Memoir
It was the happiest day of my life. Since then, I have had similar experiences, but this was the best time because it was my first time. This experience is my first State Science Olympiad competition.
I was incredibly excited and nervous. I had been studying since October to be ready for it. It was my first year being on the team. I realize now that I was incredibly young and naïve. I didn’t know that seventh graders were just supposed to be experiencing this, learning things better so they can excel as eight and ninth graders. I was out to win, and I had done lots of studying to prove it.
My events this year are Forestry, Pentathlon, and Science of Fitness. I like all of it, but as I learn these events, I naturally pick out favorites. The first one is forestry. I don’t really enjoy this one. In it, I learn about trees, and I have to be able to identify sixty different trees and label them according to their scientific Latin names. Practice was also held in the mornings, beginning at six a.m., which isn’t fun to get up for. Pentathlon is an academic obstacle course. I have to answer a question and then do an activity, along with three other teammates. This is okay, but it had nothing on Science of Fitness.
Fitness is, by far, my favorite event. In it, I learn about the body and things that affect it, such as diseases, exercise, and nutrition. For some reason, I love to remember these things and learn about them. As the year progress, I get better and better, to the point that I know more than the varsity team. The only downside was my partner, on this event, is unhelpful. I know that he’s smart, yet he doesn’t show it, and I have to do all of the work. I guess this is really a blessing in disguise because it makes me learn the stuff. For six months, I study Fitness.
Finally, the day of days is upon me. I am competing in these three events, and I’m very nervous and excited. I have never felt stress like this, and my nerves are shaky all day. I begin my events, and they are going well. I feel good about Forestry because it was easier than the stuff that we were learning at practice. Pentathlon is also good, but I feel good and bad about Fitness. I think that I knew most of the material on the test, but the other half of me questions whether it will be enough. Who knows if some other school knew the answer to all of the questions and answers? I realize there is nothing I can now do, and I go and watch others compete in different events. I’m very pleased to see how well everyone is doing. State is much more fun than I expected!
Then, the coaches gather all of us to go to the Awards Ceremony. I am now completely shaking and have a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. It starts slowly. Many prestigious people spoke to us, but I can honestly say that I do not remember any of it. I am too busy worrying about what will happen. As I am reading the program, I see that Science of Fitness has a cash reward for it. This is just another incentive added to my hopes of winning.
Finally, the results of the events begin to be announced alphabetically. My school is doing very well, but I can’t believe how unlucky I am to have all of my events toward the end of the alphabet. I now have to wait and wait. My first event to be read is Forestry. As the names are read off, I hear my name called as third place. I can hardly stand my joy, as I hurry up to the stage to receive my first bronze medal. I go and sit down grinning. My dad leans to my mom, excited for my medal, and says, “There we go. She has a medal.” My mom and I both still hoped, though, that this wouldn’t be my only one. The result of Pentathlon is read off, and I am awarded fourth place, which I don’t get a medal for. I realize that Science of Fitness is just a few away, and I become very stressed. I am so nervous about the results that both my legs and hands are shaking uncontrollably. Then, fourth place is read. I know that unless I completely choked, I will be getting a medal. I am now stiff with anxiety. The varsity team receives silver, and then, after all of this waiting, I hear my name called for first place. I leap into the air and hurry up to go and get my gold medal. I have never felt this happy before. They hand me an envelope as I’m going to sit down, but I hardly notice it in my joy. As I sit, my friend reminds me of it. I fumble with it until I get it open, and then I see my crisp, new $100 bill. This greatly adds to my excitement. After the awards were over, many people congratulate me, and it was a great time.
As a seventh grader, I didn’t realize what a great accomplishment I made. I saw all of it, but I didn’t make connections of how outstanding it was for a Junior Varsity member to have beaten out everyone. I did have incredible feelings, though, because I still remember them acutely. The boundaries set up in past years were silly things, only put there by those who couldn’t overcome them. I worked hard, and it really paid off, not only with a medal and money, but with the great feelings of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.
I was incredibly excited and nervous. I had been studying since October to be ready for it. It was my first year being on the team. I realize now that I was incredibly young and naïve. I didn’t know that seventh graders were just supposed to be experiencing this, learning things better so they can excel as eight and ninth graders. I was out to win, and I had done lots of studying to prove it.
My events this year are Forestry, Pentathlon, and Science of Fitness. I like all of it, but as I learn these events, I naturally pick out favorites. The first one is forestry. I don’t really enjoy this one. In it, I learn about trees, and I have to be able to identify sixty different trees and label them according to their scientific Latin names. Practice was also held in the mornings, beginning at six a.m., which isn’t fun to get up for. Pentathlon is an academic obstacle course. I have to answer a question and then do an activity, along with three other teammates. This is okay, but it had nothing on Science of Fitness.
Fitness is, by far, my favorite event. In it, I learn about the body and things that affect it, such as diseases, exercise, and nutrition. For some reason, I love to remember these things and learn about them. As the year progress, I get better and better, to the point that I know more than the varsity team. The only downside was my partner, on this event, is unhelpful. I know that he’s smart, yet he doesn’t show it, and I have to do all of the work. I guess this is really a blessing in disguise because it makes me learn the stuff. For six months, I study Fitness.
Finally, the day of days is upon me. I am competing in these three events, and I’m very nervous and excited. I have never felt stress like this, and my nerves are shaky all day. I begin my events, and they are going well. I feel good about Forestry because it was easier than the stuff that we were learning at practice. Pentathlon is also good, but I feel good and bad about Fitness. I think that I knew most of the material on the test, but the other half of me questions whether it will be enough. Who knows if some other school knew the answer to all of the questions and answers? I realize there is nothing I can now do, and I go and watch others compete in different events. I’m very pleased to see how well everyone is doing. State is much more fun than I expected!
Then, the coaches gather all of us to go to the Awards Ceremony. I am now completely shaking and have a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. It starts slowly. Many prestigious people spoke to us, but I can honestly say that I do not remember any of it. I am too busy worrying about what will happen. As I am reading the program, I see that Science of Fitness has a cash reward for it. This is just another incentive added to my hopes of winning.
Finally, the results of the events begin to be announced alphabetically. My school is doing very well, but I can’t believe how unlucky I am to have all of my events toward the end of the alphabet. I now have to wait and wait. My first event to be read is Forestry. As the names are read off, I hear my name called as third place. I can hardly stand my joy, as I hurry up to the stage to receive my first bronze medal. I go and sit down grinning. My dad leans to my mom, excited for my medal, and says, “There we go. She has a medal.” My mom and I both still hoped, though, that this wouldn’t be my only one. The result of Pentathlon is read off, and I am awarded fourth place, which I don’t get a medal for. I realize that Science of Fitness is just a few away, and I become very stressed. I am so nervous about the results that both my legs and hands are shaking uncontrollably. Then, fourth place is read. I know that unless I completely choked, I will be getting a medal. I am now stiff with anxiety. The varsity team receives silver, and then, after all of this waiting, I hear my name called for first place. I leap into the air and hurry up to go and get my gold medal. I have never felt this happy before. They hand me an envelope as I’m going to sit down, but I hardly notice it in my joy. As I sit, my friend reminds me of it. I fumble with it until I get it open, and then I see my crisp, new $100 bill. This greatly adds to my excitement. After the awards were over, many people congratulate me, and it was a great time.
As a seventh grader, I didn’t realize what a great accomplishment I made. I saw all of it, but I didn’t make connections of how outstanding it was for a Junior Varsity member to have beaten out everyone. I did have incredible feelings, though, because I still remember them acutely. The boundaries set up in past years were silly things, only put there by those who couldn’t overcome them. I worked hard, and it really paid off, not only with a medal and money, but with the great feelings of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.
posted by Ashley @ 7:21 PM
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