3 Lifelong Qualities High School Sports Develop in Their Players

           Everything that you see, everything that you hear, and everything that you experience contributes to who you are as an individual. This is especially true for developing teenagers who yearn to soak up everything that surrounds them. With that being said, high school is a place that people discover and become who they wish to be for the extent of their lives. One’s extra-curricular involvement or lack thereof plays a major role in this sculpting of individuals. Having just graduated high school a few years ago, where I was involved in several sports, I can attest to the dramatic impact that sports made on who I have become.  High school sports establish several positive qualities in their players, influencing them far beyond graduation; these lifelong qualities include time-management, confidence, and discipline.

1.      Mindful, Maddening, Masterful Management of Time

The first important, lifelong quality that high school sports develop in their players is how to effectively manage time. High school athletes have to balance several things that life puts onto their plates, often including multiple sports schedules, school, social lives, jobs, and determining plans for beyond high school. From putting so much time and dedication into their sports, athletes learn how to effectively manage and balance the remainder of their time. Managing this time often involves prioritizing, and sometimes realizing they have to eliminate other activities because they cannot do it all. In learning to manage their time, athletes learn to restrain from falling into the black hole of procrastination. This is an important skill that benefits these athletes in their futures when balancing their careers with other aspects of their lives. Adults who were athletes in high school, through acquiring the useful time

Fig. 1 Woman Racing the Clock.
N.d. Central Michigan University.
Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

management skill, will seldom be racing the clock like the woman depicted in Figure 1.  Scott Lancaster, in Shel Franco’s work titled “Time Management Helps Teen Athletes Make the Grade,” pronounces that a large number of prosperous athletes develop effective “balance in their lives.” This essential and lifelong ability gives “student athletes” an edge above those not affiliated with sports, because “student athletes” have experience in time management (par. 4).  Learning to manage time is a great quality that students in high school can learn from participating in sports.

 

2.      Confidence is the Key to Success: Unlocking Dreams

Fig. 2 Typical confident business man.

23 May 2011. Mark Showalter’s

Blog. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

Confidence is another attribute that high school students learn from involvement in sports. Sports teach high school athletes that they must believe in themselves and be confident in their skills in order to succeed. Additionally, high school sports provide the opportunity be a leader, such as being team captain. This boosts high school students’ confidences immensely, as other athletes look up the leader on the team as a role model. In “Playing the Game: Sports as a Force for Promoting Improved Academic Performance for Urban Youth,” Eric DeMeulenaere conducts a study which presents positive academic improvements among students involved in sports, attributed to sports developing confidence (131). Being confident is a trait that benefits people throughout their entire lives. For example, being confident is important at job interviews within your career (see Fig. 2). Confidence show potential employers and even simply your peers that you believe in yourself; this will make them want to also believe in you. Aiding in future success, confidence is another trait that high school sports develop in their athletes.

3.      Resisting the Serpent at the Garden of Eden: Learning Self-Discipline 

 

Fig. 3. Dogs avoiding the temptation of

harming a cat. 12 May 2012. REACHIING

FORWARD: Laying Hold of Significance

in Your Life! Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

Lastly, high school students involved in sports learn self-discipline. Self-discipline involves controlling feelings, overcoming weaknesses, and maintaining integrity in spite of temptations (see Fig. 3). Sports teach athletes to control their emotions when on their court or field, refusing to show the opposing team their weaknesses. Additionally, sports teach athletes to condemn cheating and maintain dignity, even when opposing team members tempt them to lash out in anger. According to Jay Mathews in “Self-Discipline May Beat Smarts as Key to Success,” self-discipline, a trait athletes possess, “is a better predictor of academic success than even IQ (par. 3). Having self-discipline isn’t only influential in school; it also affects every day occurrences such as choosing healthy foods and setting and meeting deadlines. Self-discipline is one of the numerous qualities that sports develop in high school students.

            In conclusion, students who participate in sports during high school establish several important qualities. These qualities, including time management, confidence, pride, and self-discipline, benefit athletes for the entirety of their lives. This is especially true in higher education success and careers. Sports isn’t the only type of involvement that positively affects high school students; theatre, national honor society, world culture club, and other various extra-curricular activities also establish important qualities in students. Conducting research on positive effects of activities on students has prompted me to become concerned for students at impoverished high schools, where activities are too costly and therefore are scarce. Who, if anyone, will these students have the potential to become?

Works Cited

DeMeulenaere, Eric. “Playing the Game: Sports as a Force for Promoting Improved Academic Performance for Urban Youth.” Journal of Cultural Diversity 17.4 (2010): 127-135. EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

Franco, Shel. “Time Management Helps Teen Athletes Make the Grade: How To Help Your Child Maintain Grades While Participating in Sports.” DisneyFamily.com. Disney, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

Mathews, Jay. “Self-Discipline May Beat Smarts as Key to Success.” The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company, 17 Jan. 2006. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

Will You Accept This Relationship? My Love/Hate Battle With The Bachelorette

       

 

         Pop culture is like your opponent in a boxing match: you can run from it, but you can’t hide. The ubiquitous nature of popular culture is inescapable, encompassing television shows, video games, smartphones and social media. Pop culture has evolved considerably over the years, and the degree of influence on its audience can be debated. Many people support and encourage the use of pop culture in their homes, while others attempt to keep it out of their lives entirely. This is also true for each specific medium: some people will love it and some people will hate it. However, the interesting perspective comes in a grey area; this perspective involves both a love and a hate for media. I have this love/hate relationship with a show that I have been watching for several seasons: The Bachelorette. The drama, romanticism, and media associated with The Bachelorette lead me to an inconclusive decision on my standpoint of the show.

 

            To begin, the drama on The Bachelorette is an aspect of the show I both love and hate. Although you wouldn’t expect a group of guys to generate a lot of drama, they do on this show. This is probably because they are all competing for the same girl’s love, and tend to get jealous if

another’s relationship is progressing more than their own. The drama is entertaining and complex, keeping the audience on their toes. As recalled by “Bachelorette Recap: Desiree Breaks Down Over James Bombshell, Three Sent Home,” several of the guys became obsessive over one contestant’s motives on the show and went behind his back to tell the bachelorette their hostile opinion about him. This caused tension in the house full of guys and even caused James to become emotional in front of the bachelorette (“Bachelorette Recap”). The drama within the show allows for the audience to pick sides, determining which guy they like best and think would be the perfect fit for the girl. I love this about the show because it allows you to be the “fly on the wall,” seeing every aspect of every character.  However, the drama can be overly annoying and often seems staged. The seemingly real aspect of the show is the best part, yet when the men do things out of character, it seems as if the producers made them do these things to generate drama on the show. I hate staged drama within the show. The drama isn’t the only aspect of the show that leaves me on the fence about my feelings for The Bachelorette; I am also skeptical of the beautiful, fun loving romanticism.

            The romanticism involved in The Bachelorette, being sometimes endearing but other times fake, contributes to my love/hate relationship with The Bachelorette. I love watching the romantic, amazing dates that the contestants go on, and watching their relationships grow. I love admiring their connections and feeling envious yet hopeful of having their love. However, at times it seems as if the romanticism is unreal just as the drama often seems. This fakeness is obvious when the contestants

speak of how in love they are with the girl, or how much heart ache the bachelorette caused them upon sending them off the show, when they have only known her for two weeks. I hate that it is in the back of my head that the contestants might not be showing their true selves, acting instead as the producers want them to, in order to gain more viewers for the show. Affirmed by Rachel Dubrofsky, author of “Therapeutics of the Self: Surveillance in the Service of the Therapeutic,” reality-based TV refers to creating fictitious text by placing people into real situations. This is often a bad representation of what actually happened since only a small percentage of footage shot is actually used (265-266). The Bachelorette’s romanticism, being something to be jealous yet distrustful of, adds to my uncertainty of my feelings on the show.

 

            The media associated with The Bachelorette also leaves me conflicted as to whether I love or hate The Bachelorette. I love the great and numerous fan base that is involved in the show. The fan

base is particularly evident through Twitter, and is interesting to read other peoples live opinions on the show.  The media associated with the show is fun because the fan base largely involves young female adults who I can relate to and discuss with. Having a relatable fan base that I can interact with is one of my favorite parts of the show. However, nothing is worse than a spoiler. Every year, articles online and in magazines expose the ending of the season. An example of this is in Free Britney’s “The Bachelorette Spoilers: Ashley Hebert Suitors, Scandals, Final Four and Winner Revealed…,” where they have a “deluge of Bachelorette spoilers for you before the season premiere even airs” (Britney). This is the worst part about The Bachelorette, and upon accidentally coming across the spoiler, I feel no motivation to continue watching. The collective media, including the fan base and tabloids, influences my feelings toward The Bachelorette, leaving me inconclusive as to whether I love or hate the show.

            After considering three main parts of The Bachelorette: the drama, romanticism, and media, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot decide whether I love or hate it. I think that this is a good relationship to have with the show, because although pop culture is evolving, maybe it is better to accept its affect only partially. Maybe it is best to not become entirely wrapped up in it. Sitting on the fence allows me to enjoy it without becoming overly obsessed with it. It is healthy for people to feel this way about all aspects of pop culture. With that being said, I invite you to examine the aspects of pop culture in your life and attempt to find the balance between loving and hating it. Our job, as the audience and users of pop culture, is to keep a leash on it, allowing ourselves to love it, but also restrain its effect on us.

  

Works Cited

“Bachelorette Recap: Desiree Breaks Down Over James Bombshell, Three Sent Home.” Gossip Cop. N.p. 1 July 2013. Web. 18 October 2013.

Britney, Free. “The Bachelorette Spoilers: Ashley Hebert Suitors, Scandals, Final Four and Winner Revealed…” The Hollywood Gossip. N.p. 23 May 2011. Web. 20 October 2013.

Dubrofsky, Rachel E. “Therapeutics of the Self.” Television & New Media 8.4 (2007); 263-284. EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.

 

Higher Education: Making the Right Choice

          Most people have heard the infamous saying: “money can’t buy happiness.” This is most frequently true, considering feelings versus materialistic objects, but can money buy a fulfilling career? There is not a single correct answer to this question, and this is a struggle for analytical people such as myself. A four year university is an expensive route to take, but can indeed lead to a fulfilling career. It is not just that simple, however. Determining if a higher education is worth the cost involves a complex equation with several variables. Although supporters of higher education believe that anyone and everyone should go to and experience a four year university, it is only of value to a select group of people who possess natural intellectualism, motivation, and have an academic interest in a career with promising job prospects that can support their college loan debt. For people on the outside of this whirlwind of confusion and criteria, other options are more fulfilling.

            Motivation and natural born intellectualism are the main points to consider in determining if one should attend a four year university. There are three types of people in the world. One group is highly motivated but not academically inclined. The next group is intellectually sound, but lacks motivation. The last group of people excels, being both highly academic and motivated.  In order to attend a four year university, it is essential to be in this last group. You must have both the mental capability and capacity to do the work. The mental capability represents being an intellectual, and having the capacity means being motivated enough to get your work done and last the duration of the four years. Charles Murray describes in his essay “Are Too Many People Going to College?” that students in the top percentiles are the ones who should attend a four year university because they are good at understanding “complex intellectual material,” and because of this, it is enjoyable for them (227). This is important to consider because students who enjoy what they are doing are more likely to succeed and stay motivated. The natural born intellectualism and motivation combined are the qualities a student must have to attend a four year university.

            Upon meeting the above criteria, the next step in determining if a four year university is right for you is examining your career interest. To begin, if you do not have a career interest, a four year university is not the right place for at this time. It would be of more value to you to spend some time figuring out what you are most interested in, whether it is by researching, gaining on the job experience, or talking to a career counselor. Moving on, it is important to research the job prospects of the career that you are interested in. This is important because getting a bachelor’s degree doesn’t guarantee you a job in your area of academic interest. You don’t want to pay tens of thousands of dollars for your degree just to end up working as a cashier at Wal-Mart. That brings me to my next point: manageable debt. It is especially important to research the salary of your career of interest as well as tuition at a four year university in order to determine if your college debt will be manageable to pay with your starting salary at your job after college. Robin Wilson writes in his essay “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely,” that “higher debt makes sense for people who earn degrees in law, business and medicine because they are much more capable of landing high-paying jobs and paying off larger loans” (259). Researching the job outlook of your academic interest and surveying the amount of debt you would be able to manage are key steps in determining if you should go to a four year university.

There are other options for life after high school besides going to a four year university, and other options have the potential to be more fulfilling to people who do not fit into the criteria that has been previously discussed. Other options include a technical institute, community college, going directly into a career, and other certificate oriented careers. Technical school would be more favorable to those who prefer to work with their hands. A community college would be favorable to those who are interested in a career

where having an associate’s degree meets the job requirement. Additionally, going to a community college can be a less expensive place to experience college and see if you will be able to make it at a four year university. According to Richard Fonte, author of “The Community College Alternative,” community colleges offer freshman and sophomore level classes that can affordably transfer to a four year university (420). There are a wide range of opportunities for life after high school; upon not meeting the criteria to attend a four year university, which was previously discussed, the other options should be explored.

Impacting my own life, a four year university was the right choice for me. I meet the criteria. I have always been intellectual and motivated throughout high school, and know I can continue throughout four years of college. Additionally, I plan to be a pharmacist which has a very good job outlook and good pay that makes the debt from pharmacy school manageable. I know that it is what I want to do and what will make me most happy. Because I meet the criteria, pursuing a higher education is definitely worth it for me; it is worth the time, money, and effort. It is essential for everyone to consider this complex equation before making a decision regarding what to do with your life after high school. Money can buy you a degree if you possess the initial qualities to make it through college, but that doesn’t mean that the four year degree will give everyone happiness in their careers. I invite you to access yourself before determining if you are making the right choice.

 

For more information and a quiz to determine what type of career would be of the most interest to you, visit the following link: http://joboutlook.gov.au/careerquiz.aspx .

Works Cited

Fonte, Richard. "The Community College Alternative." Academic Questions 24.4 (2011): 419-428. EBSCO MegaFILE. Web. 29 Sept. 2013.

Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst, eds. “They Say/I Say”:The Moves That Matter In Academic Writing: With Readings. 2^nd ed.  New York: Norton, 2012. Print.

Murray, Charles. “Are Too Many People Going to College?”. Graff, Birkenstein, and Durst 222-42. Print.

Wilson, Robin. “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely.” Graff, Birkenstein, and Durst 256-72. Print.