Sophomore Year

Sophomore year is coming to a close and I could not be any happier about that. Although it was not as bad as freshman year in which I contemplated faking sick just about every morning just because I couldn’t stand everything that was going on at school. Sophomore year has come and gone rather quickly now that I think about it; it started as drag because I was the new kid again. But as I started to get more comfortable in my classes the year started to roll on like it should.

This year I have learned many valuable lessons. One of which is something I wish my peers would understand. I learned that its not going to matter that you were popular in high school in five years; there is no point in trying to be someone that you are not just so you can seem like a cool person. Admittedly when I started to get more friends I started conforming to how everyone else was acting and I really didn’t like it at all. So lately I’ve been keeping a small circle of friends, which I think will benefit me in the long run. Having two or three close friends cannot even be compared to having lots of friends.

Most of all this year I learned that if I really put my mind to something I can be successful. My schoolwork this year hasn’t been what I know it can be, but I believe whenever I buckle down and put my mind to it I will get done what needs to be done. And the same thing goes for baseball; I started the season off a little slow but now I am one of the top players in the conference. I knew I could perform better so I decided that I was going to be best player possible and I have accomplished that. 

Appearances

The age old saying of, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is a well-known saying when it comes to appearances. We can all more than likely accuse ourselves of judging someone just by the way they look. Personally, I do this every time I play against a team I have never played before; I’m sure they do the same thing which is in our human nature. Appearance is the first thing we see, so naturally our first thoughts are going to be good or bad. True, we can not change this but it is possible to change our mindset.

First time I usually see a girl I think ugly or cute right away; I don’t think if they have a nice personality or if they are a good person. This is one of the many changes I wish I could make. The only way for me to or anyone to do that would to see people as the same until you have a chance to get to know them.

I may appear to be a quiet and shy person at first but those who take the time to get to know me figure out that I’m actually and normal person who knows jokes, and the daily news. I understand that I could be considered a jock since I play many sports, but I’m generally a nice person unless you make me angry for some reason. I won’t judge someone if they don’t play sports; I will treat them the same as my teammates.

Appearance is the first thing we see and base a person off, maybe one day we can judge a person after we get to know them instead of before.

Inside Your Head

Baseball is at the top of my head because it always seems to be on my mind. I've played the game since I was a small child and it has become an intricate part of my life. Most of the time during school I catch myself thinking about what pitch I am going to throw in a 2-2 count instead of what 2x=9y-67 is equal to. Baseball also ties in with two other things on my head which are future and success.

I want to have a successful future no matter what I turn out to become. But I hope and pray with all my heart is has something to do with baseball. I can't imagine myself sitting at a desk all day thinking about what I could've been. Thats one motivation that gets me through the boring school days.

Near the middle I have "Family-Bros" family is an important part of my life because they keep me on the right path. But I feel like having 'Friends' doesn't cut it sometimes. You need the special people in your life to be more of family than friends because when it comes down to it sometimes all you will have is family.

Teen Problems

 

There are many factors that are involved with teens issues, some problems may come from a poor upbringing, but most teens have been taught enough throughout their lives to now how to make "good" decisions. Teens rely on their friends much of the time so some of their personal choices will come from them. Therefore the main problem with teens is peer pressure.

Teens often feel that because their friends do something that makes it appropriate for them to do it as well. They follow along because they feel the need to fit in with everyone else. But peer pressure is not always bad; some friends provide positive influences which can affect everyone. This is not always the case and the negative influences out way the positives.

If teens can learn to say no then it can slowly start a movement to improve how teens think. Many teens don't realize that they can say no to their friends. It may be "social suicide" but that never lasts, people will actually respect you for going against what everyone else believes to be cool.

Some ways that teens can avoid being put into such situations are choosing what friends you hang around, make sure they are not going to do something that would make you feel uncomfortable. Also, make up excuses to why you can not do some things; possibly lie if you have to.

What makes me come alive

I am usually a pretty laid back guy; not having to many worries about life or what it consists of. But there has always been one thing that brings out a different person in me. And that is baseball. I have played baseball since I was about four years old. Not only is it just a game I play, it is a part of my life. Ever since I picked up a bat thinking that I was David Ortiz of the Boston Redsoxs hitting a game winning home run I fell in love. But as I have grown older I have realized there are more than game winning home runs. There are all the pitches in between that count as well. This has kind of became a metaphor for how I think about my life.

Whenever my feet hit the diamond I feel like a changed person. And this feeling doesn't even compare to when I step onto the mound. There is a certain bliss I reach; almost a home away from home. It's me against them, there is nothing my coach, teammates or my father can do for me. I become so relaxed it makes me crave the next time I will be back. This is what makes me come alive.

Society

Societies main problem is the media. Media is a part of everyones daily life, whether we are into celebrities, music, sports or even the daily news we all get some of the media. The media is a problem because it blows everything out of proportion and creates its own stories without them being true. Since this generation is moving more into the age of technology, they are being filled with the media constantly. This teaches us from a young age some bad values that we take into adulthood.

The music being released nowadays is hardly music. If you listen to a song for the first time you probably won't be able to understand what the 'Artists' are saying. But if you listen to the song a few times the words get stuck in your head and you start thinking about them. The song starts to make sense, you don't realize how vulgar the lyrics are and you think of it as normal.

There is really no way to stop the media anymore; the only thing that could stop the media is a apocalypse. It is so prevalent in todays world that there is no way to stop the power that the media has been given.

Self-Scrutiny

If life had a Whole Person Score I think the attributes included be about who we are as person. Not just if were nice to people a couple times a week, but if we are truly good people all of the time. At school, work, Wal-Mart, and even at home when we are alone. It should also include if we respect our own selves by trying to eat healthy and stay in shape.

The rubric would look something like this:

5- Respectful of others around you (Family, Friends, Strangers)
4- Courteous to your family and friends
3- Straight forward with your family
2- Self centered
1- Doesn't care about anything

5- Care for yourself physically and mentally
4- Keep your mental and physical needs in check
3- Occasionally care for yourself
2- Rarely tend to yourself
1- Never do anything

I would give myself a nine on my rubric. I try my hardest to keep myself in good physical state so I can meet the needs of sports and other activities. I also do my best to be the best person I can to other people. You never know what they are going through or what problems they may be encountering.