As someone who grew up in the world of athletics, I faced many challenges that helped shape me into the person I am today. I experienced rejection, heartbreak, pure joy, and excitement. At times, I felt envious of others who seemed to have luck on their side. Despite putting in work seven days a week to improve my skills, I struggled to perform when it mattered most.
However, I did not let these struggles define me. Instead, I used them as motivation to improve. I spent countless hours analyzing my mistakes, working on my weaknesses, and building my mental toughness. I surrounded myself with positive influences who encouraged me to keep pushing forward and never give up on my dreams. Through my experiences in athletics, I learned valuable lessons that I carry with me to this day. I learned that success is not just about physical strength and skill, but also about mental strength and resilience. I learned that failure is not the end, but an opportunity to learn and grow. And most importantly, I learned that with hard work, dedication, and a positive mindset, anything is possible. Today, I am grateful for the challenges I faced in my athletic career. They helped shape me into the person I am today and prepared me for the challenges that lie ahead. Whether it's in sports or in life, I know that I have the strength and resilience to overcome any obstacle that comes my way.
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Nowadays, distracted driving is a serious issue on highways. More than 3,000 fatal accidents involved distracted driving in 2019, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. With the popularity of smartphones and other mobile devices, driving while distracted is now simpler than ever. Texting, using social media, and even snapping selfies can all cause you to lose focus and endanger both you and other drivers.
The fact that distracted driving diverts your focus from the road is among its major risks. Driving safely and maintaining awareness of your surroundings should be your primary concerns when you're behind the wheel. Distracted driving makes it more likely for you to miss crucial visual signals like traffic lights or other cars and makes it harder for you to act swiftly in an emergency. A catastrophic accident can be brought on by even a brief moment of lack of concentration. There are, thankfully, precautions you may take to prevent distracted driving. Put your phone aside when you are driving, first and foremost. Pull over to a secure area first if you need to make a call or send a text. Apps that prevent incoming calls and messages while you're driving are also available. Finally, make an attempt to maintain your attention on the road. Don't eat, groom, or do anything else while driving that could make you distracted. You can contribute to making the roadways safer for everyone by doing these things. With February being Black History Month, we hear the untold stories of many Black individuals who made their impact on society. Black History Month is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans in our nation, despite a history of racism and persecution. With that being said, one story I would like to bring light to is Tupac Shakur. Tupac Amaru Shakur, better known by his stage name, 2Pac, and Makaveli, was a rapper. He was born June 17, 1971, and died September 13, 1996. Despite dying so young, his 25 years on this earth has and still helped change the world.
Tupac is considered one of the most renowned and influential rappers of all time. His music influenced the world in so many ways. He transformed how people perceived young black kids growing up in the ghetto, and how they saw themselves. For starters, for a long time the word “thug” had a negative connotation. Though, after Tupac released the song “Thug Life: Volume 1” with a few other rappers the word “thug” had a different meaning. A word that was defined by the Oxford Dictionary as "a violent person, especially a criminal" turned into a positive. Tupac’s new definition of the term "thug" is a man who overcomes structural and cultural challenges. Besides, changing the viewpoints of young individuals, Tupac brought light to multiple things in society. He was influenced by renowned speakers like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, and he constantly strived to make his voice as loud as theirs in order to capture people's attention and effect change. His voice drew attention to the topics he sang and rapped about. An example is "Changes," one of his most well-known songs that contain racism, war, murder, drugs, and police brutality. The song contains samples from Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 1986 smash "The Way It Is," as well as lines from "I Wonder If Heaven Got a Ghetto." These songs tackled topics of poverty, classism, and racial segregation, all of which Tupac witnessed directly growing up. Tupac’s lines and Hornsby’s words made this song more authentic and grabbed the attention of many people. Though Tupac Shakur died in 1996, his words still live on to this day. Tupac's legacy teaches us that creativity and art, as well as the message, are important. When so many people are concerned with their own brand, he urges us to be ourselves and not allow others to define us. Tupac is one of the few singers who can make music that will be remembered for years, and his words will always inspire people to help change the world. |
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