Tasha Lobato
My names Tasha Lobato and I am a staff writer for the Pomona Perspective. My favorite thing about journalism is all the interesting characters you get to talk to and get to know.
Ever since I was little, I've always been driven to succeed, and school has always been a top priority of mine. I love being part of a community, especially being part of a high school commuinty. I try to keep myself as busy as possible and be involved in everything.
Over my fifteen years of life so far, I've always loved sports. As of now I have played 9 different sports. When I was younger I was a competitive gymnast and cheerleader. In the past I've also played football, basketball, and golf; although currently I play volleyball and soccer.
Halloween
Think about thanksgiving, or christmas, or any of your other favorite major holidays, what comes to mind? For me it's cold weather, quality time with the ones you love, and free time from school. Now think of halloween, different mind set completely, right? When I think of halloween I think of little kids, candy, and cramming as much in to the one day as possible.
Roughly each six weeks we get a decent break from school, usually scheduled around the holidays. However with thanksgiving and christmas right around the corner, halloween gets forgotten. Since halloween is not a national holiday, whereas christmas and thanksgiving are, most corporations and government systems minimalize the effects it has on day to day life, even though most of the country changes there plans for the day; teenagers and kids especially. Since schools operating as normal well still trying to include the holiday a holiday used to let loose and take time for fun, now becomes more stressful.
Although we all do our best to make the week as fun as possible while still managing the day to day responsiblities we all have, one way or anther something has to give. As a high school student, me along with many other students can agree that either halloween is not a big priority to them, or they are going to focus on the the holiday and not so much school and sports for the week. Student athletes especially, as the season ends, we now have to also try to make time and energy for fun that won't take away from their normal lives. Pomona, specifically also required their athletes to help in their trick or treat night for the elementries, taking more time away from us. Overall the week is both one of the best, craziest, and most stressful weeks of the year!
Fall Sports
The midst of the first semester means fall sports coming into full swing. For the athletes of these sports, this means no more free time. Between practices, games, team bonding, and tournaments, any free moment is a gift. These gifts are usually filled by yet another school activity. Friday night football games, volleyball tournaments twice a month, multiple soccer games a week, gymnastic meets biweekly, the list goes on and on; these just being fall sports.
While we love these sports, dedicating your entire life to a sport can be challenging. For the three months of the season, your focus is almost constantly on your sport. Tons of hours a week spent exhausting our bodies to the point where it hurts to move. Not to mention the pressure for seniors, attempting to get scholarships and scouted while still in the process of applying to other colleges.
As one of these athletes, I along with most of my peers can agree our circumstances are both equally stressful and rewarding. Balancing school, sports, and supporting your community can be tough, but as much as there is to complain about there is so much more to be grateful for. All the hours of practice, all the difficult workouts, the nagging coaches; all of it leads up to the moment you step onto the court. The moment you leave behind all of the missed opportunities, focusing on the game, ready to play. Getting that euphoric feeling, stepping into your sport; doing the thing you love.
Finals Week
Yay! Winter break is just around the corner; however, what stands in the way of that corner is not nearly as fun... finals week. Six major tests that could either verify all the work you've done for the past four months or elude to lack thereof. Each class, each teacher, each student, preparing, hoping for the best.
As happy as the holidays are, the stress these tests cause makes it all a little less sweet. The headaches, the hours studying, the notes, it all just makes preparing for the holidays harder than before. This final push towards the end of the semester can be the most stressful and rewarding week to finish off the semester or the most disappointing week off the semester. However, at the end of the week it's all worth it; a long break and the end of the stressful semester.