My Personal Dictionary

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my personal dictionary

My friends are constantly baffled to learn that I was once a jock (of sorts). They know how much time I give to the arts, look me over in disbelief, and completely deny my former athletic glory with a few chuckles, some pointing and laughing, and some giggling uncontrollably. I am prone to hiding from that sort of people.

athlete, ath’lēt, n. [Gr. athlētēs, from athlon, a contest.] One trained in baseball, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, and bowling.

Through time, I discovered the meaning of sports. The coaches knocked it into my head over and over again, and then some more, that teamwork was crucial to the psychology of the game. “You have to cheer on your teammates.” “You have to be a modest winner and a graceful loser.” “You have to pass the ball.” Eventually, I realized that sports are certainly not only focused on teamwork. There is a great deal of individual work that needs to be addressed and applied: believing in oneself. This alone is the matter of most importance while playing team sports. If one player doesn’t think he can perform to the best of his abilities, then the team will suffer and the overall consequences can be great.

Once my friends have stopped laughing at me and I crawl out of my numerous hiding places at multiple times during the day, I remind myself that there is no reason to be ashamed that my hobbies have changed. Now I am devoted to film, journalism, and theatre; I am content with my switch to this seemingly different set of interests. Surprisingly, these three areas of study and work are quite similar to sports. Not only do they incorporate teamwork, but they call for a significant amount of individualism.

film, film, n. [A.Sax. filmen, a skin; allie...

... middle of paper ...

...g for a job. Once they find one, the directors expect them to memorize their lines and develop character without outside help. Coincidence? I think not.

The next class period, I patiently wait for my friends to finish their conversation about sports and how it seems like Matt never participated in them. But sports are sports, and the arts are the arts. Whether performing a ring routine or a play, diving into a pool or breaking news, or producing a fastball or a short film, I always remember one thing: without time, I would not have the interests I have now.

time, tīm, n. [A.Sax. tíma, time, hour, season; Icel. tími, Sw. and Dan. time; akin to tide, being from the same root but with a different duration; nation.] The measure of duration which has the ability to change a person’s life; something I have experienced unlike anyone else; inevitable and unpredictable.

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