Major: Psychology (early childhood education minor)
Sport: Cross country, track
Extra points: Elisabeth Amen Nursery School aide, preceptor
Success on the track or trail: When I cross the finish line at the end of a race, I consider it successful if I have left everything out on the course. Depending on the conditions of that day and race, the time may not always reflect the hard work that I, or anyone on the team, puts in, but if I finish a race and I’ve given it my all, and I know I couldn’t have done any better, then I consider it a success. An important aspect of distance running is the mental mindset. This year I tried to work on always having a positive attitude. My most successful races were the ones in which I went into them feeling confident and telling myself that I was going to do well. Another important part of success is the team’s support. It’s easy for people to think that cross country is an individual sport, but really I could never imagine getting on the line to race without my team. Even if we end up finishing the races at different times, seeing them during races and knowing that we’re all rooting for each other is an important support that I couldn’t do without.
Success in the classroom: Academic success isn’t just about getting an A in everything, but about what you take away from the class. There have been times when I worked hard in a class and learned a lot, and even though my grade may not have been perfect, I considered it a success if I walked away from the class knowing more than I did before. Being able to take classes that really interest me is definitely a big part of doing well. It’s easy to be motivated to do work when it’s all about topics that I enjoy.
Winning combination: Motivation. I could never be a runner if I wasn’t driven to do so, and I think success in the classroom also comes from wanting to do well.
