I have always been full of spirit towards things. In high school, I was always the one that dressed way over-the-top during "spirit week". I was the girl that would paint her face and wear green, black and silver from head to toe to cheer on our football team. I played volleyball, basketball and ran track, and my twin sister was a cheerleader; so school spirit was something I could not escape (nor did I want to).
I was so spirited that during my senior class awards, I received the "Most School Spirit" award. No surprise there; Although I must admit I would have liked to have received "Most Athletic" or "Most Likely to Succeed." However, "spirit" it was, and I was content.
That same spirit carried from my days as a high-schooler into my college life. I love to invest in my school and its activities and to support them. I love to wear the GFU colors, logo, and name proudly, and believe that EVERYONE should be proud of where they are.
Granted, not everyone is; which saddens me. Why not be proud of something that has such a big impact on your life? Sure, school may not be for everyone, but you may as well enjoy it while you're there, right?
This mindset of being spirited in everything I do started when I was little. I grew up with the idea that America was the best place to be and that I was extremely fortunate to be here. I love that we are a free country and I love that we are granted so many freedoms. I am extremely proud to be an American. I know that many people get the impression that we are "fat, lazy, and materialistic," which may be the case for some, but I am so proud and blessed to be here.
I realize that there are a lot of bad things in America; for example, we are a country that is pressed for time. Drive-thrus are popular and if we have to wait more than a few minutes we get angry. We run from thing to thing, and often forget to stop and enjoy the scenery. We have a government that is often ridiculed or unsupported (I am NOT going to post government/politically-related posts in this blog if I can help it. I do not know enough about these areas to take on a knowledgeable standpoint and therefore will not comment).
But there are also so many good things in America: We are a strong country. We have so many advantages and blessings that many countries do not have. We are a country that so many are willing to defend. We are a country of diversity and we are a country that strives to be the best and the strongest.
We are America. And I am an American.
