Upsets

Sometimes when the perfect opportunity arises, a major underdog can defeat a powerhouse in what is known as an upset. Upsets happen when hard work meets opportunity. Upsets do not happen by accident. They are from years of training, the right mentality, and heart to beat someone you know is better than you. The biggest upset in recent sports history is Iowa State defeating the #2 Oklahoma State Cowboys in triple overtime. Iowa State played their hearts out, played as a team, and went all in for to pull this amazing upset over one of the best teams in college football. They believed in themselves and thought that they would win when almost no one in the country outside of their team thought they had a prayer, and they proved everyone wrong. That must be one of the greatest feelings ever. To pull an amazing upset is something that you will never forget. On Thursday, I wrestle the #3 ranked wrestler in the state at 170 lbs. No one expects me to have a chance. I do my best to go all out, wrestling my hardest, and maybe I will pull off an amazing upset of my own.

Comment on Habit #6

Team synergy is very important in creating a lasting bond and achieving tasks. Team synergy cannot be taught, but it can be promoted. A team may not be the best athletically and may not have the most talented athletes, but if they flawlessly work together as a team, they can defeat teams with superior athletes. This is especially true in basketball. Putting egos and statistics behind you, working together as a team is the best way to succeed.

Team Synergy in the NFL

There are times when pride gets in the way of team synergy. You see it a lot in big time sports. I will use NFL wide receivers like Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco as an example. They are both tremendously talented and in their prime were very good at what they did. They both were also very cocky, had a huge ego, and were very aragant. Chad Johnson was so full of himself he changed his name to bring more attention to himself. Both of these players frequently complained about not getting enough passes. They took plays off, pouted, and did not block for team mates. They were so concerned with themself that they lost sight of what was important: team synergy, working together, and winning games. They should have focused more on what is best for the team, not what is best for them personally.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving more than any other, I realized the power of family. This past week my aunt and cousin came down from Canada as they do every year for Thanksgiving. It was awesome to see them again. It's crazy to think our small farming family from rural Williamsburg, Iowa has spread out throughout the country and even other counties. I realized that a lot of my relatives have very similar mannerisms and it occurred to me that my family is my greatest influence and has made me who I am today. They still love my art and compliment me on it, just as they did when I was drawing with crayons at 3 years old. They are happy for me when I succeed and pick me up when I fail. The Schmidt family might be anywhere from Colorado to Ontario but we have each other's back's and are as close as ever. I love my family!

Comment on Be Grateful

Being grateful is very important. I think it is one of the biggest problems in the 21st century. So many people survive on little to nothing. Here in America people are over weight and show little signs of reversing this trend. Meanwhile children are starving in Africa. Humility is also very important as Mr. Fritz mentioned. You are a product of influences on you. Parents that teach their kids to be grateful will go a long way. Make a habit of saying thank you even when you may not have to. A little politeness and gratefulness can go a long way.

Remember where you came from

Aaron Thomas said it best when he told us to, "Remember where you came from." My dad has been drilling this phrase into my head for my whole life and I live by it everyday. Whether it is being a patriotic American (We fly the flag everyday, and I have a 6 foot flag hanging in my room.) American is on a larger scale. Next, I am an Iowan. I try to reverse negative Iowa stereotypes and realize this is truly the greatest place on earth to raise a family. I want to live in Iowa for the rest of my life if that is possible. Finally, I am proud to be from the small rural town of Williamsburg. It is a terrific community that supports one another, has strong core values, and the people has similar beliefs to myself. When I go other places, I am proud to say that I am from Williamsburg, Iowa.

Comment on Habit #5

These are all good things to keep in mind when trying to resolve a conflict. If you think about the other person's point of view view first than you might not get in an argument in the first place. It is easier to work things out, and relieves a lot of stress when you put yourself in someone else's shoes. It is said best when you say, "seek to understand." If everyone lived by this principle it would relieve a lot of problems in today's society.

Vuk

This week Vuk talked to us about his home country of Montenegro. I learned a lot an interesting country that I probrably would not have learned or cared to learn. Montenegro is a small, southern Europeon nation that is very diverse in its people and its culture. It is similar to the United States as far as technology, music, and some cultural items. Vuk's school ends at 1 PM which would be pretty nice. I had a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands which is also in Europe and a lot of things that Vuk said are similar to things that my foreign exchange student told me. I think in most modern nations cultures are similar and cross national lines.

Problems with Our School

This week we have been discussing problems that we have observed in Williamsburg High School. Among these problems are: the construction, crowded hallways, school spirit or lack there of, no drive to get better, seminar, gossip, and drama. I personally believe that drama and gossip are part of human nature and cannot be prevented. It is up to each individual person's morals and beliefs whether they spred false rumors or not.

My particular subject to focus on is the lack of school spirit. As I have gotten older, I have noticed a lack of school spirit. Although I do not know the root of this problem or why school spirit is declining, I intend to find out and work to fix it. Nora, Vuk, Jamie, and Myself are going to give out poll questions to get some basic facts on why this is occurring and work to find a way to fix this problem.

My first idea right off the top of my head is to show support for others' activities and hope they return the favor. I am a big advocate for anything WHS. I love seeing plays, speech, and volleyball games. I am going to lead by example and hopefully others will follow my example.

Drama and Gossip

This week we have discussed and analyzed problems with our school. Among these topics of discussion are lack of school spirit, construction work or lack there of, no drive to get better, school gossip and drama, seminar, and crowded hallways. Many of these problems I believe do not have a solution. I do not see construction work or crowded hallways getting solved in the near future. As for drama and gossip; I think they are part of human nature and is dependent on the values and morals of the students in the school. The media encourages drama and gossip with it's exposure to dirt on celebrities and shows devoted to just spreading gossip such as Hollywood Insider, and ET. I watched Good Morning America on Monday and had to hear about Kim Kardashian for 30 minutes. I could care less, but this is the drama that the media forces on us, and students pick up the habit. Some people even learn to crave gossip because they like to be the ones in the know. Some of the people that claim to hate gossip and drama are usually guilty of spreading it as well. People need to stop worrying about everyone else's business, worry about themselves, and not spread any false rumors or anything that could hurt someone's reputation. It is a matter of self-control, morals, and values.

Comment on "Habit #4 Win-Win"

When I first read the title of this post, I was reminded of the episode of the TV show, The Office, when Michael Scott teaches conflict resolution. He comes up with a theory of Win-Win-Win. Each person wins, as well as an overall winning situation. Although this is meant to be humorous, there is some truth to it, and it does relate to this blog. Society is supper competitive, but sometimes we should stop looking at how I can get ahead and start thinking more along the lines of how WE can get ahead. This cartoon displays a perfect example of coming together to work things out for the better of everyone. Thinking of others, being creative, and learning the goals of others is very key in any Win-Win situation.

College

Today Chantel Knepper talked to us about some important points about college. It is very important to get involved. You get the most experience out your college experience and the most out of yourself when you get involved. Extracurriculars are a great way to meet new people and learn new skills. When I go to Iowa State, the first thing I am going to do is sign up for the ping pong club. I am really looking forward to all the extra activities college has to offer.