From Curious to Passionate .

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure." Basketball used to be something I wanted to do get involved in my school and seemed fun. I had never played before and did not know offense from defense on either end of the court. I was a clumsy sixth grader, but eager to learn this sport called basketball. I turned a curiosity into one of my biggest passions in my life and it has also help build me character to what it is today.

Getting involved in basketball and not knowing a thing about it has taught me not to be afraid to try new things. I know now that it is okay to walk into something completely new and keep an open mind. One cannot tell where it could lead him or her. If i would not have found the courage to walk into that gym, without it being time for gym class, I would not have found out what I am capable of outside the classroom. Basketball has taught me ways to make new friends and how to be a helpful resource to people. Although, I was new at one point, I can now give pointers on how to make my teammates game better.

When adults say "Life is not easy," they are not lying. This same quote applies to basketball. There have been plenty of times I have gotten frustrated during practices or games, but I did not let that get the best of me. I could have easily given up and quit, but I turned my frustration into a motivation and determination to get better. I then became fully dedicated to the game. Some things came harder than others, but I never gave up on any aspect. I can say that my frustration taught me what it feels like to be really dedicated to something, and that is when I knew that this was my passion. All my mistakes did not really matter, I was more focused on getter better and being a team player. This also helped me stay dedicated and motivated to my schoolwork. I am a student before I am an athlete. I enjoy doing two things that i love, getting an education and playing basketball. Each of which teaches me a lesson to better myself for the other.

"All experts were once beginners." This really speaks to me when I think back to when I first started playing basketball. I was clumsy, I could not dribble to save my life, let alone make a simple lay-up. However, by sticking with it and practicing it, I can do all those things. Practicing perfection makes perfect. Playing basketball has help build my character to what it has become today. I am stronger, meaning I can take constructive criticism and use to it to better my game. I am wiser after each game I play. I can look back at what I did wrong and how I can fix for the next game. I am more outgoing. I enjoy having fun with my team, making jokes and insiders that only we as a team get. Basketball is now a part of who I am and what I do.

Basketball has become more than just a sport to play during the winter. It is more than just another slot to fill on my activity resume. This sport is no longer just a sport to me, it is my greatest passion. I am not only a better ball player, but also a better person. Basketball helps build character, and it did just that. It has taught me not to be afraid to try new things. I have made some lifetime friends playing this sports, females and males. I am more involved in my school and is not afraid to yell "Let's go Lady Eagles!" while running down the court getting ready to post up. It has also taught me the meaning of dedication and what it feels like to stick with something through the good times and bad. It could be said basketball is my bestfriend forever. It is like my right-hand, the ying to my yang, the peas to my pod. I went from being a curious, inexperienced sixth grader, to a dedicated, motivated, goal-oriented, passionate senior with a love for the game.

Influence But Not Admire

Seeing the words "admire" and "influence" in the same question, followed by which person acquires these traits, I can not think of one person who fits both. However, I can think one person who has made a great influence and impact on my life. I do not admire her for the simple fact she does not obtain those qualities to do such. Despite all the misconception she has done, I can still find a positive in each one. This woman is my mother.

For most students, their mom is a person they can confide in. I am not one of those students. There are many times my mom has made broken promises to me as a child about always being there. Instead of dwelling on this, I turned it into a positive characteristic of mine. I have taught myself not to believe everything I hear, even from people who are close to me. Many people will tell you things just because it sounds good at the time, but when it comes down to it, they are flaky. I have built up this barrier of believing things that sound suspicious. As a child you want to believe what your parents told you, after a short while I stop believing that and began tuning out most of what she had to say. It may sound rude, but its the truth. I turned her negative attribute into a positive virtue for myself.

I consider myself an independent person. I did not obtain this quality on my own. I give that congradulations speech to my mom. She has taught me, indirectly, not to count on people and that I can do things on my own. I can remember when my mom would tell me I could always count on her and to call her whenever I needed something, but based on her past actions I knew it was no true. So by her doing this, not being there for me, I have realized that I cannot be carried on the road to success, it is going to take an exceedingly amount of effort, a little sweat, and my feet are going to ache. Nevertheless, in the end it is all worth it. i learned to do things on my own and without the help from others unless it was really needed. When I make to college there will not be anybody there to bring me tomato soup when I am sick, call me to make sure I am awake for class, or even remind me about doctor's appointments, these are things I have to do and will do on my own. I know how to stand on my own two feet simply because as a child I did not stand on hers.

Although I do not want to seem like I am throwing my mom under the bus because she has made a positive impact on my life, despite the fact it was in a negative way. Her dream for me is to be better than she was and do the best to my abilities to reach my goals. My mom always wanted the best for me, whether it was wanting me to go to the best schools or simply being around the right people. She knows that she has made many mistakes in the past when it comes to parenting, but she does not love me any less and just wants to see me go far in life. I respect her on that aspect, but in the same instant I cannot forget my past, but turn it into something more constructive for my future.

Thus in conclusion my mother has had a great impact on my life. She is far from perfect, but her imperfects have helped me grow into the genuine and confident person I am today. All her broken promises have helped me realize I can not believe everything hear and that actions speak louder than words. By her not being there when I needed her, or thought I did, I learned to be independent and be able to do things by myself, for myself. Even though her negative qualities outweigh her useful ones, she still has my best interest at heart. I consider my mother being the reason for all the characteristics I obtain in myself. Everything she is not made me everything I am.

My First Week as a College Student

On my first day of class there were no bells, no announcements, no pledge or allegiance, just a shuttle ride to class and things got started right on time. We started right with the syllabus and went around the room saying our names. That part was no different from my first day in high school, aside from the fact there were more adults in my class then there were in the teachers lounge.

Like any other class, my expectations for this class were high. I wanted to prove myself to my teacher and the adults in my class. I wanted to earn an "A" in the class and strive for the best. Being that this was technically my second college class I was a little more relaxed going into it. I cannot resist a challenge. I am am exceedingly motivated and determined person to use my resources wisely and be grateful for the opportunities I am given. It felt good having students in my class that were of the same age as me and in the same program, this way we could go through all of the overwhelming aspects together. I feel as if high school prepared me for college, but not that much, most of it came from life experience. In high school there is always someone there reminding you of what to turn in and to check up on you to see if you are staying out of trouble or not. In college, you're pretty much on your own. There are your advisors that have your best interest at hand, but there is not anyone to tell you to go to class on time, do not forget your homework, or to stop texting during class.

Being in this class has taught me how to take responsibility for myself and to make responsible decisions. I know when is a good time to go to bed so I do not fall asleep in class and when to do my homework so it is not incomplete. I also learned that I have to learn to relax and have some fun every now and then. I tend to a little too serious when it comes to schoolwork and I over think things. I learned that my ambitions have gotten me this far, so I know my will of determination will take me above and beyond. People say sky is the limit, but I see footprints on the moon.

Residence Life With Summer Scholars

"Trusting. Trust me." These were some of the first words we learned , other than people's names, on our first day. After we arrived and settled into our dorms we headed out to Camp Carol Joy Holling. That day we learned what it meant to trust people, even if you have just met them. These were the students we were basically going to be spending our summer with so our resident tutor advisors (RTA's) wanted us to develop that bond early. Going into the program and only knowing a few people, one could say we were a little skeptical at putting our trust in new people. At the end of the first day bonds were made, friends formed, and trust was built.

From all the letters and orientation we as students knew that the summer scholars program was to help us prepare for college. Going into this program, many of us did not know what to expect and it could be said we were a bit overwhelmed. However, all of our jitters and butterflies were quickly put to the side one we got started with all of the residence life activities. I learned the actual meaning of time management. I had to plan my schedule around the week stay at Scott Hall, which for me meant missing work and drill team practice because I wanted to fully dedicate myself to the program the first week. After going through all the activities and the first three days of class, I now know what I have time for. There really is no time for playing around, not saying that I'm going to be a hundred percent serious all of the time. I know I can squeeze in work every other day, drill team practice once a week, basketball workouts after my classes, and games one day a week. I also know that by taking on all these outside commitments I need to make sure I have time to get my homework done. Just by reading it, it seems like I have my hands full, but I know my capabilities.

"All work and no play make John a dull boy." This is a common quote that is used when students focus too much on work. We need to be able to let loose and live a little here and there. We need to be able to relax our minds from all the knowledge we gain each day. By staying at Scott Hall for a week, we got a taste of what it feels like to balance each of these aspects out. We were given time to study after classes, but also have free time to visit the HYPER building or simply play ping pong in the lounge. We used our time wisely so we could get our work done, but also bond with out fellow scholars. We made mini study groups and respected each other when he/she was studying and another was not. No matter what we did, we gave it our all and had fun doing it.