American Worldwide Academy » education

Contradictions

admin — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:58:35 +0000

I once stumbled across a quote by Walt Whitman, on Instagram. It read, “Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large. I contain multitudes.”

This quote caught me off guard for many reasons. My main connection to Walt Whitman’s words was that they made me think back to moments in my life. These Moments when I believed one concept to my very core, and through life experience, now, believe the total opposite. The very concept that you can weave in and out of your own beliefs, is mind blowing. Change! That’s what we call it.

Since childhood, I firmly stood beside the notion that you must go to college in order to succeed in life. To complete your education through an accredited institution meant that you were a scholar, and a force to be reckoned with. Any other avenue would show laziness, regardless of the many public figures that had met their goals through alternative lanes. My understanding stayed the same, until life took a turn on its own, forcing me to believe otherwise. Change!

This new way of thinking opened a vast highway of limitless possibilities. My experience has shown me that one avenue could lead to an intersection leading to a variety of other avenues; all expanding somewhere completely different, yet, in the same region. For example, I dropped out of college in Miami, to find myself working in a career that had nothing to do with my field of expertise. That job led me to quit, which gave me the courage to move to New York City. New York made me strong enough to venture out into new found passions. Those passions opened doors to networking with new people. Those newly found people eventually directed me to new opportunities which ultimately brought me back to the career I began studying in college and back to Miami. I had successfully reached my goals even though I contradicted my own personal beliefs.

Society fosters a traditional mind-set on certain developmental issues. We are taught that one must change in order to grow as individuals, yet, should modify our transition only a few degrees to the right, not the left. The left, being alternative choices. In general, there’s a slight contradiction to lessons in evolvement. Staying the same will tarnish personal growth; nevertheless, too much change will affect the path to success, leading towards a more inglorious route. The foundation to which we build our convictions can be changed. This means that faith, opinion, and values can be processed differently, depending on what avenue life is on at the moment.

All in all, perhaps Walt Whitman’s quote is a wise one. If we can embody this perception that we may very well be as ever-changing as a mere thought, then why couldn’t we comprehend our vastness? Find a path and choose that path. Or, change your mind and make a new one?

Eternal Resolutions

admin — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:56:50 +0000

Resolutions come in all shapes and sizes. Although, they start off relatively large at first, most shrink significantly by the second week of January. We try, right? We go as far as to believe with every ounce in our being that we will achieve what we set out to do. We plan ahead, cross our T’s and dot our I’s to pull off an almost unlikely goal. Some resolutions are like a marathon, with no finish line in sight. But, are we designing these goals to seem unlikely, or does doubt play a role?

Eternal Resolutions are those that are familiar and are notoriously repeated almost yearly. The most popular ones are, losing weight, quitting smoking or obtaining a high school diploma/ college degree. The main ingredient to an Eternal Resolution is giving up along the way only to find yourself back at square one the following year. We must keep in mind that goals all demand a certain amount of patience. They come with a “one day at a time” prescription and if you aren’t consistent with your daily vitamins, then you’re liable to skip a day or two. Managing a goal can be a difficult task, but not impossible. It may very well be completed in a year, to avoid it being your personal Eternal Resolution.

The secret to a successful goal is in the details. The tiniest attributions combine for greater results. Your motive must be strong. Your fears must be faced. Falling in love with the process is imperative. One’s mind must be filled with positive thoughts, day in and day out. You will experience failure, and moments of despair. The goal is still ahead of you no matter how many times you fall. You will stand up, brush the doubt off your knees and admire the new rip in your jeans. For now, you are not only one step closer to accomplishing your New Year’s Resolution, but you’re doing so while making a fashion statement.

Happy New Year!

It Was Graduation Day

admin — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:54:59 +0000

It was Graduation Day, and I still remember listening to this incredibly nostalgic song from Sarah Mcllacen as my mother drove me to the school. I recall paying very close attention to my mothers’ breathing, and how she sighed every couple minutes or so. Certainly, she was thinking of giving me the world’s longest lecture on bad choices and the effect it has on everyone close to you. See, I was not graduating with my class. Instead, I was chosen to sing the national anthem for hundreds of proud parents and eager classmates. As if the sting of failure wasn’t torturous enough. Yet, I put on my fakest smile and continued to support those around me who got to walk on Graduation Day.
Unfortunately, this story is all too familiar to the average high school student. If you haven’t experienced it personally, then you know someone who has. There’s this pink, polka dotted elephant in the room when you disclose information about not graduating to friends and family. The awkward stares, and the questions that come pouring out of people’s mouths, can be overwhelming. Not only do you have to deal with your own personal struggle with facing reality, but now you have to deal with everyone else’s concerns regarding your future.
A High School Diploma is a big deal. It’s your first step towards the real world. It’s perhaps your first true accomplishment as a young adult. Four years and countless classes, who all have a list of demands, can be difficult for certain students. Naturally, a percentage of students with the incapacity of meeting the requirements will fall behind, while others fulfill their goals and obtain this much needed piece of paper.
Luckily, I was level-headed enough to endure the defeat, and push forward. I enrolled into night school and spent my whole summer studying with the hopes of never having to deal with High School again. I remember the day my counselor called me to tell me I had finally made it. I was ecstatic and had become extremely emotional. I recalled thinking “im so proud of myself”, and I was.
There’s a certain beauty to failure. It brings you face to face with your true desires. If you feel ruined by a specific failure, then I believe it’s a chance to go full throttle and do what it takes to make it a success. Because when you finally meet that goal, the honor you feel will make it all worth it. If I had to do it all over again, I really would. I’d endure the pain of seeing my classmates move one step ahead of me, and I’d still sing the song of our nation to express the pride everyone should have felt that day. A lesson learned is a valuable piece of information, almost as valuable as your high school diploma.