Matthew Muccigrosso, Period 8, 4/28/21, Day C

 

• Goal Setting & Growth

• At this current point in time, what specific goal(s) do you have for yourself? Why

At this current point in time, I have 3 specific goals: to maintain good grades in school so I don’t lose my college admission, to score well on the two A.P. tests I’m taking, and to get better at baseball. The reasoning behind the first two goals should really be self-evident, as they’re just kind of what you’re supposed to do, I guess. I should say for the first that I’m really trying to avoid common senioritis-inspired practices, like handing in work late for no good reason. I really don’t want to fall into the (very enticing) trap of simply not caring. I want to do good work on time because I respect both myself and my teachers, and it’s important to me to act on that. As for the AP tests, any credits can’t hurt. Baseball is really important to me this year because this is almost definitely my last year playing on a competitive team, and I want it to go really well. I don’t want to let down my teammates and friends by misplaying routine balls or being unable to drive in runs.

• How do you demonstrate resilience towards achieving this goal? (or these goals?)

I think that my resilience towards achieving my first two goals can be shown through my efforts to actually achieve them. I have been trying my hardest to not procrastinate and slack off when I know that I can get away with it and that a lot of my friends are. I really want to train good academic habits into myself for college because old habits die hard. I’ve demonstrated resilience towards getting good scores on the A.P. tests by actually studying for them, which is something of a foreign concept to me. It’s really an awfully boring experience, but I just remind myself that the time I “waste” now will be forgotten when I guarantee myself success in the future. As for baseball, I’ve been going to practice every day and actually working my hardest to improve. This year, I’ve resolved to not be afraid to ask for help or tips when I want it. And I think that it’s showed in how much I’ve improved.

• How does the world around you affect your perception of this goal? (or these goals?)

The immediate world around me has enormously affected my perception of these goals. My parents, both of whom work in education, drilled into me from a young age the importance of taking academics seriously and respecting your teachers and your work. While I may not have always listened, as I’ve matured these things have become very important to me. I see this goal as something I should unquestionably do. For the baseball goal, I touched on this already, but I want to get better for my friends and coach. I want them to perceive me as working hard and improving at a respectable level. I want them to feel confident to pitch in front of me, and I really don’t want to let them down.