Why Do I Do What I Do?
Rarely does an individual stand back and truly examine what drives their everyday actions. I realized that society and it’s expectations and what is considered to be the norm drives what I do.
Why am I at UCLA? Why did I apply to any college for that matter? This is simply answered in what comes down to: because society expects that of me. My parents wanted me to, along with my high school teachers who counseled me through the entire process. According to our society, getting a distinguished job later in life is dependent upon earning a college degree. Come to think of it, there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I was college bound ever since I can remember. Not attending college right out of high school was never an option. Society deems it important and necessary; therefore I have never questioned this path.
More specifically, why UCLA? I was accepted to several colleges in and out of the UC system. In order to choose a college, I compared and the rankings of each of my options while also considering the prestige of the sports and academics. Not once did I take into consideration my own specific expectations of a college, but rather I judged the schools based on what society saw as “best” and “highly esteemed”. Essentially, I thought about my high school graduation and what college my parents would be most proud to tell fellow graduates parents that I was attending. Not only was this important in making me look successful, but also in an effort to make my family look good.
Another question I ask myself is why do I play tennis? I have been playing since the age of five. I have grown up playing at country clubs and fostered my tennis playing abilities through countless hours of private lessons. Where I grew up, tennis and golf were the two sports that were acceptable because of their elite status. I attended a tennis academy in middle school and high school. Ever since picking up my first racket it has been an expectation that I continue playing tennis and reach the collegiate level because according to everyone that is the ultimate achievement.
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