Hey everyone,
This is a rough attempt at my Princeton supplement. Any comments are appreciated.
1. Tell us about a person who has influenced you in a significant way.
"Backhand!" said Mr. Fleming enthusiastically. My younger sister Rachel and I groaned as we prepared to perform our backhand strokes on the baseline. Against our own wishes, my parents had forced us to take up beginner tennis lessons with an elderly, exuberant instructor named Tom Fleming. "And remember this is a stroke, not a hit. I don't want to see any baseball swings!" There were so many other ways I wanted to spend the summer before my first year of middle school. I did not respect this man, Mr. Fleming, and I made sure he knew it. The techniques he taught were straight out of the wooden racquet days, and the ridiculous rules of tennis made me cringe. As Rachel and I picked up balls, I would mutter things like "this is stupid" and tell myself that I was quitting. But I was not allowed to quit, and eventually I realized that I might as well make the most of the time I was forced to spend with my instructor.
Stubbornly, I absorbed Mr. Fleming's teachings. The most immediate change occurred soon after my change in mentality: I became more physically fit and mentally stable. It was a truly fantastic feeling to be able to hit a greater number of serves without feeling as tired or mentally psyching myself out. This was also the first actual progress I had seen come from what I originally assumed was a meaningless endeavor.
As the lessons continued, I noticed that my skills were steadily improving. No longer did I have a baseball swing, or hit serves over the fence. The rallies that Rachel, Mr. Fleming, and I shared now lasted longer than a few shots. Most importantly, I was consciously aware of my actions; each movement that once was forced and felt awkward now was fluid and smooth. The game of tennis was certainly no longer a chore. It was a complete surprise when Mr. Fleming told us that we had become skilled enough to attend the intermediate clinic with his other students. Though it was initially discouraging to be in the presence of much better tennis players, the drills and practice games now took on a competitive characteristic. I knew I was capable of winning each and every point, of giving my best effort - a knowledge that I had previously never experienced.
The person responsible for my passion for tennis, and for my view on competitive interaction in all aspects of life is Tom Fleming, a man I once so passionately hated. Because of Mr. Fleming, I grew out of my insolent youth and learned to respect those around me. I learned the basics of tennis and now I was in fact capable of holding my own against better players. I had put Mr. Fleming into the farthest abysses of my memory for many years, but he has returned to my recent memory as a person who has significantly influenced me. What is unique about Mr. Fleming, someone who has made such a strong impact on my current personality, is that he never directly imposed change upon me, or pointed out ways for me to change my hostile attitude towards him or the game of tennis; I did those things myself.
This is a rough attempt at my Princeton supplement. Any comments are appreciated.
1. Tell us about a person who has influenced you in a significant way.
"Backhand!" said Mr. Fleming enthusiastically. My younger sister Rachel and I groaned as we prepared to perform our backhand strokes on the baseline. Against our own wishes, my parents had forced us to take up beginner tennis lessons with an elderly, exuberant instructor named Tom Fleming. "And remember this is a stroke, not a hit. I don't want to see any baseball swings!" There were so many other ways I wanted to spend the summer before my first year of middle school. I did not respect this man, Mr. Fleming, and I made sure he knew it. The techniques he taught were straight out of the wooden racquet days, and the ridiculous rules of tennis made me cringe. As Rachel and I picked up balls, I would mutter things like "this is stupid" and tell myself that I was quitting. But I was not allowed to quit, and eventually I realized that I might as well make the most of the time I was forced to spend with my instructor.
Stubbornly, I absorbed Mr. Fleming's teachings. The most immediate change occurred soon after my change in mentality: I became more physically fit and mentally stable. It was a truly fantastic feeling to be able to hit a greater number of serves without feeling as tired or mentally psyching myself out. This was also the first actual progress I had seen come from what I originally assumed was a meaningless endeavor.
As the lessons continued, I noticed that my skills were steadily improving. No longer did I have a baseball swing, or hit serves over the fence. The rallies that Rachel, Mr. Fleming, and I shared now lasted longer than a few shots. Most importantly, I was consciously aware of my actions; each movement that once was forced and felt awkward now was fluid and smooth. The game of tennis was certainly no longer a chore. It was a complete surprise when Mr. Fleming told us that we had become skilled enough to attend the intermediate clinic with his other students. Though it was initially discouraging to be in the presence of much better tennis players, the drills and practice games now took on a competitive characteristic. I knew I was capable of winning each and every point, of giving my best effort - a knowledge that I had previously never experienced.
The person responsible for my passion for tennis, and for my view on competitive interaction in all aspects of life is Tom Fleming, a man I once so passionately hated. Because of Mr. Fleming, I grew out of my insolent youth and learned to respect those around me. I learned the basics of tennis and now I was in fact capable of holding my own against better players. I had put Mr. Fleming into the farthest abysses of my memory for many years, but he has returned to my recent memory as a person who has significantly influenced me. What is unique about Mr. Fleming, someone who has made such a strong impact on my current personality, is that he never directly imposed change upon me, or pointed out ways for me to change my hostile attitude towards him or the game of tennis; I did those things myself.
