Final Blog

Upon reviewing my beginning of the semester blog about who i am, i realized some critical flaws regarding my definiton of myself. First of all, i started defining myself with the fact that i am an athlete; i presented that information as the most important compontent of who i am. Althought it is a very important part of who i am, it is by no means the most important. I realize now through sociology how much more of an impact my family and friends have made on my life, and that i wouldnt even be in sports if it wasnt for them. I also realize i didnt even mention academics in my first blog, and that is what my whole future is based upon. Let me repost the definition of myself with my newfound knowledge of sociology.

I'm Matt and this is my first blog ever. I physically do many things that contribute to the person i am today, but nothing defines me better than my family. Ill start with my dad, who is the biggest influence in my life. My dads dad died when he was 13 years old of an illness, and my father remembers feeling helpless. From then on, he dedicated his life to medicine and is now a very successful surgeon. In addition to that, he stays in brillinat shape and eats healthy. My dad is my biggest role model because of his tireless work ethic and his continuous hunger for knowledge. He has inspired me to be the best i can, to excel in both academics and sports. Getting into U of I engineering was the pinnicle of my academic life, and he coulndt have been more proud. He leads the life i want to live, and has been the most important person in my development. I also have two siblings, a sister and a brother, who are both athletic. Without them, i wonder if i develop into the athlete i am today. Their involvement in sports only encouraged my involvement in sports, and today i am a starting catcher on the varsity baseball team, a position i have worked my whole life for. Sports in general have contributed to my character because of the constant exposure to failure. No weak man can make a living playing sports, and it has taught me many lessons about failure and success as well. My family- not my class, my race, my status or my religion- has shaped me into the person i am today. Of course, there are several other minor factors that have built me, but nothing more important.