Why I act the way I do:
People think I’m the most innocent person on the planet. Okay. But let me give you some context as to why I am that way. Today was the last day of my journalism ethics class, and a discussion we had really struck a chord with me. We talked about how college students have this invincible attitude, which is why they make so many careless decisions. I do not identify with that mindset at all.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m 19 years old, of course I have my moments and thoughts, but I do absolutely everything in my power to not act on those. Simply because I can’t.
In college, I have found that many students are careless because they can be. Many students I have encountered have this entitled attitude and way of thinking. If they make a mistake or mess up it’s okay, they simply get a slap on the wrist with no consequences. If they want something they can just ask, and like magic it’s there for them. They feel invincible because they don’t have to worry.
My life is absolutely not like that at all. My parents are giving me everything to support me and put me through the Cronkite School. I cannot mess up; if I mess up I go home. There is no room for error, because me being here is an absolute struggle. It would be a disgrace to my parents to misbehave, and it would be spitting in their face to act recklessly. Which is why I cannot process other students that do this on the daily. It makes me cringe whenever my out-of-state tuition is due and they pay for it, or when my rent is up and they pay for that again. I give my life to studying and practicing journalism because it is not only my dream to make it, but my parents believe in me and are giving me everything to achieve that dream.
I am from a suburb in Las Vegas, Nevada. I knew sports journalism was what I wanted to do when I was 15 years old, and I started planning on attending college at Arizona State when I was a sophomore in high school. Getting here was not easy; all of the setbacks I faced left me in tears multiple nights. When I finally did get that acceptance letter I cried like a baby. I will be completely transparent about that. I did not live the normal high school life, because I needed to come here.
Why you ask? Because I was not going to live my life in Las Vegas. Not that it’s not a great town for my parents, but it is absolutely not for my career or for me. It is also very irritating when people assume that all Vegas citizens are some type of addict, whether it be gambling or prostitution, which is not the case at all. I am very saddened to say that I have turned heads in a negative way when I tell people where I’m from. Just because my city has a negative reputation, does not mean that’s who we are as Vegas natives. Is my city different from other cities? Yes. But you know what, your city is different from other cities too. However, that is another story for another day.
I also witnessed many friends of mine mess up their lives in high school, or others that due to multiple circumstances could not achieve their dream. The fact that my family was willing to give everything for me to live the life I have always wanted means more to me then anything in the world. I will not let them down. I will not make stupid mistakes.
One thing that really hurts me is when my brother says that all the money is going to me and he is going to be left out to dry. To be honest, I’m afraid of that too. However, as an older sister I have to show him that succeeding is something he can absolutely achieve as well. His life can be whatever he wants it to be, and I would love to prove that to him. But I would be lying if I said those words didn’t sting like daggers. I want him to live the life he has dreamed of as well, and I know for him that life is something he needs to push for as well.
So I will go multiple nights without sleeping if that’s what it takes, I will work every hour of the day if that’s what it takes too, because I cannot and will not fail. It’s not like I have money at my fingertips for mistakes and reckless behavior. Everything I do has to be productive, and I have to brand myself to come out of this successful. If I make an error, everything will be for nothing. I will just go home, and I can’t do that.
Do I have weight on my shoulders? Absolutely. Which is exactly why I behave the way I do. I need to be a role model for my younger brother, I need to prove to my parents that supporting me was the right thing to do, and I need to prove to myself most of all that I can in fact achieve the life that I’ve always wanted.
Reckless and entitled students make my head spin. I am going to give everything to my dream, that is just who I am. My dad always told me that “It is what it is,” and that is how it goes.
People think I’m the most innocent person on the planet. Okay. But let me give you some context as to why I am that way. Today was the last day of my journalism ethics class, and a discussion we had really struck a chord with me. We talked about how college students have this invincible attitude, which is why they make so many careless decisions. I do not identify with that mindset at all.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m 19 years old, of course I have my moments and thoughts, but I do absolutely everything in my power to not act on those. Simply because I can’t.
In college, I have found that many students are careless because they can be. Many students I have encountered have this entitled attitude and way of thinking. If they make a mistake or mess up it’s okay, they simply get a slap on the wrist with no consequences. If they want something they can just ask, and like magic it’s there for them. They feel invincible because they don’t have to worry.
My life is absolutely not like that at all. My parents are giving me everything to support me and put me through the Cronkite School. I cannot mess up; if I mess up I go home. There is no room for error, because me being here is an absolute struggle. It would be a disgrace to my parents to misbehave, and it would be spitting in their face to act recklessly. Which is why I cannot process other students that do this on the daily. It makes me cringe whenever my out-of-state tuition is due and they pay for it, or when my rent is up and they pay for that again. I give my life to studying and practicing journalism because it is not only my dream to make it, but my parents believe in me and are giving me everything to achieve that dream.
I am from a suburb in Las Vegas, Nevada. I knew sports journalism was what I wanted to do when I was 15 years old, and I started planning on attending college at Arizona State when I was a sophomore in high school. Getting here was not easy; all of the setbacks I faced left me in tears multiple nights. When I finally did get that acceptance letter I cried like a baby. I will be completely transparent about that. I did not live the normal high school life, because I needed to come here.
Why you ask? Because I was not going to live my life in Las Vegas. Not that it’s not a great town for my parents, but it is absolutely not for my career or for me. It is also very irritating when people assume that all Vegas citizens are some type of addict, whether it be gambling or prostitution, which is not the case at all. I am very saddened to say that I have turned heads in a negative way when I tell people where I’m from. Just because my city has a negative reputation, does not mean that’s who we are as Vegas natives. Is my city different from other cities? Yes. But you know what, your city is different from other cities too. However, that is another story for another day.
I also witnessed many friends of mine mess up their lives in high school, or others that due to multiple circumstances could not achieve their dream. The fact that my family was willing to give everything for me to live the life I have always wanted means more to me then anything in the world. I will not let them down. I will not make stupid mistakes.
One thing that really hurts me is when my brother says that all the money is going to me and he is going to be left out to dry. To be honest, I’m afraid of that too. However, as an older sister I have to show him that succeeding is something he can absolutely achieve as well. His life can be whatever he wants it to be, and I would love to prove that to him. But I would be lying if I said those words didn’t sting like daggers. I want him to live the life he has dreamed of as well, and I know for him that life is something he needs to push for as well.
So I will go multiple nights without sleeping if that’s what it takes, I will work every hour of the day if that’s what it takes too, because I cannot and will not fail. It’s not like I have money at my fingertips for mistakes and reckless behavior. Everything I do has to be productive, and I have to brand myself to come out of this successful. If I make an error, everything will be for nothing. I will just go home, and I can’t do that.
Do I have weight on my shoulders? Absolutely. Which is exactly why I behave the way I do. I need to be a role model for my younger brother, I need to prove to my parents that supporting me was the right thing to do, and I need to prove to myself most of all that I can in fact achieve the life that I’ve always wanted.
Reckless and entitled students make my head spin. I am going to give everything to my dream, that is just who I am. My dad always told me that “It is what it is,” and that is how it goes.