Running is a love-hate relationship for almost everyone, and I can agree I have my highs and lows. With having these plateaus and dips in my performances and training I've never felt more like I enjoy running. I've kept growing over the past few months of my sophomore year in track and I can say for sure it's one of the most amazing things I've ever done. I've been very motivated and I find myself thinking about how I can get better almost every time I daydream... which is a lot. I have very good competition in my conference and district and I'm very blessed to have some on my team, too. I'm currently at a high 62 for my 400m time and I would love to drop it down lower by the end of this season. I've started faster than I did last year, so I consider it a win so far! I'm taking training a lot more seriously and have started weight lifting. I already see a performance difference and gained a lot more strength. I run cross country as well but don't perform as proficiently as I do in track. I ran 23-25 minutes but enjoyed practice, and I only have that to thank for the endurance I've built up over the years.
Other than running I enjoy basketball, painting, and making music. I was on varsity this past sophomore year and enjoyed every minute of it. As far as painting goes, I'm just starting to sell paintings and get commissions for whenever I have the time to crank one out. I've entered into contests and gotten best of the show and sold four paintings at a decent price and it's definitely a very fun hobby to have. Music is another thing I am very passionate about in my life. I was brought up around a brother without sight so he spent so much time listening to music. Though they were mostly classic rock songs, I was always singing. Finally, my mom let me get piano lessons and I've been playing ever since. I competed at a small group contest and got the highest, a division I, rating. I have performed live at an open mic twice and it is, again, a very important and fun hobby to have. With all of this going on, I'm very busy almost every week balancing my joys with necessities. I enjoy the chaos, though! I, strangely enough, love to take notes and take pride in how hard I study for tests. I'm hard working and do not quit. I don't like to show anything that I have to offer if I know it wasn't as good as I could have made it. I enjoy expanding my horizons as well. Any new thing I can try, whether it be a sport like ultimate frisbee or basket weaving, I'm down to try it.
My goals are to not let college hinder my joys but to help me experience more. High school sports and experiences are a one-time thing, but so is going to college. It's what will help you get a job and know how to survive financially and mentally in this world. I want to come out of it being the best I can be knowing that I made the most of my experience and gave everything I had into whatever I committed to. Of course, sacrifice comes with every new opportunity but I have no doubt in my mind when I find the right college and people to surround myself with it will all be worth it.
Though I've learned a lot of people skills, study skills, the importance of doing work and how much a little more effort makes, I'm ready to take on more responsibilities and have a solid foundation throughout college that I hopefully will figure out by myself and lay down. It was hard when I switched schools in fifth grade but it brought me into such a healthier environment and taught me how change is good! I'm in one of the best possible schools, in my opinion, and was blessed to have good learning programs and sports programs. I had to start asking for help throughout my 8th-9th grade year when my learning felt like it hit a wall. I'm doing a lot better and I have found a balanced way to stay on top of my school work and my many extracurriculars I enjoy so much. Hence why I'm very proud to tell you all about it. I still have a long ways to go and a long ways to grow but I hope it will continue into college and be one of the best experiences of my life and heighten others experiences as well!
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