As a military child, I left the United States with my family at the age of five and spent eight years living overseas at duty stations in Japan, Germany, and Italy. We traveled extensively during vacations to over 20 different countries. As a result, I claim proficiency in ordering french fries and apple juice in several different languages. Although moving has brought me some misfortune, and many people would say that living overseas qualifies as adversity, I never felt it was such.…
Beginning junior year, I occupied myself with the most constructive investment in my life. My daily routine was bland, but oddly hailed as the ultimate path to victory. I was learning in school, but the learning lacked meaning. Plot lines and mathematical formulas were unavailing ideas, which I tepidly regurgitated. I concluded that a life permeated with monotonous toil was not worth celebrating on my day of judgment.…
In many ways, individuals often struggle against their fears. The time I experienced this was when I used to ride steers a couple summers ago. It was a hot July day and my dad and I had just finished helping my Rodeo queen sister get ready for carrying flags to start off the rodeo. After when we walked over to the stands to get ready for their riding, I was gearing up to ride one of those beasts they call steers, thinking I was going to get killed.…
Technology has developed so much over the years that we have relied on it so much. Technology is used in pretty much everything we use nowadays. Living in a neighborhood was the greatest advantage, but having kids the same age as I was even better. There was never a time we weren't outside: rain, shine, snow, miserably cold, or even scorchingly hot. There was 4 of us: 3 girls and 1 guy, all around the same age.…
“Mia can you go walk A field and the corral?” my supervisor asked over the walkie-talkie as I finished bringing in fifteen excited dogs from group play. By this point I had already walked more than a dozen dogs, fed half the kennel, and taken out over a hundred dogs for one of their daily outings. I was exhausted and now I had to pick up a field full of dog feces.…
Life started getting rough for me around the time that my dad was terminated (11/10/2016). Everything seems to be coming at me all at once. Asides from studying for finals, I was also focused on working two jobs because everything in the house became my responsibility. Mortgage became my responsibility, bills became mine, car loans became mine, expenses in the house became mine as well. I became the support system for my family, both emotionally and financially.…
I have been through so many experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. However, there is one experience in particular that moved me in ways I can hardly put into words. My freshman year of high school, I was given the opportunity to join the Klondike FFA Milk Quality Career Development Event team. Studying and competing in this event led me to develop a fighting hunger for winning. Halfway through my first year, I realized that I did not like to lose.…
One “Aaaaaaaaaahhhh!” a high pitched voice screamed in fright. Prentice and Mr. Forkle turned outside. “Who was that?” Prentice asked, but the answer came as quickly as the words.…
The trips were unplanned, as I have traveled to 13 different countries in four continents of the world. At least that was something to brag about after returning home from six years of military service. I would talk about these moments in a heartbeat when topics related to travel surface in conversations. Remembering and reliving those moments brings great fulfillment. Usually, there's a moment in life where I experience home in places I've visited.…
A way I express my creative side is through my writing. When I’m writing I’m the one in charge. There is no one telling me what to write or how to write. There is no rules to create boundaries for how I should so I’m able to do this as freely as possible. I used to have an account where I was able to write as much as I want and have the stories I wrote open to the public.…
When it comes to our children we always want the best for them. That means the safest toys, the safest schools, the safest daycares. All these things come in the form or the safest physical things and places in the lives of our children, but what about the one thing many people don’t really take into account? What about our children and our vehicles. This has been a never ending fight.…
I vividly remember the first day of sixth grade; I looked at my schedule just “knowing” I would switch out of the “Odyssey of the Mind” class, especially since I had never even heard of it before. I had no idea that exactly two years later I would be the one standing in the middle of the Iowa University stadium, performing in front of hundreds of other passionate competitors from over a hundred countries around the world. I have always been good at painting, drawing, and coming up with witty answers to teacher's questions. However, only a few other students understood what I was saying. I was never able to put my creative skills to good use, besides the rare once-a-quarter projects we would have.…
The first time I had a phone I was in elementary school, and had it for about 2 years. Then as life moved on, and events took place, I was not allowed to have one, and did not have one for almost two years. When I was in fourth or fifth grade I was allowed to have another one and kept it until the sixth grade. My dog had torn it apart, and because of financial reasons, there was only one phone in the house, between three people, and it was a old slide up phone. Not a touch screen…
September 1st, 2016 started out as just a normal day. After arriving at my apartment from a long day of school, I decided to watch some T.V, since it was a gloomy day outside, until I needed to leave for dance practice. Then, I heard a ringing and looked down to see my best friend Sam’s name pop up on my phone to say that she was calling me. I answered the phone to see what she needed. Sam asked if she could swing by my apartment for a little while until I had to attend practice.…
I have always been more on the “imaginative” side. I like to draw and create things in my spare time. Additionally, I enjoy reading fiction, which is based solely on the imagination of others, and writing my own small works of fiction and poems. It’s not unusual for me as an adult to rely on creativity as a form of problem solving when I am confronted with certain scenarios at work, school, or my personal life.…