The Importance of Being Energetic

    When people describe me, they often use words like energetic, determined, and happy. I unapologetically agree with them. I pride myself on how energetic I am. I love jumping up and down in the hallway to see if I can reach the extended high-fives of my six-foot-plus friends. The next hour I could be banging my head against my locker thinking of things that seem to be falling apart, yet be perfectly happy in the next ten minutes. I greet my close friends with my signature whale-like calls. I’ll exaggerate their names sometimes to the point where I look insane. I don’t hold any reservations, always using all my effort no matter what the task.
    My actions tend to let people assume that I have endless amounts of energy, maybe they don’t know my fair share of off days. Although I may slouch, hesitate, or even groan over a bad outcome, I refuse to let those off days stop me from pursuing my long-term goals. My energy has always been a huge aspect of my personality, as it powers me through those off days. I joke that if you took a burst picture while I was talking, every photo would be different. When I was four, my family and I went to Orlando, Florida for winter break. I would always hear the story from my parents on how I danced with some college students I met at the park for three hours straight. I have pictures of me in dresses with random bumps and scrapes from my last outdoor adventure. I can’t imagine myself in any other way.
    Each day is almost like a goal to see how many people can I say “ayyyyyyy” to down the hallways or throw words of encouragement towards an unexpected passerby. Being energetic and staying positive is a powerful thing. Just watch the volleyball team. We have lost so many games this season and it’s hard not to be negative about that. However, when we decide to shake off a bad play and push forward, we are becoming the team we want to be. Therefore, I cheer on my teammates for the good plays and give them an encouraging pat on their back for not-so-great ones. We move on as a team and look forward to better plays.
    I end this self-description (intro) with some words of advice. If you think about it, you can relate bad moments of life to falling downs. You can dwell on the fact you fell, never get up and move forward. Or, you can assess why you fell, then get up and carry on. Stick on with a large band-aid if necessary, and continue on your journey stronger and wiser. Stop thinking like a Debbie Downer, no matter how hard it is to stay positive when things fell apart. I’ll say what I’ve heard many times before, “fake it till you make it.” Try slapping on a grin, putting yourself out there with the worst dad jokes you can think of, so you’ll see that those “bumps in life” aren’t so bad after all. Heck, things you worry about might just fix themselves. Life is a roller-coaster ride, because we only get one ticket and it's one long ride. Might as well enjoy life’s ups and downs to the fullest.