Ignorance does not a hero make

To me, a hero doesn’t have to leap tall buildings in a single bound, doesn’t have to dress up like a bat, doesn’t have to get bitten by a radioactive spider. In my opinion, what constitutes a hero is someone that is willing to relentlessly face fear and make the necessary sacrifices to accomplish their goals. However, by fear and sacrifice I don’t mean having to save an old woman from a burning building or having to create an alter ego. The fears can be as simple (and as prevalent) as not knowing what to do for a living, and a sacrifice can be as simple as giving up fatty foods for a diet. Under this broad definition, anyone from any walk of life can be a hero.

NOT ALL HEROES DRESS UP IN TIGHTS. THEY ARE OFTEN EVERYDAY PEOPLE. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaVjchmX-eY          

OH YEAH, I WENT THERE. ENRIQUE GIVES HIS DEFINITION OF A HERO.

  Despite this encompassing perception, I don’t view Alice as a hero. Sure, one could give example upon example of instances where she threw all caution and inhibition to the wind. She chased after a hind-leg walking, waist coat wearing, talking rabbit. When the rabbit went down the rabbit hole, “down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the word she was to get out again.”[1] Hell, that would freak out a grown man. She voluntarily ingested various substances that altered her height. At first she was slightly apprehensive, but by the end of the book, she was downing cake and drink like they were Flintstone vitamins. She reasoned that “something interesting is sure to happen.”[2] There are even those philosopher types that will say that Alice “encourages us to ‘know thyself’”[3] and “insists upon learning through experience.”[4]

Well, I’m not buying it. In my opinion, Alice was simply a typical seven-year-old girl: curious, dumb, and whiny. Stupidity can often be confused with bravery and heroics, never more so than in Alice in Wonderland. When she went down that rabbit hole, it wasn’t out of courage, but out of sheer inquisitiveness. She had never seen such a rabbit, so she (as ignorant people often do) blindly chased after it, not once thinking about the consequences. Her ostensible bravery is simply a mask for the fact that she is growing “curiouser and curiouser.”[5] The fact that she figured out how to control her size through food and drink was one of the few (perhaps even only) moments of brilliance she had in Wonderland. It is a lonely moment of enlightenment surrounded by a pool of foolishness. Also, while it is true that Alice asked the question “Who in the world am I?”[6], it is a riddle that she never answers. The closest she comes to a solution is saying that she “hardly knows”[7] who she is. Even then, the reason for her identity crisis does not stem some deep self-reflection, but as a result of her “being so many different sizes in a day.”[8] As for that whole discovery learning shpeel? Alice often reverted to asking others, like the Cheshire Cat or the Footman, what she should do. For example, she asks the “which way [she] ought to go from here.”[9] It is only after they gave her infuriatingly useless answers that she makes up her mind.

IN MY OPINION, ALICE OFTEN ACTED BECAUSE SHE WAS NAIVE, NOT HEROIC. 

It is for these reasons that I don’t see Alice as a hero. She behaved probably as any of us would have at her age. It is one thing to knowingly face obstacles (that is heroic), and an entirely different thing to face barriers as a result of one’s own idiocy.

---

[1] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 12

[2] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 38

[3] “How Alice Leads/Is a Hero”, E603A Course Anthology, Amber Berchlath, X692A

[4] “How Alice Leads/Is a Hero”, E603A Course Anthology, Amber Berchlath, X692A

[5] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 20

[6] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 23

[7] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 47

[8] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 48

[9] Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 65

"I think board games can all have the same name: which one of my friends is a competitive asshole?" -Demetri Martin

                        These days, the UT campus is beaming with pride over its football team. Between the teams’ numerous appearances on prime-time television (3 weeks in a row!) and the fact that the tower might as well be permanently burnt orange at this point, an elevated sense of school-spirit has emerged. Post-game chants, signs in the Jester lobby, and even people’s facebook statuses have all been proclaiming the Longhorns’ spot at the top of the college football food-chain. Why does everyone care so much though? No one outside of that locker room has done anything to contribute to a win. No one outside of the locker room has paid the price during practice. Hell, a good portion of the people outside the locker room probably didn’t even watch football before they came here. Don’t worry, I’m not scolding us for having team spirit, but am instead pointing out that regardless of affiliation, people want to be associated with a winner. That third year biology student never played a down in his life, but since he goes to the school with the best football team in the land, he can rightfully raise his index finger proudly in the air. It simply stems from the fact that people, regardless of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, or interests, want to be connected with winners. People like to win—its human nature.

            I am no different. If I am participating in something that crowns a winner, I am going to do my best to make sure that I earn that distinction. By whatever means necessary (without resorting to cheating, of course). I believe that is what truly separates those who are winners in life (those that are successful, happy, accomplished) from those who are not: everyone wants to win, but not everybody is willing to make the necessary sacrifices to do so. I guess I have football to blame for this way of thinking. Every Wednesday we would have our “competition day,” which consisted of quite possibly the dumbest physical activities known to man. We didn’t even win anything other than respect from our peers and a brief sense of accomplishment. It didn’t matter though. Every player, including myself, wanted to win at sock wrestling and medicine ball basketball, and we fought tooth and nail to achieve that.

AS STUPID AS IT SEEMED AT THE TIME, CHALLENGES LIKE SOCK WRESTLING WENT A LONG WAY IN CREATING MY COMPETITIVE NATURE.

 Eyes were blackened, noses gushed blood, and lunches were regurgitated. It was days like these that taught me that it takes sacrifice to achieve goals; if you don’t have to fight for it, it is probably not worth having. That competitiveness carried over into my everyday life. I was by no means the smartest kid at my high school, I just outworked everyone else. When I play my young cousin in a game of Mario-Kart, I try to kick her ass. Its important to have an attitude such as this. That is how goals are reached and success is achieved.

          AH, THIS IS TOO TRUE. WHILE ONE SHOULD NEVER DO THIS TO ONE'S FRIENDS, ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT IF YOU AREN'T THE ONE PUSHING PEOPLE OVER, THEN YOU ARE MOST LIKELY BEING PUSHED. 

  However, that is not to say that the a good method to becoming a successful person is to simply be a competitive asshole. Compassion is necessary as well. If one goes through life stabbing people in the back, stepping on throats, or wins by cheating, then there will be no one left to share in and respect the success—and that is not true success, after all. That is how one gets “all the respectable inhabitants and well-to-do fellow-natives of the town against [them].” [1] Yet, no one ever got anywhere by letting people walk all over them, either. I found that, as with most things, the best way to accomplish goals is a midway point between the two. In this case, to always do the best that you can while surrounding yourself with those who do the same. By associating with the “fittest,” one becomes “fitter (more fit?).” I am always willing to help those who are having trouble understanding something or wanting to go over a homework together; yet, am not one of those who openly gives away answers. “I don’t like [to give answers] ‘out of charity’ at all.”[2] I enjoy helping those who are willing to help themselves, willing to put forth an effort. My friends and I often would lend each other a helping hand, for we wanted to see each other succeed. Yet, “the others that weren’t mine [friends] I didn’t feel so much for, as [is] natural.” [3] Also, this is a benefit because I know that those that I help would do the same for me in my time of need. Plus, there is no real pride to be had in a victory that occurs on an uneven playing field.

 WHILE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST, ACHIEVING SUCCESS IS HARDLY WORTHWHILE IF IT CAN'T BE ENJOYED WITH FRIENDS. ALSO, ONE'S PEERS ARE OFTEN THOSE CAN EXPLAIN THINGS THE BEST. IT IS ALSO GREAT TO HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT TRULY WANTS TO SEE EACH OTHER SUCCEED. 

1.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 196

2.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 133

3.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999), 273

 

 “Chasing a stupid dream…causes nothing but you and everyone around you heartache. Notre Dame is for rich kids…smart kids…great athletes. It’s not for us. You’re a Ruettiger.” [1]

            These words from the movie Rudy—a modern day Jude the Obscure—have resounded in my soul ever since I saw that film. I wish I had never seen it. It would have made my college selection much less painful, for that tear inducing hour-and-a-half changed my life. I knew from that moment on that I wanted to attend the University of Notre Dame. Hell, I wanted to be Rudy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsmzDL61oME

HERE ARE CLIPS FROM RUDY. THEY INSPIRED ME TO PURSUE ACCEPTANCE INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME.

My interest should have died down over the years (I mean a movie can only do so much), but the Irish simply kept creeping into my life. One of my parents’ best friends is a Notre Dame graduate, as is his son. Every time we went to his house, we had to walk through his room, though it would be more accurate to call it a Notre Dame shrine. The lights were covered with stained-glass leprechauns, blue and gold banners draped every wall, the coffee table was littered with books about their 11 national championships and 7 Heisman trophy winners, and I swear he must have had the fight song playing at all times. When I would go visit my grandmother every summer, I would often see her friend Ferd as well. Ferd, the brother of a priest and a man who is not afraid to voice his opinions, would always say that he loves three things “cigars, democrats, and Notre Dame.” He would go on for hours about how great of a school it was, and this is from a guy who didn’t even go there. I was enthralled with how much love and passion these people had for this school. I wanted to be a part of that.

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT OUR FAMILY FRIEND'S ROOM LOOKED LIKE. I LONGED TO BELONG TO A PLACE THAT EVOKED SUCH LOVE AND PASSION. 

I guess after hearing about how wonderful of a school it is all the time, I began to believe it. All of it; and I fell in love. As I grew older and actually began to consider schools, the Notre Dame was obviously the first one I checked. After my visit to the school, I came to the realization that “It would just suit me.” [2] It had everything I could have wanted in a school. The scenery, with its two lakes, endless trees, and awe-inspiring architecture, was unbelievable. The academics are obviously one of the top in the country. Catholicism was everywhere, from the grotto to the basilica on campus. The walls oozed tradition and history. It was the most surreal place I had ever been. It was truly a “castle, manned by scholarship and religion.” [3]

THE TOP PICTURE IS OF THE GOLDEN DOME, AND THE BOTTOM IS OF THE GROTTO. IT IS STRUCTURES LIKE THESE THAT MAKE NOTRE DAME SUCH A UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS.

Yet, there were definitely other reasons that I wanted to go to Notre Dame. I wanted to do something that no one at my school had ever done. The majority of college-eligible students from Crosby go to that place in College Station. No one had ever been accepted into Notre Dame. I wanted to accomplish something that the people in my town would remember and be proud of. My “dream was as gigantic as [my] surroundings were small.” [4] I worked really hard in high school, as well. I didn’t always want to, but what kept me going was the thought that it would all be worth it the day I got accepted into Notre Dame. So I sacrificed memories and friendship for my “lofty desire.” [5] As a result, I didn’t want to go somewhere that 10% of all Texas high schoolers could. I ignorantly felt like I deserved better. Also, I truly enjoyed the look of disbelief when I told people where I wanted to go to school. Going to a school like Notre Dame wasn’t even fathomable to them; it didn’t seem possible. I liked the fact that my acceptance letter brought tears of joy to my parents and grandparents. I wanted to make them proud. However, the biggest lure of the university stemmed from that damn line from the movie. I, like Jude, hated being told that there was a “place much too good for [me] ever to have much to do with.” [6] I guess when it comes down to it, when Rudy’s father tells him that Notre Dame “isn’t for us” I felt like he was talking to me too (as weird as that sounds). I wanted to prove him wrong while simultaneously proving to myself that I could compete and belong with these rich, smart kids.

    PART OF MY MOTIVATION WAS TO PROVE ALL OF THE HATERS WRONG. 

   Well, I was accepted to my dream school, but quickly learned that life is not like the movies. It seems that Notre Dame (and its $45,000 tuition) “hates all men like me”: middle class white people [7], as I was not offered a single dime. As a result, in my mind, Notre Dame “[stands] not so much for excellence as for exclusion.” [8] In the long run though, I am glad that I didn’t go. I love it here. It was just a stupid dream. And, on that note, I just have one thing left to say (will you join me, Mary?)…fuck Notre Dame. 

I NOW KNOW THAT THINGS TURNED OUT FOR THE BEST AND I AM SO GLAD THAT I CAME HERE. HOOK 'EM.

1. The movie Rudy.

2. Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 23

3. Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 23

4.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 20

5.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 24

6.Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, pg. 16

7. Unknown author, "The Writing on the Walls: From Premodern to Postmodern", X644

8.Unknown author, "The Writing on the Walls: From Premodern to Postmodern", X636

A Pair of Ls.

I can’t say that I would normally draw comparisons of my current everyday life to the adventures of Alice in Wonderland, but after being prompted to do so I guess her adventures do mirror my, albeit more mundane, experiences. There are seemingly endless parallels between her imaginary universe and the one that I am contemporarily residing in, some of which I will list and explain.

1)   The University of Texas’ commitment to discovery learning with several other characters in the book refusing to give Alice a straight answer.

The University of Texas is of the belief that students learn best through discovery learning, for “active learning supports the belief that knowledge can be constructed by you rather than received from a higher authority.”[1] Like Alice, we as students are in an environment much different than what we have become accustomed to in the first 18 years of our life. We are used to being presented with facts, a handout, or a PowerPoint that lists all we need to know about a subject. We never really had to think. However, now our professors expect us to learn things are our own; the process is no longer cut and dry. Doing so “forces [us] to confront [our] current ideas about the subject, many of which may be misconceptions, and reconcile them with what [we] now observe to be the case.” [2] Much like our teachers, the inhabitants often answer Alice’s question with a question. For example, the caterpillar tells Alice that “one side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter,” but he offers no further instructions [3]. Also, when Alice asks the Footsman how to get into the Duchesses house, he merely replies with “Are you to get in at all,” [4] and that she should do “anything [she] likes.” [5] Much like Alice, students come to the conclusion that when it comes to these kinds of professors, “there’s no use in talking to [them].” [6]

WHILE AT UT, IT IS THE STUDENTS WHO MUST MAKE THE DECISIONS, THE DISCOVERIES, SO THAT THEY MAY BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ANSWERS. 

2)   Every student’s unique degree, career, and life goals with the Caucus Race.

The majority of the students here at UT have a declared major, with the intention of using their degree to help them get a job in a field that requires such a degree. However, not everyone’s degree plans, career goals, or life goals are the same. For the most part, we are allowed to create a very unique path that will ultimately end in graduation. How we get to this finish line is up to us. In terms of accomplishing life goals, there is “no ‘One, two, three, and away!’” [7]. Instead, people begin “running when they like, and leave off when they like, so that it is not easy to know when the race is over.” [8]. Yet, in the end, if we all achieve our goals, then “everybody has won, and all must have prizes (satisfaction),” [9] just like in the Caucus Race.

EVERYONE IS A WINNER IN THE CAUCUS RACE, THOUGH THE TRACK IS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE.

3)   The amount of culture and city life that UT’s students are exposed to in Austin with Alice no longer being surprised by the odd things that are happening around her.

I have been exposed to so much since I have been here in this city and at this university. Coming from a small, conservative town, I experience something new nearly every time I go out, from an old man wearing a thong and a bra, to walking numbered streets, to having a professor that likes to dress up as his favorite Alice character. I am very confident that after I graduate form here, nothing (at least culturally) will surprise me anymore. Even at the beginning of her trip down the rabbit hole, nothing seemed too weird to Alice: she took it all in stride. She did not “think it so very much out of the way to hear the Rabbit say to itself ‘Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late’” [10] Like me, Alice “had got so much in the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.” [11] I have definitely learned to expect the unexpected.

I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SO MUCH AT THIS POINT THAT I THINK THAT IF I WERE TO SEE THE WHITE RABBIT, I WOULDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT.

4)   The temptation of drinking and partying with Alice’s willingness to drink and eat things.

After numerous instances where Alice ate something, she comes to the conclusion that eating and drinking in Wonderland will result in her changing size, or at least she “know[s] something interesting is sure to happen.” [12] After going to a few parties here, I can say that I came to the same conclusion. Enough said.

WHILE THE OUTCOME MAY BE GOOD OR BAD, ONE THING IS FOR SURE: WHEN YOU DRINK OR EAT THINGS AT PARTIES, SOMETHING INTERESTING IS BOUND TO HAPPEN.

5)   The sometimes confusing E603A course website with the poem about the Jabberwocky.

The E603A course website, while helpful, can at times be pretty confusing (though I think we discussed this enough in class already). Similarly confusing is the poem about the Jabberwocky whose first line reads “ ‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves” [12]. That is three fake words in one line. My spell check just went nuts by the way. However, they also both seem to be commonly popular. Apparently, this poem is one of the more memorable parts of the book, and Professor Bump’s former students all vividly remember their course website (though maybe not in a good way). To put in the words of Alice, “[they] seem very pretty, but [they’re] rather hard to understand.” [13]

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SCARY THE COURSE WEBSITE CAN BE.

 

 

1) “Discovery Learning”, X343D

2)“Discovery Learning”, X343D

3) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 53

4) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 59

5) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 59

6) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 59

7) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 31

8) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 31

9) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 31

10) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 11

11) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, pg. 19

12) Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Lewis Carroll, pg. 148

13) Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Lewis Carroll, pg. 150

 

 

P2: ROUGH DRAFT

 Since I am passionate about helping those who are injured, I have set before myself the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. However, I do not want to be just some run-of-the-mill doctor: a practitioner who simply blends in with the crowd and occupies no more than a tiny splotch on the orthopedic spectrum. Instead, I would love to bring a sense of deep compassion to my work place with the hopes of creating an atmosphere that would inspire my coworkers and patients alike. Friendliness and optimism would be of the utmost importance when interacting with patients—no more of the stark, grim projections and hollow relationships.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT I HOPE TO CONVEY AT MY WORKPLACE. HOPEFULLY, BY SHOWING THE PATIENTS THAT I TRULY CARE ABOUT THEM, THEY WILL BE MOTIVATED TO ATTACK THEIR REHAB RATHER THAN BE OVERWHELMED WITH SELF-PITY. [P1]

 While this is my ambition, I realize that I am a long way away from revolutionizing how surgeons interact with patients, let alone just being an orthopedic surgeon. The road to becoming a member of such a prestigious association of professionals is both a rigorous and treacherous one, but it is my mission and I have chosen to accept it. There are pitfalls on either side and there is really no room for failure, no proverbial safety net.

I AM METAPHORICALLY STANDING ON THIS BRIDGE RIGHT NOW. ITS CREAKY, THE ROPE ISN'T VERY STURDY, AND I BETTER NOT LOOK DOWN. [P2]

My journey began on August 27, 2008: my first day of class at UT. I am taking the first tier of pre-med requirements: the first rung on the surgeon’s ladder. So far I have had success in these classes, but it has been far from easy. I have seen many nights turn into mornings, P.M.s into A.M.s, in attempt to be prepared. The rest of my undergraduate career is mapped out as well. All in all, I will have to have not just taken but gotten A’s in five more biology classes, seven more chemistry classes, and four physics classes—it doesn’t help that I absolutely despised the sciences in high school. What makes it so infuriating is that the knowledge I will obtain in these next few years will most likely be of no use in medical school; a carpentry class (for that is essentially what surgery is) would be of more practical benefit). I just have to not focus on this fact and understand that, when chasing down any goal, certain sacrifices have to be made. These classes are meant to distinguish who the best students are: who is really cut out for the next step. I am willing to partake in such a competition and pay my dues as every other doctor before me has. If I happen to survive this gauntlet of academic torment, I must then face my biggest adversary yet: the stress-causing, sleep-depriving, soul-sucking MCAT.  Once this crucial battle is over (which hopefully ends with me stabbing the foul beast with my number two pencil), I can finally apply to medical school. Even then though, nothing is guaranteed.[1]

THE ROAD TO MED SCHOOL IS MUCH LIKE THE JOURNEY THAT FRODO TOOK THROUGH MIDDLE EARTH. BOTH END WITH A MOMENTOUS BATTLE. [P3]

 My future will reside in the hands of some admissions couselor; my dreams will depend on how well I look on a piece of paper, a medium that cannot fully convey a person’s desire nor their heart. If I do happen to (gasp!) get rejected from medical school, all hope is not lost. I could continue to reapply and, if my application is lacking in certain areas, a master’s degree is usually sufficient in making up for dificiencies. Yet, to me that simply translates into two more years of school, two more years of debt, two more years before I can truly start my adult life.

At this point in my hypothetical career odyssey, I would be twenty-two years old and just starting med school. What would follow is four more years of school that would be followed by a five year residency. When putting this into perspective, I can definitely understand why Dr. Marymont was not the most compassionate of people. Thirteen years of higher biology bludgeoning can do that to anybody. That will be the hardest part of my journey: keeping my personality and not letting the constant influx of knowledge replace my compassion, my original reason for taking up this profession. I cannot let my left brain completely overtake the right, for “gifted leadership occurs where heart and head—feelings and thought—meet.”[2] I think the best way to prevent myself from becoming an educational drone would be to get involved in different programs and organizations here at the university. I have recently joined the rugby team and plan to try out for the Texas Wranglers next semester. Now, I notice that these organizations have nothing to do with the medical field, but that is the point. Rugby has without a doubt kept my mind fresh these past few weeks—it is something I look forward to all day. Just as football provided an escape during my high school career, rugby is a way for me to break free from the clutches of books and pressure. Also, student organizations such as these would provide me with a new kind of education that would not be taught in medical school: everyday interaction with a wide variety of people. It is a way of honing my skill of relating and communicating with others. These non-traditional classrooms will enhance the skills I need to remain a compassionate person, to keep from “defining myself narrowly” and adopting the attitude that “I’m just a surgeon. You really ought to discuss this experience with someone else.”[3] However, even by remaining a compassionate person as I entered into the final stage of my career journey, my goal would still not be realized. Only after years of treating my patients with actual care, showing them the kind of compassion I longed for in my experience, and communicating this method of treatment to my coworkers and understudies could I consider myself a success. After all, a doctor is defined as “somebody who can fix things” [4] and that to me applies to more than just bones and ligaments but also emotions and egos.

I WANT TO PREVENT MY UPCOMING 13 YEARS OF EDUCATION FROM BURNING OUT MY BRAIN, SPECIFICALLY MY COMPASSION. I MEAN TO DO SO BY BEING INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES, LIKE RUGBY, THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. [P4 AND P5]

Plan II, specifically my World Literature class, has also gone a long way in keeping my mind fresh throughout this school year. if it isn't obvious enough by now, I am not really interested in chemistry and biology. In fact, they really bore me. I could care less about mitochondria; yet these are classes necessary for me to achieve my goal of helping and truly caring for those who are injured. It is in my Plan II classes that I am able to take classes that enrich my being. While I realize that learning about Greek physics serves (ok, I'll admit it) no practical purpose whatsoever, it is a subject that i enjoy learning about. So, my courses are essentially separated into the practical (and boring) and interesting (and useless). However, these inapplicable courses do serve a greater purpose than exciting my brain: they are assisting in making me a more dynamic, well-rounded person. What I love about my World Literature class is that we don't really focus on novels (as the title implies), but on developing ourselves into efficient, motivated young people who strive to be leaders in whatever they pursue. It is a class meant to make us not just into better students, but into better people. This will ultimately pay off in the end, I am sure, as med schools are looking for students who major in something other than a science. They want students who see patients as a "whole patient"; as a person.

It is quite apparent to me the enormity of the daunting task that I have set before myself. I understand that there is a possibility that I could encounter numerous bumps on the road to my goal; perhaps I may even get to a point where I can go no further. I accept the fact that I may fail in terms of the objective I have put before myself. I consider myself a leader “with high self-awareness” and I “know [my] limitations and strengths.”[5] I am not sure if organic chemistry is one of them. However, that thought does not worry me. Plus, I want to make sure that whatever I do, I am able to lead “a balanced life along the way.”[6] “[I am] not waiting for a heart attack, divorce, or job loss (or rejection from medical school) to wake [me] up to [my] relationships, spiritual life, community responsibility, and physical health.”[7] I do not plan on judging myself on career accolades, but rather on the kind of person I create over the rest of my years. I believe that no matter what profession I end up doing, whether it be repairing joints or repairing cars, I will be just fine because of the example that my dad has set before me.

In my opinion, my father is the quintessential leader (and consequently the best person to idolize)—of our family, of the Crosby school district, of the entire Crosby community. As the superintendent of Crosby ISD, he has the weight of about 5,000 kids on his shoulders every day, not to mention all of the district’s employees, from the principles to the custodians to the bus drivers. He is without a doubt the most beloved man in our entire community and is its unanimous director. He goes to every school event, whether it be the first grade Christmas play or the varsity football games on Friday nights, is willing to give people second chances, calls employees or students to congratulate them on an accomplishment, and literally knows almost every high schoolers full name. Often, especially when we go to Wal-Mart and we have to stop every five minutes to say “hi” to someone, I am in awe of my dad in how he is able to genuinely care about so many people. Like Elanor Rigby, he always has a smile on when he goes out the door and is always willing to stop and talk to anyone. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boc7rnhkLAk

HERE IS A LINK TO THE "ELEANOR RIGBY" MUSIC VIDEO

I am so proud to have him as a father. He instilled in me at a young age when I would complain of having to do menial, monotonous chores that “it is certainly not what you do that defines you, but how you do it.”[8]

MY DAD IS WITHOUT A DOUBT MY HERO. HE IS THE GREATEST LEADER I KNOW. IF I CAN JUST APPLY THE MORALS HE HAS TAUGHT ME THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, I AM CONFIDENT THAT I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. [P6]

My dad possesses many various types of leadership; yet, where he truly excels is in promoting teamwork, being transparent, and being proactive. At work he “generates an atmosphere of friendly collegiality and [is himself a] model of respect, helpfulness, and cooperation.”[9] When he interacts with people, everyone is treated the same: they all receive a look in the eyes, a smile on his face, and his full attention. He possesses an “authentic openness to others about one’s feelings, beliefs, and actions.”[10] He is not a faker; he truly listens and cares about others. When Hurricane Ike hit just a few weeks ago, my dad did not wait for someone else to worry about the community members who would not be able to evacuate. He did not wait for people to call and ask for help. Instead, he transformed the high school into a temporary shelter for any who sought it. It is actions such as these that have made my dad the revered character he is today, and all this is from a man who at my age wanted to work on a golf course for the rest of his life. These types of attributes are those I want—need—to become the type of surgeon I want to be. It does not take much to make a person feel important and cared for. Even when somewhere down the line my schedule is full and I am only allotted twenty minutes per patient, I will just remember his example, look them in the eye, truly listen, and as a result actually care.

MY DAD POSSESSES THE MANY QUALITIES THAT MAKE UP A GOOD LEADER. [P7]

When I truly reflect back on his life, I feel that as long as I continue to obey the core of values that he has instilled in me since birth I can be as successful and as great a leader as he is. If I end up applying these leadership skills in the field of orthopedics, as I hope I will, then great; if I end up applying them in some other profession, then that is fine too. It is because of him that I realize that “[I] don’t have to be anybody in particular. [I] don’t have to be ‘this’ or ‘that.’ [I] am free simply to be.”[11] Right now, I just need to focus on emulating the type of persona that my dad has, as well as simply concentrating on taking life one semester, one test, one day at a time by “setting measurable but challenging goals.” [12]

 

TOTAL WORD COUNT (WITH QUOTES): 1735

TOTAL WORD COUNT (WITHOUT QUOTES): 1582

---

[1] In 2007, the University of Texas had 480 students apply for medical school. Of those, 245 were accepted (about 51%). Of those who were accepted, their average GPA was a 3.74 and their average MCAT score was a 31. For example, in 2008, Baylor received 4,879 applications and admitted only 176. So even if I excel in school, volunteer at hospitals, do well on the MCAT—essentially focusing only on what I can control—there is still no guarantee that I will get accepted. Information received at http://cns.utexas.edu/hpo/File/files/Statistics2007.pdf

[2] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X62

[3] Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, “How Can I Help?” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X145.

[4] Microsoft Word 2008 dictionary.

[5] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X67

[6] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X66

[7] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X66

[8] The Character Jude in Across the Universe, 2007

[9] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X68

[10] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X68

[11] Ram Dass and Paul Gorman, “How Can I Help?” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X146

[12] Daniel Goleman, “Primal Leadership: Realizing The Power of Emotional Intelligence,” E603A Course Anthology, (Fall 2008): X68

 [P1] http://www.giveittomeraw.com/

[P2]http://www.irtc.org/ftp/pub/stills/1999-08-31/canyon.jpg

[P3]http://catholicdiscussion.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/mordor.png?w=314&h=169

[P4] http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cfu0171l.jpg

[P5] http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cfu0171l.jpg[P6] http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=579498&id=840904703

[P7http://www.loosetooth.com/Viscom/gf/leader.gif

Life Lessons

I feel like I write about football a lot in this class. I don’t mean to; I certainly don’t want to be labeled as a dumb jock.

WHILE I PLAYED FOOTBALL, I WASN'T THE STEREOTYPICAL PLAYER.

 It’s just that when I think of leadership, which is a subject this class tends to focus on, I can’t help but revert back to my days on the gridiron. Other than my father, football played to biggest part in shaping the person that I am today. It expanded upon the foundation of character that my parents set, showed me the importance of working within a group for a common goal, and taught me everything I know about leadership.

            In high school, I was lucky enough to have a coaching staff that didn’t focus solely on the x’s and o’s. They didn’t define themselves on victories and defeats (though they obviously did put a lot of emphasis on winning). They saw us—the players—for what we really are: young men who simply enjoy competing. We were people to them, not just pons in some brutal chess match. Seeing as how they understood this, my coaches seized the opportunity to not only shape us into good players, but good people. They hammered into us the idea of “character ethic as the foundation of success—things like integrity, humility, fidelity, temperance, courage, justice, patience, industry, simplicity, modesty, and the Golden Rule” [1]. Every week before our Monday practice one of the coaches would read us a short anecdote that contained within it a life lesson, such as the importance of a positive self image, accountability, and perseverance. To become a captain, a player had to have attended leadership class at 6 A.M., where the coach would teach out of Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

AHHH, THE BOOK THAT I SPENT EARLY MORNINGS WITH. IT TAUGHT ME QUITE A BIT ABOUT LIFE, LEADERSHIP, AND HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

Even the most minute and seemingly irrelevant actions were of the utmost importance to them. Backside routes (a player runs as a decoy knowing he won’t get the ball) had to be run at full speed, we had to sit in the front row of all of our classes, players had to casually hand the ball to the referee after scoring instead of celebrating, and we always, always, responded to our coaches with “yes, sir.” They had a firm belief that you win football games with kids who have high character, kids who won’t quit, kids who will remain positive and keep plugging away. For the most part, they were right.

            Football also taught me about how to properly work with a group of people. I didn’t like all of my teammates, to be honest; yet, when we set out to practice during the week, and stood by each other Friday night, all of that went out the window. It didn’t matter to me how the teammates to my right and left differed; I was only concerned with whether or not I could count on them to fulfill their responsibilities. More than anything, that is the lesson that one must grasp to succeed at this sport. One must truly realize that “interdependence is the paradigm of we—we can do it; we can cooperate; we can combine our talents and abilities and create something greater together” [2]. It’s not possible to thrive at football trying to do everything on ones own. As a player, especially on defense, I had to focus on my area of the field to protect, while trusting that my teammates would do the same. If we all did our jobs correctly and relied on one another, then we were usually successful.

IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS ON THE FIELD, WE HAD TO TRUST AND RELY ON OUR TEAMMATES. THIS IS A SKILL THAT WILL HELP ME OUT LATER IN LIFE.

 Yet, we achieved this high level of performance and trust by adopting the proactive approach that our coaches instilled in us. Rather than waiting on factors outside to change on their own, “the proactive approach is to change from the inside-out: to be different, and by being different, to effect positive change in what’s out there—I can be more resourceful, I can be more diligent, I can be more creative, I can be more cooperative” [3]. We as players were constantly focused on improving at our respective positions. We didn’t just want to be good enough to beat out our teammates for a starting spot, but good enough to dominate our opponents. By improving individually—discovering how we can personally change for the better—we consequently made the team better. We understood that our team was far greater than the sum of our parts.

BY STRUGGLING, ENDURING, AND ESSENTIALLY GROWING UP TOGETHER, OUR TEAM BECAME VERY CLOSE AND SUCCESSFUL.

            However, football did so much more than just teach me about leadership. It provided an escape from the everyday monotony that was high school. I didn’t go out that much during those for years and I spent most of my time focusing on grades. Needless to say, I didn’t lead the most exciting lifestyle, but football was my sanctuary. It allowed me to step out of the AP classes, get away from the integrals and derivatives, to forget about Solomon’s song: it allowed me to become something that was so different from what I usually was.

I WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSON ONCE I PUT MY HELMET ON. WELL, I WASN'T THIS COOL LOOKING, BUT IN MY MIND I WAS.

 My sympathetic imagination—“the ability of a person to penetrate the barrier which space puts between him and his object, and, by actually entering into the object, so to speak, to secure a momentary but complete identification with it”—allowed me to assume a new persona once my shoulder pads and helmet were strapped on [4]. It was on the blades of grass between the pylons when I felt the most alive. I looked forward to such a high every day. Often times, the idea of an exhilarating practice at days end is what kept me going. By “[leaving] the noise and discord of the [school day] and [giving] myself up to the harmony and rhythm of [sports], [I] came back renewed” [5].

            Looking back at the 6 years I spent playing the sport that some see as the apex of masculinity and ignorance, I truly am thankful for the amount of life lessons that it surprisingly taught me. I really do love and miss this game. “[That] is love, isn’t it? When you notice [something’s] absence and hate that absence more than anything? More, even, than you love [its] presence?”[6]

WHILE I WAS SAD TO LEAVE THE GAME BEHIND, IT WILL ALWAYS BE A PART OF ME. I WILL NEVER FORGET AND ALWAYS APPLY THE LIFE LESSONS THAT IT TAUGHT ME.

1) Steven Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, 18

2) Covey, 49

3) Covey, 89

4) Keats, course website, first definition

5) Covey, 292

6) Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated, 235

EVERYONE IS ILLUMINATED

Hmmmmm. Well, we already beat the “I am in Plan II and nobody knows what that is” horse to death, so I guess I’ll have to take a different approach on this topic. I should probably talk about why I came to Plan II, but more specifically how my past guided me on such a path.

            I come from the small town of Crosby, Texas, population 1,714. It would not be very adventurous of me to say that my hometown is very conservative, simple, and country. It doesn’t offer much in terms of entertainment and, in all honesty, there isn’t much to the majority of its inhabitants. Crosby is a town that shelters its people against their will: the African American population lives (literally) across the railroad tracks from the whites, nearly every person is Baptist, an alarming amount of people that I talked to thought Barack Obama was a Muslim, Myspace is more popular than Facebook, George Straight is king, Wal-Mart is the coolest place to go, and a typical high schooler’s Friday night consists of getting drunk on the grass farms or going mudding (for those of you who don’t know, mudding is where you ride four-wheelers through—what else—mud. Woo Hoo! Sounds like a blast right?). 

EVERYONE ONE IN CROSBY SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THESE. NO, IT ISN'T THAT BAD...BUT IT IS PRETTY CLOSE.

It doesn’t exactly stimulate the imagination to say the least. So when the time came for me to choose a college, I wanted to go somewhere that would open my eyes to the world, give me life experiences, cut the cord that tethered me to such an ignorant past, and show me the truth in life: the path to freedom. I wanted to begin my own American revolution. I felt it necessary that I go to a place that, as Bartlett Giametti described in his Yale freshman address, emphasized a “civil existence by rejecting judgements based on race, religion, gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, political or philosophic belief” (X321). Essentially, what I desired was something that was as radically different as I could find. UT at Austin is that place. I appreciate the bums on the streets, the cross dressers on the sidewalks, the hippies that sell jewelry: I had never seen anything like it before I came here. I love the fact that on the first day of our World Literature class I met for the first time a Hindu, a Buddhist, and a Jew (three religions in one day!).

PLAN II HAS OPENED MY EYES TO A MUCH BROADER WORLD THAN I AM USED TO.

Plan II, with its ivy league quality education and public school price, also offered me relief from the pressure of having to major in something that results in a high salary, for my parents definitely made their feelings about me going to somewhere like Notre Dame heard: their attitude was “If I am going to spend that kind of money (45,000 a year), I want my kid to get a great paying job” (Brickely, “Value of the Liberal Arts, X326).

WHEN CHOOSING A COLLEGE, I WANTED TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF SITUATION.

 Instead of having to worry about paying off the mountainous debt that I would inherit the day I graduate, I can focus more on looking for a job that I will enjoy and truly want to do. While I want to be a doctor right now, I am comforted by the fact that I can change my mind if I want. I recognize that I could very well be terrible at organic chemistry, that it might eat my soul. I just don’t want to put any more pressure on myself than there already is. I want to make a lot of money; I just don’t want to HAVE to make a lot of money. I would rather have a “life of decency, justice, and dignity” than a fat wallet, and I believe many of my peers here feel the same way (Giametti, “Yale Freshman Address”, X321). We all hope to make money, but it is not our number one priority.

AS AMERICANS, I THINK THE IDEA OF FREEDOM IN ANY ASPECT OF LIFE IS EXTREMELY APPEALING, MORESO THAN IN OTHER COUNTRIES. I WAS ATTRACTED TO THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE A CAREER THAT PLAN II OFFERED.

Finally, I worked really hard in high school. I sacrificed a lot of fun, friendships, and lifelong memories so that I could get into a prominent school. Though I know no one deserves anything, I couldn’t help but feel that I was entitled to acceptance into a prestigious institution. Plan II’s philosophy of “[giving] the university’s best to the best in the university” (Jim Anderson, “Dean Parlin’s Liberal Arts Plan II to Attract Cream of High School Graduates”, X343M) was exactly what I had been looking for. While I am completely in love with my current location and situation, I was a little distraught with some of its side effects.

            I have been on campus for a little over a month now, and just this past weekend I decided to visit home. While I was glad to see my family and some old friends, I can’t say I was too terribly excited to return to the place I grew up. However, one distinct difference that I noticed while I was there, and that Dana concentrated on, was that I definitely felt elitist. At one point I had to step back and just laugh at myself, at how much of a douche I was being. Yet, I couldn’t really control my pompous feelings. When I walked into Wal-Mart to buy some groceries, I felt like I owned the place; I knew I was the smartest, most cultured person there. While that is a title I enjoy having, I don’t want to think I am better than someone just because their education stopped with the completion of high school. I was humble before I left, and I want to remain that way. I was nearly disgusted with myself and my “education for a life, not a living” attitude (Parlin, as cited saying in “Plan II at the University of Texas at Austin”, X343I).

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/154822

THE CREATORS OF SOUTH PARK DO A GOOD JOB OF PORTRAYING THE KNOW-IT-ALL COLLEGE DOUCHEBAG, WHICH I FELT LIKE AFTER MY TRIP TO WAL-MART.

 I guess I momentarily forgot that intelligence is not an indication of character. I really feel blessed to be included in such an esteemed and intelligent group of peers, but I have to make sure that it doesn’t go to my head. I must ensure that I achieve a level of success in Plan II, appreciate the opportunities and knowledge that it offers me, but all the while remain grounded. 

A BOOK THAT I, AND MAYBE ALL OF US, SHOULD ONE DAY READ.

LBJ as a Leader

            The majority of what I know about the 1960’s has come from contemporary movies and television. Films such as Forest Gump and Across the Universe and documentaries like VH1’s The Drug Years are some of the best and most interesting that I have ever seen, for they revealed the turmoil and absolute craziness of the time. Since seeing these, I have been extremely interested in the 1960s. In my opinion, no other time period changed the landscape of America as much as the 1960s except for the Civil War. When I think about it, I become somewhat jealous that I did not get to experience this time period, did not get to witness the rebirth of America as my parents did. The 60’s completely changed everything. America was at war both on the home front (the civil rights movement) and abroad (Vietnam), college students held protests and riots (that is, if they weren’t “tuning in, turning off, and dropping out”), great leaders such as JFK, his brother Bobby, and Martin Luther King Jr. were assassinated, bands like the Beatles and the Grateful Dead revolutionized the sound of music forever, and the nation’s youth took up the flags of both the sexual and drug revolution. America’s newest generations were liberating themselves, while redefining what the red, white, and blue stands for in the process. Other countries opinions of America changed as well: the United States went from being a symbol of hope, freedom, and democracy, to that of tyranny, oppression, and fear. The times were without a doubt, in the words of the Beatles, “Helter Skelter.”

THE FOLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES FROM ACROSS THE UNIVERSE THAT DEPICT CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE 1960s:

THE SEXUAL/DRUG REVOLUTION:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTqcpmbuE7Q 

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT/RACIAL TENSION:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQNpEET9WqQ

THE VIETNAM WAR:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwB8QiKWodk&feature=related

COLLEGE RIOTS AND PROTESTS:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h7SZTU2Q54&feature=related  

This was easily one of the most chaotic times in the history of America and one man was left to make sure that the country survived: President Lyndon B. Johnson. President Johnson is often given a bad reputation in the eyes of historians and the general public alike. Perhaps he deserves the criticism, but when I reflect back on this time period, I can’t think of any other way that the problems of the time, specifically the war in Vietnam, could have been dealt with. I believe he did the best he could for our nation. I can’t imagine the pressure that he was under every day of his life, having to wake up to chants of “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?”, the burden that must have been on his shoulders knowing that he was sending young men to their death. Acts such as these affected him deeply. “[He’d] hear those chants-‘Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?’ and [he] knew there was a big gulf between them and [him] which neither of [them] could do much about” (LBJ). Yet, the fact that he didn’t crumble under this immense weight was a testament to the kind of person—the kind of leader that he was. He was willing to make the difficult, and obviously unpopular, choices because he felt that they were the right thing to do. He wasn’t worried about how he would be perceived in history or how his decisions would affect him in the polls. He sacrificed his own popularity and reputation so that our nation could prosper. As LBJ said in his retirement, “I was doing what I thought was right, right for them and right for their country and their future and their children. But they couldn’t see that.” Now, in retrospect, his decisions regarding the war turned out to be the wrong ones, but that is not the point. The point is that he was decisive: he made a decision that he thought was best for the country and stuck with it.

            THE STRESS AND BURDEN CLEARLY AFFECTED LBJ.

While he faltered in ensuring freedom in Vietnam, he made great strides in advancing the equal treatment of Americans. He designed the “Great Society” legislation that included civil rights laws, Medicare, Medicaid, aid to education, and the “War on Poverty.” He went to great lengths to ensure that every American, regardless of race, experienced the true meaning of freedom.

            What I learned from LBJ, and what I hope to apply in my life, is the realization that being a leader isn’t all about glory and honor. It can be a very stressful position that includes making many tough decisions. Yet, when faced with a tough decision, it is vital to be decisive and make what seems to be the best decision for the group, regardless of what the sacrifices may be. That is a true and necessary quality of a great leader. 

LBJ SHOWED GREAT LEADERSHIP THROUGH HIS RESPONSES TO SOME OF AMERICA'S MOST TRYING TIMES.