it had to be done if I wanted the perfect result, so I agreed.(arete) They performed the second surgery on August 13th and it looked great again, this time the bars stayed and I could not be happier.
This entire experience taught me that no matter how bad something seems, there is always a solution, and sometimes it takes a couple tries.(eunoia) I am so thankful that I was able to have the surgeries done and end up with a great result. I am 100% more confident than I ever was before.(phronesis) I am also anxiously waiting to set off every metal detector I ever go through!
Alex, I loved reading your blog. It was regarding a similar topic to mine, but with a totally different spin. Way to go with staying so strong through two surgeries like that, that’s tough. I’m so glad to see that you grew from the situation, just like me! I really liked your point that every problem has a solution. So simple, but so true! You did an awesome job sharing your feelings on a personal subject, and I think that is very admirable.
DeleteRichard Branson once said, “Every success story is a tale of constant adaptation, revision, and change. I have experienced some tough times in my sixteen years on this earth, but I am very thankful for them. Even though I am very young, I have learned habits and mindsets from my experiences that could improve life in some way fro every single person(euonia). In the end, these struggles just become opportunities to build up a better version of yourself.
ReplyDeleteLast winter, I sustained a severe tear to the labrum of my right shoulder. This happened when I was snowboarding — my favorite thing to do in the whole world. I shrugged it off for a few months, I wouldn’t let a little wreck keep me fro, doing what I love. At this point, I was participating in track, cheerleading, and the school play, and had no intentions of stopping. However, after repetitive dislocations, I had to seek help. Proper medical attention revealed I needed surgery, and that I would have to stop cheer, snowboarding, and track for the foreseeable future. I was absolutely devastated. Admittedly, that was a very low point in my life. I let the circumstances get the best of me, and they brought me down.
By the time surgery rolled around in the spring, my attitude was still horrible. I was ready for the constant pain to go away, but the way I dealt with the emotions preceding surgery was draining to myself and everyone around me. People encouraged me to adopt a new mindset, but I wouldn’t listen. I was sure that being angry at the world was the only logical reaction to the situation at hand. I thought it was the only way to make me feel better. I was so incredibly wrong.
Post surgery, everything changed. In a way, things got worse. I couldn’t move, couldn’t shower for over a week, and was in an incredible amount of pain. Not to mention the long recovery ahead. One thing, however, improved exponentially. I made the conscious decision to adopt the correct mindset (phronesis). The pity party was over. I decided to take obstacles one by one — day by day. The things that would have frustrated me to the point of tears with my pre surgery attitude became challenges that I loved. I prepared my own meals, did all my laundry, and even taught myself to write with my left hand. It seems silly, but figuring out how to do simple little tasks by myself was so so empowering.
I am very happy to say that I haven’t given up this mindset, even though I retired the sling a few months ago. By making an effort to see the good in any situation, my quality of life has greatly improved. I also learned to practice many other good habits like counting my blessings and working on being more sympathetic (arête).
Overall, though my shoulder surgery marked a quite difficult point of my life, it was also one of the best things that ever happened to me. It helped shape my attitude and work ethic. It was a long process that was painful in many ways. However, I am I better person for it, and I will be forever grateful for that.
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ReplyDeleteThe health of the environment is a topic that has become increasingly important to me over the past few years. People go through their daily lives using everyday household products. Once the product is empty it is placed in the trash. But where the trash goes is something I have recently started to think about(Phronesis).
ReplyDeleteThe first time I heard about the large amounts of pollution was through social media. There were several pictures of a river in a third world country that was full of different forms of trash. People from the town were standing along the bank just watching the mass of garbage flow directly into the ocean. They had no way of stopping the massive force that everyone had a hand in creating. After seeing this video I started to do more research about the topic.
I discovered that the problem is a lot bigger than I imagined. The ocean covers more than half the Earth and our garbage is ending up in it. Many countries main priority is advancing their people and technology. This is causing them to think more about the work they are doing now and not about the effects of their actions. Since many polluters don’t care about the effects of their poor decisions, people, through social media, have started a large movement to reduce it.
I have seen many different companies and their strategies for reducing the problem. In my life I have tried to implement new ways to reduce the amount of waste I make(arete). I try not to use a plastic bag when I go to the store or I use a container instead of a plastic bag. However, I have not converted to being one hundred percent eco-friendly( Eunoia). I still throw plastic away. I probably made a small decrease in my waste production. The truth is making zero waste would be a very large, life change for anyone(phronesis). It would drastically alter everything that you do. I would constantly have to be thinking about the items I purchase and the products I use.
Nevertheless, I will continue to be aware of the waste I make. Whenever I am able to help the cause of keeping the Earth clean, I will. I will do my best to make a difference. It is very important to me to respect the earth and everything it offers.
I really felt that Soph. Humans make so much waste, and so much of it ends up in places it shouldn't. Instead of facing the real problem: A consumer culture that is all about more, more, more. Me,me,me; we focus on trivial problems that make us feel oh so good, but do oh so nothing. Straws. I'm talking about the straws. We, as a culture, need to focus on preserving this beautiful planet we call home. Anyway, great read!
DeleteFrom Princeton:
ReplyDeleteUsing a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of your essay.
“It is my firm belief that the best way to fix the world—a handyman’s dream, if ever there was one—is to fix yourself.” -Jordan peterson, 12 Rules for Life. Peterson couldn’t be more right. This quote illuminates the importance of self awareness and self improvement in one's life. All too often people try to make a difference in the world without first setting themselves straight, or they try to “fix” the world when they themselves could use some fixing.
There was a time when I lived my life passively, letting my imperfections reign free. I allowed my issues to chew me up and spit me out, and I was so often left to clean up the mess. Slowly, this kills a man. Eventually, these issues, amplified by the adversities we all face in life, tore me to the ground, they broke me. I was down, and the problems that needed fixing were kicking me. I essentially went numb in order to block out the issues in my life, the struggles, the adversity, the suffering. If rock bottom was ever a thing, it was right here. For months I kept asking what I did to deserve the pain I was in. And then it hit me: It wasn't what I had done, it was what I hadn’t done.
This realization completely switched the light on in my brain. I had been living that whole time without actively making an effort to improve myself, and thus my life. So I read. And I watched. And I listened. I dove head first into researching psychology and philosophy, trying to understand the gears that made us act and think as we do, and what turned them.(Phronesis) Mr. Peterson was just one of many mentors that helped me to understand these complex issues. I climbed out of the darkness I knew so well, and made an effort to improve. Because that is what we are called to do.(Arete) I started kicking my problems, much like they had been kicking me for far too long. I developed an understanding of the human psyche, and used that to constantly better myself. Every thought, every action, every emotion was questioned and interrogated until I could accept it as truth.(Phronesis)(Arete) And with that foundation of truth, I built, and am still building, a better me. It was hard, there were many problems to overcome, issues I had to fight against, but nothing easy is ever worth doing. I was done taking the easy road.
This ‘event,’ which in reality took place over years, was fundamental in shaping my mindset and love of psychology. Having been through adversity myself, I understand the frustration, the hopelessness, the pain.(eunoia) I have am now ablaze with a passion to help others overcome their adversities, and to continue kicking my problems down. I fixed myself. Now.. Watch out, world.
I cannot agree more with this, John. The world seems to have lost sight in self improvement, but rather, we have become accustomed to judgement of others and of the world before even looking at our own flaws and insecurities. We sometimes believe the world owes us something, but in reality, we need to see what we can do of service to the world. This was interesting to hear of your own personal experience with this subject, and I am glad you have found a new road to go down.
DeleteJohn, first of all, I absolutely loved your use of figurative language and the way you personified your issues to show your audience what was really going on in your mind. Secondly, I love Jordan Peterson and I really liked the quote you used for this essay. Psychology really an interesting topic, and people are usually drawn to it due to personal experiences, so it was really cool to get to hear your story.
Delete“The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen before,” said Albert Einstein, arguably one of the most intelligent humans to ever live. I was told as an adolescent, to become a leader, not a follower. I was told to stand out of the pack, and create a new path, so that others can follow such an example, and find themselves anew. The experiences that I have encountered from the day I was born until now have formed and shaped me to being that unique someone.
ReplyDeleteBeing different comes in many different forms. In the early stages of my life, that difference was shown on a literal level to me. As a child, I had always loved to practice athletics with my dad, whom had become my biggest hero. After a confusing few games of baseball catch with him, he had finally realized that I am not right handed, but actually a left handed thrower, which only accounts for 10% of the population. I was always confused, as I grew just a few years older, because none of my friends had been left handed, and I wanted to be like them. My parents had told me, “That’s unique, and it is just one part that makes you who you are. It makes you stick out of the crowd.” So, I began to work with what I had, and I began to understand that being unique was a gift, not something bad, which is what I have carried along particular to me that is uncommon to the rest of the world.(phronesis)
Finding my identity along the lines of leadership had not only come as a child, but it had jolted me as I grew of age, too. I had became extremely involved in my athletic career in my early teenage life. I had dreamed perpetually of being a great basketball player. To me, nothing was better than the sound of the net snapping from the ball after a made basket. I would practice this sport constantly, and just felt so natural to be around. For my organized team, I had been elected a team captain among all of my teammates. By definition, a captain is, “someone who leads or supervises.” I was being exposed to leadership constantly in this situation. It was my duty then to aid my fellow teammates to be the best athlete they could be, whether that was on the court, or even off of the court. (eunioa) If this meant encouraging them or teaching them any tips or strategies that could better themselves, so that they, in turn, could do the same to another, and spark the fire to all. I had learned how to use my favorite interest, basketball, in shaping myself a leader to those around me. It had taught me life lessons along the way that I never knew would be important in such a manner. Though I was sometimes told by many that it was unimportant to care so much about a sport, I persistently dedicated myself to use sports as a means of division among the crowd, improving as an athlete, but one of service to others, which we are called to do, and is something that is uncommon to see. (arête)
In any training, persistence is the essential foundation for growth. Training oneself to be comfortable with leadership is difficult, but I believe that the experiences I had confronted in sports and real life situations allowed me to learn from my mistakes, and overall, led to my growth. I am proud to be someone that is seen as a “team captain” among my friends, and someone who can be there for aid and encouragement along their own road.
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ReplyDelete"Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." -Victor Hugo. From a very young age, music has been in my life in some way. Whether that be listening to rock-and-roll with my dad, going to concerts with my family, or being involved in school plays, music has filled my ears all my life. Naturally, it is ingrained in me to be a "music lover." Although it has always been a passion of mine to perform, play, listen to or even write music, the impact it’s had on my life did not strike me until more recently.
ReplyDeleteDuring my earlier years, I was a very introverted child. I was not very talkative so I often struggled to make friends. Because of this, I had always felt as though there was something wrong with me, since I did not seem to fit in anywhere. School was, and continued to be, a very uncomfortable place to spend a large majority of my time. However, there was one time of year I looked forward to: school musical season. Oddly enough, the stage was where I felt most like myself. While presenting yourself in front of an audience is very nerve-racking for many people, it gave me a feeling like no other. The stage, to me, has always felt like a barrier between me and the rest of the world. Untouchable is the word that comes to mind to describe the feeling I get when I'm singing in front of a crowd, no matter how large or small. All of the anxiety that would be pent up inside me would be released when I performed for someone. Therefore, my introverted personality would be replaced with a very extroverted version of myself.
Music has also helped me learn how to manage my stress levels. I like to think I'm a very independent person. However, this means I like to deal with my personal problems all on my own as well. I typically keep it to myself when I am feeling angry or upset. Needless to say, all these pent up emotions can begin to weigh heavy on a person. For a very long time I just let my feelings fester until they broke me down. I eventually came to the decision that I needed to make a conscious effort to find a coping mechanism (phronesis). In this, I discovered my love for writing music. I found that writing also allowed me to analyze and appreciate all of life's more charming attributes as opposed to becoming fixated on the negative aspects (arête). Similarly to performing, writing became a wonderful outlet for me to extricate said pent up emotions.
Both performing and writing music had allowed me to speak my mind.
Music as a whole, has taught me how to find my confidence and harness my emotions in an artistic and beautiful way. It has assisted me in learning to open my eyes in order to see the amazing qualities life has to offer. With the help of music, I have also adopted a more understanding and open mind regarding the world around me (eunoia). Furthermore, music is a hobby that has helped form the person I am today. It has turned the dismal life I was previously living, to a meaningful and effervescent one. Without music, I am truly unsure where I would be.
Olivia, this blog really resonated with me. While I have been outgoing and talkative most of my life, there have absolutely been times where I have felt like I did not belong. While I'm not musically gifted myself, I am grateful for all the people who are. Music is a really important way for people to feel connected to something bigger than themselves.
DeletePersonal growth:
ReplyDelete“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph,” said by Thomas Paine. New perspectives, ideas, and self-realization can be found through any situation, whether it be unimportant or life-altering. Anyone who is asked could give an example of a situation that changed them exponentially. For me, this was transferring schools twice.
I attended St. Leo Catholic School until part of the way through my fifth grade year. I then transferred to Ridgway’s public elementary school, Francis S. Grandinetti Elementary School. This was a change I did not want to make. I loved my little class and walking to school with all the other kids who lived downtown. At my new school, I had to ride the bus and be in a grade with about 40 kids, when I was used to less than 10. My parents did not give me a choice in the matter, and it felt like my entire world was turned inside out. I tried my best to understand that my parents had their reasons, but most talks about it with them ended with crying and yelling. It didn’t make any sense to me. Nonetheless, I switched schools. I made good friends that I still have today and I continued to learn. However, after the seventh grade, the process started all over. My parents explained to me that I would be transferring schools once again, to the Saint Marys Catholic Middle School. This transition was much more difficult. I was very bitter about having to start completely new all over again. All of the students had known each other for longer, and many of them had no clue who I was. It took a few months for me to make good friends and to readjust to a Catholic school, as I had been in public school for a long time.
In all of this frustration and confusion, I began to find it very difficult to trust that anything was permanent. I constantly tried to be prepared for everything to change in the blink of an eye. However, I have learned that I must be able to trust those around me to live my life in its fullest (phronesis). By the time to start at Saint Marys Catholic middle school had arrived, I had decided that I wanted to have a positive experience at this school, and I knew that the only person responsible for this was me (arete).My experiences in public school also taught me valuable lessons in holding onto my Catholic faith . I had the nickname of “Catholic Girl” and many people thought it was funny that I took our CCD classes so seriously. One of the most important things that I learned is to never act like someone I am not. While it may be a cliche, I have found it is the best thing I can do for my own situation and for all those around me (eunoia). While everything I went through during these times was very difficult, the suffering cannot compare to the lessons I have learned and get to carry with me for the rest of my life.
DeleteBeing the” fish out of water” is not easy, and yet were really brave, Viv! Whilst I cannot relate to you in the act of transferring schools, as I have been placed within the same school system for the entirety of my educational career, I understand your misgivings about change. For me, it comes from the fear of the unknown, what lies ahead can be extremely scary, but despite this and the bitterness that you built up, you ultimately handled it with grace. It is wonderful to see that it paid off for you in the end and that you learned a sincere lesson along the way.
I love this essay, Vivian. I remember when all this happened and I was also so upset. It’s so important that through all this you realized how important it is to be yourself. That’s the most any of us can do. Without this happening to you, the story in my blog wouldn’t have been possible so in a way, thank you!
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ReplyDelete“Overcoming Obstacles”
ReplyDeleteThe only thing worse than a life full of adversity is a life without it. This is my philosophy for life; these are the words I live by. Of course, I have not always felt this way. In fact, growing up I had always believed the exact opposite, that a life without struggles was a life of perfection. My goal in life was to make as much money as possible, retire early, and then spend the rest of my life “taking it easy.” The only type of challenge that I did genuinely enjoy: sports, especially cross country. It was sports that planted the seed in me, the seed that helped me grow to become the person I am today.
It was my sophomore year of high school when I was finally talked into joining the cross country team rather than playing soccer. I was excitedly awaiting all the fun and the good times we would have, but what I found was something a little different. As soon as summer practices began, the challenges I faced hit me like a brick wall, harder than I could have imagined. Tempo runs, VO2 Max workouts, long runs, speed workouts, you name it. We hadn’t even began racing at this point, yet cross country was already the hardest thing I’d ever gone up against. Every day, I took more and more beatings, and my teammates and I slammed each other into the ground. All these struggles and and all this adversity made me ask, “Why do I do this? How could anyone ever enjoy this?”
This question probably never would have been answered if I’d had almost any other coach in the world. Eventually, real practices started, and we began having meetings every day before practice where we would do things like set goals for ourselves and talk about the workout that for day. Yet, the most important thing our coach did was motivate us. He would do everything from handing out quotes to watching videos to telling stories, each of which taught us various things that could help us as runners, as well as translating into a massive array of life lessons. This was where I learned the true meaning of adversity and how it helps us. I finally understood that adversity was about improvement and self-betterment (phronesis). To run from adversity is to run from a chance to become a better version of yourself (eunoia). And to compete is to struggle for a goal worth while. When I applied these ideas to my life, not only did I begin to fall in love with running, but the difficulties of life became easier to overcome and more meaningful as well (arête and phronesis).
Then came May 21, 2019, when my belief in this idea was truly put to the test. I had so much going for me. It was the last full week of school before summer, I was leaving for the track and field state championships in two days, and I was getting out of school early to get my driver’s license. But when I went to sign out of school, everything shattered in an instant. First, I learned that I wasn’t going to get my license that day, and the second part made the first feel inconsequential. I’d had a total loss structural fire that had destroyed my entire home. At first, it seemed to break me, but as time went on, I was able to see the meaning in the struggles; I saw God’s true plan for me (arête). In fact, it ended up serving as one on the most influential learning experiences in my entire life (arête and phronesis). Today, this ability to overcome adversity is the lesson that I value more than any other, and it is one that I am consistently trying to teach anyone and everyone that I encounter (eunoia).
Joey, this was beautiful. The choice of words you used to form this well written blog post made it an extra enjoyable read (and you know I’m a sucker for a nifty word or two). I agree whole heartedly that difficulties can be beneficial even if we don’t always see the light at the end or the tunnel, so to speak. Seeing as you have adopted this philosophy, you have truly been a living example of “suffering leading to goodness.” Truly great work.
DeleteExperiences in life make us who we are today. Whether it is something good, bad, scary, exciting, or small, it impacts us one way or another. One experience in my life that has affected me was my eighth grade year. For most people, the last year of grade school is a good year. I’m not sure how it is at all schools, but at St. Leo’s, the eighth graders were the oldest in the building. It was our senior year. I only had 5 people in my graduating class, including me. The other four kids were all boys, even my teacher was a boy. I dreaded going every single day. I would come home every day at three o’clock and cry to my mom, begging to be homeschooled. It is a known fact that girls mature faster than boys, and the boys I was with confirmed that. From them putting dog poop in textbooks, drawing on the walls, walking out in the middle of class, and never doing an ounce of school work, I was miserable. I only decided to stay in my class for one reason. I wanted to be May Queen. The Virgin Mother has always been so significant to me. Not only do we share the same name, but I was born in the month of October, the month of the Rosary. October also contains the final day of Fatima, October thirteenth, the day the sun danced. I was born on the twelfth. I have never been chosen to be Mother Mary in any of the Christmas plays or nativity scenes and now I thought I finally had my chance. I was the only girl, how could I be voted out of it? Before I knew it, it was April. May Crowning was coming soon, but none of my teachers said anything about it. I asked if I should start looking for a white dress and everyone said they didn’t know. How could I not be chosen? Who else was there? My mom and I decide to buy a dress even though we haven’t heard anything. About a week before, we finally hear something. This year, instead of a boy and girl from kindergarten and first grade, and one girl from eighth, they chose and boy and girl from every grade. Okay, no big deal. I’ll still be in it, and I’m assuming I’ll be the one who actually puts the crown of flowers in her head, right? Wrong. On May first, the 18 of us walk down the isle, dressed in blue and white. We never had a rehearsal and no one told me when to stand up and crown our queen, but i didn’t think anything of it. It’s the end of mass, and Mary still isn’t crowned. Father Justin walks up to the ambo before the closing song, it’s finally here. He talks about how beautiful it is so many children are able to attend at Catholic school safely and freely, and that we can hold events such as this. He says it’s time to call up the one to crown Mary. Here is is, what I’ve been waiting for these past 8 months. He calls up my principal, not me. My principle was retiring after this year, and everyone thought it’d be fun and nice to surprise her. I was so upset. I thought that I’d finally be able to publicly represent my spiritual mother. I was happy for my principal of course(eunoia), but I thought it was something I deserved. I think about this experience in my life quite often. Sometimes it seems like there is no reason to push through or to keep going, and sometimes there actually isn’t(phronesis). There might not always be a good outcome. If I would’ve known that I wasn’t going to get May Queen I would have dropped out to be homeschooled. Sticking out those last few months taught me patience, understating, and endurance(arete). It also showed me that it’s not always the big things that make an impact. It was a minute part of my grade school career, not something most people would dwell on. It goes to show that the things someone does or say can stick around in another persons mind for much longer than you’d expect.
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