Here is what I have, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
I can feel the eyes piercing me from all angles. Their weight is creating an indescribable pressure deep within me. My heart is racing faster, faster, faster. I look down to see the four-inch canvas balance beam underneath my feet. Where I stand looking down at the caramel canvas I feel like I'm standing at the top of the Empire State Building. My black velvet leotard is now saturated with sweat. You've done this thousands of times in practice, just go for it! I know this is what it has all come down to...the endless hours of practice and preparations are being put to the ultimate test. You must- no you WILL not fall, you can do this. I pause for only a moment longer before I finally decide to throw my body backwards, praying that my hands land on top of that sweat coated beam. The judges watch intently as I fly through the air. I know my hands are sweaty and I worry about about slipping. Yes! They land right next to each other...perfect! My legs come down slowly with my toes pointed like knives. As I saluted the judges, my sparkling smile showed my sense of accomplishment. I could sense the respect emanating from their eyes as they gave me a perfect score on the balance beam. Webster dictionary defines balance as: "Stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis...physical equilibrium...the ability to retain one's balance." Ever since I started gymnastics at three years old I have been practicing the art of balancing. While in gymnastics this concept of balance has been physical in nature, it has grown into something much more. As I have matured, I have faced many obstacles which have led me to strive to achieve academic, emotional and social balance.
The ignition starts and I back up my car, pulling out of Montgomery County Community College. I sit at the red light that usually changes about five times before it is actually my turn to make a left and my thoughts race back to this morning. I was so anxious pulling into school at 7 am because my english presentation due that day kept me up so late the night before. In only the short hours of the morning I presented this while also taking a calculus test periods before. If you ask anybody who knows me, I am always on the go. A day of six classes, then a quick car ride over to the community college down the street to finish my final class of the day is my daily routine. Yes, finally I made the green light and am on my way back to the high school. I have seventeen minutes to get back to the school and change out of my school clothes into my swimsuit. I stop for a minute to pull out a granola bar from my bag. When I arrive at school I sprint down the sidewalk and into the building as I hear, "Girls be out on the deck in five minutes!" My coach was ready to begin water polo practice while I was changing as quickly as I could. After a long three hour practice of treading and ball handling, it is finally time to go home, well for most of my teammates. As I enter the locker room I rapidly pull my Little Gym shirt over my head. Off to teach my wednesday night gymnastics class. Even though this part of my day is the most enjoyable, I am still exhausted and just can not stop thinking about the homework I have waiting for me when I get home. Finally as I lay in bed that night, I reflect on the day that has just passed and smile. I am happy about the many things that happened and even though stressful at times, I would never give up any of those activities. This task of balancing my school work my athletics and my work has been no easy ride. It has taken me two years to get a routine down that works and makes me feel like I have accomplished what I need to that day. Through learning to balance school, activities, and work I feel as though I have become a much more responsible young women and have became skilled at managing my time very efficiently. These two skills of maturity and time management have allowed me to successfully handle schoolwork and the challenges that everyday life brings to me. At the same time I was buliding a solid balance between activities, I was also learning to balance my personal life.
With a deep breath I hang up the phone, beginning to relay my mothers message to my father. "Dad, on the schedule it says that this holiday is hers, we can not go on vacation that week!" I begin to tear up as my fathers response travels in one ear and out the other. I race upstairs to my bedroom where I sit down and think about the next vacation I am going to miss with my dad and siblings. I pick up the phone to call my sister who had just left for college and before dialing her number I hang up again. There is no one who can do anything about this situation but me, I think to myself. I look for my calendar and to begin to plan where I am going to be that week and the next and try to find time to sit down with my dad to talk about maybe changing this vacation date when I hear, "Melissa dinner is ready!" After I realize my calendar is at my moms house, I walk down the steps to see my stepmom, dad, younger sister, and younger brother sitting at the table waiting anxiously to eat. I sit in silence uncomfortably listening to them all talk about their events that day. I usually do not share much at the dinner table and today I definitely was not in the mood to share. I have always felt that whatever I might say about that day would upset my family. If I did not reach their expectations for the day, whether it was getting a good grade on a test or spending time with my siblings after school, I was looked down upon. While this was just one household, the other one is an entire new story. This is probably the hardest balance I have had to strike out of everything. For fifteen years I have been caught in the middle of two parents, households, and families. My parents got divorced when I was at the age of two and ever since I began to walk and talk I have had to balance this aspect of my life. With them having minimal if any communication, most things have relied on me and my sister. Living a life by a planned schedule is one thing I do wish never had to happen but instead of being frustuarated and letting the stress get to me, I chose to act in a more proactive way. I have learned to deal with the expectations and commitments that both families request of me and it has really strengthened my character. I have insight on many things in life that most students my age have never experienced and this has led me to become very mature and establish great skills in time management.
Looking back to when I was nine years old and balancing on that balance beam, I would never imagine my life to evolve like this. I never thought I would be able to balance things they way I have accomplished to do so, and how every aspect of my life, good or bad, has helped me become the person I am today. While I have learned many skills in separate areas, I have managed to create, "Stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis" in my life. While I continue to learn and grow and take on life's challenges, I feel the strong foundation I have built will help me reach my dreams. The independence, responsibility and maturity I have gained in my life will have a huge impact on the way I live in the future. I hope to carry these traits and the skill of balance along with me to college and hopefully throughout the rest of my life.
I can feel the eyes piercing me from all angles. Their weight is creating an indescribable pressure deep within me. My heart is racing faster, faster, faster. I look down to see the four-inch canvas balance beam underneath my feet. Where I stand looking down at the caramel canvas I feel like I'm standing at the top of the Empire State Building. My black velvet leotard is now saturated with sweat. You've done this thousands of times in practice, just go for it! I know this is what it has all come down to...the endless hours of practice and preparations are being put to the ultimate test. You must- no you WILL not fall, you can do this. I pause for only a moment longer before I finally decide to throw my body backwards, praying that my hands land on top of that sweat coated beam. The judges watch intently as I fly through the air. I know my hands are sweaty and I worry about about slipping. Yes! They land right next to each other...perfect! My legs come down slowly with my toes pointed like knives. As I saluted the judges, my sparkling smile showed my sense of accomplishment. I could sense the respect emanating from their eyes as they gave me a perfect score on the balance beam. Webster dictionary defines balance as: "Stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis...physical equilibrium...the ability to retain one's balance." Ever since I started gymnastics at three years old I have been practicing the art of balancing. While in gymnastics this concept of balance has been physical in nature, it has grown into something much more. As I have matured, I have faced many obstacles which have led me to strive to achieve academic, emotional and social balance.
The ignition starts and I back up my car, pulling out of Montgomery County Community College. I sit at the red light that usually changes about five times before it is actually my turn to make a left and my thoughts race back to this morning. I was so anxious pulling into school at 7 am because my english presentation due that day kept me up so late the night before. In only the short hours of the morning I presented this while also taking a calculus test periods before. If you ask anybody who knows me, I am always on the go. A day of six classes, then a quick car ride over to the community college down the street to finish my final class of the day is my daily routine. Yes, finally I made the green light and am on my way back to the high school. I have seventeen minutes to get back to the school and change out of my school clothes into my swimsuit. I stop for a minute to pull out a granola bar from my bag. When I arrive at school I sprint down the sidewalk and into the building as I hear, "Girls be out on the deck in five minutes!" My coach was ready to begin water polo practice while I was changing as quickly as I could. After a long three hour practice of treading and ball handling, it is finally time to go home, well for most of my teammates. As I enter the locker room I rapidly pull my Little Gym shirt over my head. Off to teach my wednesday night gymnastics class. Even though this part of my day is the most enjoyable, I am still exhausted and just can not stop thinking about the homework I have waiting for me when I get home. Finally as I lay in bed that night, I reflect on the day that has just passed and smile. I am happy about the many things that happened and even though stressful at times, I would never give up any of those activities. This task of balancing my school work my athletics and my work has been no easy ride. It has taken me two years to get a routine down that works and makes me feel like I have accomplished what I need to that day. Through learning to balance school, activities, and work I feel as though I have become a much more responsible young women and have became skilled at managing my time very efficiently. These two skills of maturity and time management have allowed me to successfully handle schoolwork and the challenges that everyday life brings to me. At the same time I was buliding a solid balance between activities, I was also learning to balance my personal life.
With a deep breath I hang up the phone, beginning to relay my mothers message to my father. "Dad, on the schedule it says that this holiday is hers, we can not go on vacation that week!" I begin to tear up as my fathers response travels in one ear and out the other. I race upstairs to my bedroom where I sit down and think about the next vacation I am going to miss with my dad and siblings. I pick up the phone to call my sister who had just left for college and before dialing her number I hang up again. There is no one who can do anything about this situation but me, I think to myself. I look for my calendar and to begin to plan where I am going to be that week and the next and try to find time to sit down with my dad to talk about maybe changing this vacation date when I hear, "Melissa dinner is ready!" After I realize my calendar is at my moms house, I walk down the steps to see my stepmom, dad, younger sister, and younger brother sitting at the table waiting anxiously to eat. I sit in silence uncomfortably listening to them all talk about their events that day. I usually do not share much at the dinner table and today I definitely was not in the mood to share. I have always felt that whatever I might say about that day would upset my family. If I did not reach their expectations for the day, whether it was getting a good grade on a test or spending time with my siblings after school, I was looked down upon. While this was just one household, the other one is an entire new story. This is probably the hardest balance I have had to strike out of everything. For fifteen years I have been caught in the middle of two parents, households, and families. My parents got divorced when I was at the age of two and ever since I began to walk and talk I have had to balance this aspect of my life. With them having minimal if any communication, most things have relied on me and my sister. Living a life by a planned schedule is one thing I do wish never had to happen but instead of being frustuarated and letting the stress get to me, I chose to act in a more proactive way. I have learned to deal with the expectations and commitments that both families request of me and it has really strengthened my character. I have insight on many things in life that most students my age have never experienced and this has led me to become very mature and establish great skills in time management.
Looking back to when I was nine years old and balancing on that balance beam, I would never imagine my life to evolve like this. I never thought I would be able to balance things they way I have accomplished to do so, and how every aspect of my life, good or bad, has helped me become the person I am today. While I have learned many skills in separate areas, I have managed to create, "Stability produced by even distribution of weight on each side of the vertical axis" in my life. While I continue to learn and grow and take on life's challenges, I feel the strong foundation I have built will help me reach my dreams. The independence, responsibility and maturity I have gained in my life will have a huge impact on the way I live in the future. I hope to carry these traits and the skill of balance along with me to college and hopefully throughout the rest of my life.
