Personal Reflection #1: I’ve experienced difficult problems that have arose in my life, but eventually I got through it with support from my friends and more importantly family. The most significant challenge that I have faced would probably have to be becoming a strong independent individual. The steps that I have taken to overcome this challenge is by building up my confidence and gaining self esteem. Everyday I try to give myself pep talks regarding me being my own person. Even if people put me down or try to attempt criticizing my own style it won’t have an effect on me because as long as I’m putting a smile on my face that is all that matters at the end of the day. One of the key concepts life has taught me would definitely be not to depend on others for ANYTHING and I thank God for gradually teaching me this lesson because in the long run experience helps you improve upcoming events. I also would like to thank my mom and brother for cheering me up when I was upset due to other kids bullying me for some obscure reason. The big part of independence comes from who you chose to involve yourself with whether that may bet at home, school, or work. Now I am well aware that any decision I make big or small, has consequence - good and bad. Looking back, I am currently much happier than before and the reason for that is because I live a more pleasant lifestyle on my own. My life at home, school, and anywhere really is a very joyful environment. For example, if you have a positive perspective and outlook upon things you are dealt with this helps you tremendously in the real world. If I hadn’t taken an initiative by associating myself with radiant people and doing daily tasks on my own it would have been extremely complicated for me to acquire independence. Feeling free is a fortunate luxury us humans are given and I continue to take advantage of that to the fullest that I possibly can every single day of my life.
Personal Reflection #2: I have taken advantage of an educational opportunity and worked hard to overcome a personal barrier. Sports programs have made me a better person. Thanks to Mr. Bauer, he encouraged me to join the tennis team sophomore year. I learned the game fairly quickly and worked hard to perfect my game. Unfortunately, I didn’t play tennis this year due to some teammates spreading false rumors about me and the others too afraid to stand up for the truth. I brought it to the attention of the new coach however, she didn’t seem to believe me. She basically fluffed it off as bullying wasn’t that big of a deal. All she did was give the team a speech once about being nice to each other yet I knew no one would follow that golden rule because some high school kids can be cruel. This didn’t only affect me as a person, but as a player. It impacted my position on the team, I got de-ranked because I was claimed to be the “problem”. It was a major turning point in my life. Instead of playing tennis my junior year I decided to join cross country and track as I found out that those teams had amazing coaches that taught the players how to play the sport but more importantly how to have a sportsmanship mentality where everyone worked together as one team. This is what I was seeking for in a team where everyone supported and cheered each other on. I eventually overcame the horrible “tennis” experience and am a much stronger person. No one can stop me from playing the sport that I truly love. I am so very grateful for all the sport opportunities and I plan to play sports in college and make a career out of it.
Personal Reflection #3: Being able to communicate with adults and actually any and all ages is very important in today’s society because it can have a positive meaningful effect on your relationship with that other person. It allows clarification and assurance regarding any confusion on anything, in addition to getting to know the other person on a personal level. Communication is the flow between all bonds and it is the way of emerging new potential people into one’s life. For instance, even if I just say “Hello, how are you?,” to a quiet kid in our class, is a lot better than pure silence. It breaks the ice and awkwardness between us and puts a smile on that person’s face. Being friendly and hospitable allows that person to feel comfortable around your presence and bringing a bright smile to their life. This talent comes naturally to me as I was raised by my mother to work well with all ages no matter what. My mom gave me a steady foundation and ever since I’ve been developing the ability to communicate with others and keep improving on my skill. Communicating is very essential that should be utilized everyday either on a casual basis or professional proportion. It builds up not only the wonderful skill of being able to talk to others, but it is a huge self-esteem booster as well. Plus, most of the time it creates friendships that end up lasting a very long time with tight unbreakable bonds that could last a lifetime. If I had to only pick one skill in the world it would most certainly be communication because you can do it with whomever you want and you cannot go wrong with being good-natured and friendly to people especially if that is what they are looking for in life.
Personal Reflection #4: I mainly have a passion for visual art because I love designing little cards and personalizing them with my own touch to make a special connection with whomever I’m making the card for. I also like baking due to the fact I get to ice the dessert afterwards in addition to adding vibrant colored sprinkles everywhere. Something you should know about me is that I am beyond organized and I keep things simple yet they have a fashionable sense of taste to it as well. Nothing is out of place and everything is where it should be! This is where my OCD comes into play. If something looks unusual to me I restart and keep repeating it until I reach absolute perfection. This can be a curse and a blessing at the same time. Gratefully, I have gained decorative skills and it has affected other parts of my life as I have learned how to step outside the box and do my own thing. No one can go wrong doing their own style because it’s unique. It also helps differentiate your method from another person’s. Creative designing skills has taught me that everything doesn’t always have to be perfect because if they were art wouldn’t have a distinguished style to it. I try my hardest to consider this every time I’m being creative, but sometimes I can’t help my OCD. The loveliest thing about creativity would most definitely have to be you can’t go wrong with anything you do. If you make a mistake you can just transform it into a new creation or you can even leave it and choose the “different look” as I like to call it. My mom raised me to do my own thing and to not follow others, but they instead follow me. With this moral embedded into my values I have no problem being different and utilizing this skill in my works of art. People see art everyday whether it may be a doodle on a classroom desk or even a Picasso painting. Visual art can be influential and impact your own creations.
Personal Reflection #5: My background is very sports oriented since I seek so much interest in them. Although no one in family watches or plays sports, I do. Every day I look forward to 6th period because it’s my favorite class because I absolutely love the high adrenaline and confidence athletic activities give me. I am proud to say I play sports and represent my team. I really want to do something sports related as my career once I’m older and I’ve been slowly preparing myself for that. So far I’ve been an assistant coach for little kids in tennis and I’ve applied for a sports internship my senior year to get more experience. I am aware of the dangerous injuries that can occur, but yet I can prevent some by just doing a simple task before and after each workout..... STRETCHING!!! This is most definitely an important step to factor in your workout routine. Unfortunately I’ve known way to many people who have gotten hurt due to the fact of not stretching properly or at all. I even watch tennis and football on T.V.. Observing another player can help your game tremendously because you acknowledge their faults and wins. This causes you to observe your own game and fix what is necessary in order to improve. Another plus about watching another player is if you have a common interest you may be inspired by that other person. Whether it’s by you liking their technique, footwork, etc. Each sport is unique and I truly do believe they bring out the best in people once they learn to just have fun with it and do there own thing. Sports have been helpful as they’ve carried me through high school. Anytime I am bored or feel stressed running is always the cure. Not only do they make you physically stronger, but mentally as well. Sports form this endurance inside of you and you start to have a mindset of, “I can do it I can do it!” instead of, “I can’t it’s too difficult.” You can apply this to your academics which allows you to be more persistent with school work. Working out keeps you a healthy individual and makes you stronger if you maintain a positive mindset. You define yourself as a person, but sports give you a basic foundation to visually show you who who are and who you can become in life. Goals require time and with that time comes a lot of hard work, but trust me it eventually pays off. The past few weeks I have been trying to work on my abs and once I started seeing results it didn’t take much more motivation than that to continue my daily regime. During a workout whenever I start feeling sore I just try to remember to tell myself, “You got this Katie, don’t stop now c’mon think of the wonderful results you’ll have if you keep it up.” I can’t emphasis enough how much my mindset has changed over time because it does affect you as an athlete.
Name Crest -
Six Word Essay - "Enduring my discomfort by playing sports."