Last Wednesday, Mr. David Mallen told us about all of the things that students get caught up in. I could definitely see how this happens because I know how life changes when you become an undergraduate student at The Pennsylvania State University. When you get to college, a feeling of independence takes over. No one is watching your every move to make sure you’re doing what you’re supposed to. You can stay up until 5 a.m. even if you have an 8 a.m. You can eat whenever you want, whatever you want. And you can party every day of the week if your body allows. Though this may sound appealing to most undergraduate students, I quickly realized that I could have no part in this lifestyle. This is not just because Ms. Johnson and Mr. McCollum have a close eye on us, but it’s because I care about how I represent myself outside of my home. Though we’re young and will often be excused for the mistakes we make while in college, I know that the decisions I make now will follow me into the future. How I represent myself when I am in public will determine other people’s perspective of me. I know we often say, “I don’t care what anyone thinks of me,” but really, we should. It is to our benefit that we are deemed as young adults who are mature, responsible, and able to handle our business.

Mr. Shaha touched on this throughout his presentation, but specifically when he mentioned this quote: “The name on the front of your jersey represents who you play for, the name on the back of the jersey represents who raised you. Do them both justice.” The moment I step into the public eye, I know I have to show who I am to the best of my abilities. I have worked too hard to get here to start to fall through the cracks now. Not only that, but my mom has put so much energy into raising me right that I could not let her down. Though it adds more pressure, it helps me to stay focused on my priorities. Now, I don’t have to worry about getting tangled into any of the consequences Mr. Mallen shared with us.