I was miserable. I was starting to realize maybe this job just is not for me. After coming close to quitting multiple times I stuck it out hoping that in three years maybe it will get better.
My dream is to become a sports journalist and my first step toward that goal was to write for the UMBC student newspaper. I wrote on my high school newspaper but it was more of a quarterly flier than anything. Weekly dead lines, 700 word counts, interviews, it was all so new to me. But I wanted to at least give it a shot.
When I went to my first meeting there was already an issue out, meaning I was just there to take what ever assignment was left. I wanted to write men’s soccer because I’ve known the coach my entire life, but that wasn’t an option. Women’s soccer was all that was left. While I almost walked out, I took it anyway. That is where I was second guessing my dream. They were not fun to watch, I had to write about a game that nothing happened in, and had to talk to people who just did not want to talk.
But after sticking it out things took a turn up. I covered two championship teams, and a team that had their best season in 10 years. I was promoted to head sports writer, received a significant pay raise, and got a lot of experience writing.
It turned out the sports writing gig isn’t so bad and it may work out.
The point: Your dreams aren’t just achieved, you have to work toward them.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
It' always darkest before the dawn
The moment I stepped on the campus as UMBC I knew that my main goal was to write for the campus newspaper. My dream was to be a professional sports writer and this was my chance to practice it. I always loved sports. I always liked talking about them. This was my chance to take a big step during my dream. But I knew there would be challenges. I’ve never writen for a newspaper before. I wrote for my high school paper just one year and it was more of a quartely flier than a newspaper. Weekly deadlines, interviewing, word counts, it was all so new to me, but I was determined to at least give it a shot.
When I went to my first meeting there was already one issue of the paper out, meaning assignments had already been given out and I was there to just take what ever was left. I went in wanting to write men’s soccer. I’ve known the coach my whole life and wanted to write for his team, but that wasn’t an option. My choices were to leave or cover a women’s soccer team who did not even win a game the season before. Though I was very tempted to just walk away bcause at that point the sport of soccer was still new to me, I took the assignment just to get on the paper and figured that maybe by my senior year I could move up.
I was miserable. The team just did not play well, I was forced to sit and watch a team get shut out twice a week, and I had to write 700 words on a game that nothing happened in. Was this what I was going to have to do every day after I graduated? I started to think this sports writing gig is not all it’s cracked up to be. I came close to quitting a few times but every time I did something prevented me from speaking, possibly my brain telling me I’m going to have to work my way up before I cover anything big.
Well, it turned out that things went a lot faster for me after I stuck it out. My next three teams to cover were the men’s basketball team, who nobody wanted because they had a bad losing tradition, baseball, who nobody wanted for the same reason, and men’s lacrosse, who nobody else wanted because they lost a lot of talent and were expected to do poorly. But as it turned out the basketball and lacrosse teams each won a conference tournament and the baseball team had their best season in 10 years. I was promoted to head sports writer, received a significant pay raise, and I was well known by everybody in the athletic department because not only want I working hard to cover the sports (during march I wrote eight articles a wek because the seasons were overlapping and I had to cover basketball, men’s lacrosse, baseball, track and field, and several features that went with those articles) but I was getting great experience in writing and then was granted men’s soccer the following year.
Now, I’m thrilled, having fun, writing what I enjoy.
The Point: You have to work your way up and do things you do not enjoy before you you dreams can come true.
When I went to my first meeting there was already one issue of the paper out, meaning assignments had already been given out and I was there to just take what ever was left. I went in wanting to write men’s soccer. I’ve known the coach my whole life and wanted to write for his team, but that wasn’t an option. My choices were to leave or cover a women’s soccer team who did not even win a game the season before. Though I was very tempted to just walk away bcause at that point the sport of soccer was still new to me, I took the assignment just to get on the paper and figured that maybe by my senior year I could move up.
I was miserable. The team just did not play well, I was forced to sit and watch a team get shut out twice a week, and I had to write 700 words on a game that nothing happened in. Was this what I was going to have to do every day after I graduated? I started to think this sports writing gig is not all it’s cracked up to be. I came close to quitting a few times but every time I did something prevented me from speaking, possibly my brain telling me I’m going to have to work my way up before I cover anything big.
Well, it turned out that things went a lot faster for me after I stuck it out. My next three teams to cover were the men’s basketball team, who nobody wanted because they had a bad losing tradition, baseball, who nobody wanted for the same reason, and men’s lacrosse, who nobody else wanted because they lost a lot of talent and were expected to do poorly. But as it turned out the basketball and lacrosse teams each won a conference tournament and the baseball team had their best season in 10 years. I was promoted to head sports writer, received a significant pay raise, and I was well known by everybody in the athletic department because not only want I working hard to cover the sports (during march I wrote eight articles a wek because the seasons were overlapping and I had to cover basketball, men’s lacrosse, baseball, track and field, and several features that went with those articles) but I was getting great experience in writing and then was granted men’s soccer the following year.
Now, I’m thrilled, having fun, writing what I enjoy.
The Point: You have to work your way up and do things you do not enjoy before you you dreams can come true.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Talking the Talk
Word Count: 225
If anybody has met either me or my brother they will know that we are both very outgoing people and not afraid to speak up. While that does not seem like it is uncommon, when looking at our cousins who are all shy it is quite interesting. But it did not happen by accident.
When I was growing up there was one major thing that caused my outgoing nature. Whenever I wanted to know something I had to be the one to ask it. It did not matter if I was five, my dad would not be the one to speak up and ask somebody a question for me.
If I wanted to sell something for a school Christmas drive, I had to be the one to call up and ask people to buy stuff, neither he nor my mother would call up for us. If I wanted a refill on soda at a restaurant, I had to get the waitresses attention and ask her.
While I never quite understood why my dad had to put me in an awkward situation of interacting with strangers when I was little I realize now how beneficial it was and why he did it and I’m thankful for it because I now have very good social skills, unlike my cousins or many other people I know my age.
Point of Story: The only way to become a social person is to be a social person. Waiting for somebody else to strike up a conversation is not the way to be a social person you have to be willing to put up with the early awkward situation to become impervious to it later.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
High School was Great, Middle School- not so much
Word Count: 188
I remember the exact moment I realized how great my educational experience at Calvert Hall was. I was sitting in my economics lecture of 200 people with my friends, who was thinking about joining but decided not to because she was afraid of big lectures. I was not afraid of any big lectures like my friend, I had two a day for four years of high schools it was nothing new to me. That and scheduled free periods in high school to teach you how to manage your breaks in college were taken for granted, but looking back they were great.
I thought going into middle school it was going to be great, but they really tried to make it a college prep middle school, as odd as that sounds. We got pushed into majors and half our day was spent studying that. I was not interested in any of them at the time but I was stuck with it. I was not ready to have that type of education but had to, it was not very enjoyable, there was too much work and I was only 11.
I remember the exact moment I realized how great my educational experience at Calvert Hall was. I was sitting in my economics lecture of 200 people with my friends, who was thinking about joining but decided not to because she was afraid of big lectures. I was not afraid of any big lectures like my friend, I had two a day for four years of high schools it was nothing new to me. That and scheduled free periods in high school to teach you how to manage your breaks in college were taken for granted, but looking back they were great.
I thought going into middle school it was going to be great, but they really tried to make it a college prep middle school, as odd as that sounds. We got pushed into majors and half our day was spent studying that. I was not interested in any of them at the time but I was stuck with it. I was not ready to have that type of education but had to, it was not very enjoyable, there was too much work and I was only 11.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Poker Night- More Than About Card Games
Word Count: 254
I believe in poker night. It’s a night where friends get together and enjoy themselves. There is no need for money, just competitiveness. There is nothing to lose except the gratification of victory.
It’s a night of six friends, sitting around a round table sharing stories or their week and making jokes to make the others laugh.
It’s a night of doing what you want. There is usually a bowl of chips and dip, nachos, sandwiches, sodas, water, and more often than not beer.
It’s a night where guys can just be themselves. Unless your significant other is part of the group they are not invited because at Poker night there is no need to impress anybody, just be yourself and have fin with your buddies.
It’s a night of bonding. You can invite new people over to play and see if they fit in with your crowd.
On poker night the card games, whether it is Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Five Draw, Five Stud, or Seven Stud, or who knows you may throw in an occasional game of Black Jack just to mix it up a little more, the game is not even the main point of the night, it’s just a setting for the fun.
Poker night is about hanging out with your friends you haven’t seen after a rough week of work or school.
It’s a time away from reality. Nothing else matters, it’s just about being with your friends and playing cards and getting away from all the problem you have.
I believe in poker night. It’s a night where friends get together and enjoy themselves. There is no need for money, just competitiveness. There is nothing to lose except the gratification of victory.
It’s a night of six friends, sitting around a round table sharing stories or their week and making jokes to make the others laugh.
It’s a night of doing what you want. There is usually a bowl of chips and dip, nachos, sandwiches, sodas, water, and more often than not beer.
It’s a night where guys can just be themselves. Unless your significant other is part of the group they are not invited because at Poker night there is no need to impress anybody, just be yourself and have fin with your buddies.
It’s a night of bonding. You can invite new people over to play and see if they fit in with your crowd.
On poker night the card games, whether it is Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Five Draw, Five Stud, or Seven Stud, or who knows you may throw in an occasional game of Black Jack just to mix it up a little more, the game is not even the main point of the night, it’s just a setting for the fun.
Poker night is about hanging out with your friends you haven’t seen after a rough week of work or school.
It’s a time away from reality. Nothing else matters, it’s just about being with your friends and playing cards and getting away from all the problem you have.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Peace Symbol Revisited
Word count: 298
The peace symbol shows that an image outweighs it’s meaning. For 51 years the peace symbol has been one of the most powerful in the world, but its meaning has changed over time. While the meaning behind it has changed, the symbol’s meaning has not.
In 1958 Gerald Holton designed the logo as a symbol for nuclear disarmament. As it seems, the symbol is simple. It has three parts, a circle, a straight line, and a v-shaped line. The three pieces superimposed created the peace symbol. From that moment the image was seen as a symbol of good and hope and…peace.
But what does each piece mean? First, the v-shaped line means the letter N (for nuclear) in semaphore flag signaling system. Next is the straight line, which is the letter D (for disarmament). Finally there is the circle, which actually has no original meaning. It was originally just added to make the symbol look better than just two lines.
In the 1960’s the image came to American and was adopted by Hippies and the intent completely changed. Hippies originally intended for the symbol to be a symbol against materialism. The image looked like a chicken’s foot and they embraced it, showing they did not care about material things. But the symbol’s meaning still did not change. The symbol was still seen as a symbol for piece rather than anti-materialism.
The symbol was then used to represent unity, as the three branches merged into one line. Also at this point the circle around the symbol had meaning- the world. The symbol was intended to mean world unity and betterment.
Despite the original meaning of nuclear disarmament, the hippie meaning of anti-materialism, and the newest intended meaning of unity, the symbol is still only known for one thing: Peace.
The peace symbol shows that an image outweighs it’s meaning. For 51 years the peace symbol has been one of the most powerful in the world, but its meaning has changed over time. While the meaning behind it has changed, the symbol’s meaning has not.
In 1958 Gerald Holton designed the logo as a symbol for nuclear disarmament. As it seems, the symbol is simple. It has three parts, a circle, a straight line, and a v-shaped line. The three pieces superimposed created the peace symbol. From that moment the image was seen as a symbol of good and hope and…peace.
But what does each piece mean? First, the v-shaped line means the letter N (for nuclear) in semaphore flag signaling system. Next is the straight line, which is the letter D (for disarmament). Finally there is the circle, which actually has no original meaning. It was originally just added to make the symbol look better than just two lines.
In the 1960’s the image came to American and was adopted by Hippies and the intent completely changed. Hippies originally intended for the symbol to be a symbol against materialism. The image looked like a chicken’s foot and they embraced it, showing they did not care about material things. But the symbol’s meaning still did not change. The symbol was still seen as a symbol for piece rather than anti-materialism.
The symbol was then used to represent unity, as the three branches merged into one line. Also at this point the circle around the symbol had meaning- the world. The symbol was intended to mean world unity and betterment.
Despite the original meaning of nuclear disarmament, the hippie meaning of anti-materialism, and the newest intended meaning of unity, the symbol is still only known for one thing: Peace.
Friday, October 9, 2009
No Nukes? Anti-Materialism? Unity? No it means Peace
Word Count: 351
The peace symbol is a perfect example of an image outweighing the meaning behind it. For 51 years the peace symbol has been one of the most powerful symbols in the world, but the meaning behind the symbol has never been the same. But no matter what the meaning behind the symbol was it still always meant peace.
In 1958 British artist Gerald Holtom designed the logo, but it was not intended to be a symbol for peace, it was intended purely to be a symbol for nuclear disarmament. As it seems, the symbol is simple. It is comprised of three parts, a circle, a straight line, and a v-shaped line. The three pieces superimposed created the peace symbol. From that moment the image was seen as a symbol of good and hope and…peace.
But what does each piece mean? First, the v-shaped line means the letter N (for nuclear) in semaphore flag signaling system. Next is the straight line, which is the letter D (for disarmament) in the semaphore flag signaling system. Finally there is the circle. But actually the circle had no original meaning. It was originally just added to make the symbol look better than just two lines.
Then the image came to
The symbol was then used to represent unity, as the three branches merged into one line. It was also this point that the circle around the symbol had meaning- the world. The symbol was intended to mean world unity- a united world to better life and earth.
But despite the original meaning of nuclear disarmament, the hippie meaning of anti-materialism, and the newest intended meaning of unity, the symbol is still only known for one thing: Peace.
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