College students are invincible

We college students are invincible. How do I know? No matter how many times she has asked, I always told my mom that rugby was safe. No matter how convinced I was that I’d never be the one to get injured, I ended up breaking my hand. At first, the only lesson I learned was a lesson of pain.

The lessons began adding up after my right hand was rendered useless by a cast. I thought that an inability to write with my right hand would be enough to save most academic issues from coming to fruition. Four exams later, which were written with my left hand, I realized that injury wasn’t much of an excuse. My original ideas became even more stupid when I explained to my teachers how I came about my injury. The initial daring sound of my story faded once class started.

Looking back, I wouldn’t do anything different if placed in the same situation. Lessons in life are never easy ones. The moral of the story does not become void when I admit to still being on the rugby team. I have to maintain a bit of invincibility, and when mixed with my new found knowledge, it creates the perfect situation.  With that in mind, I’ve also learned that I won’t take risks if there will be consequences I cannot live with.  I’ve proven my coping skills with rugby injuries.  Such a validation makes it all better I think.

Calculated risks are the maraschino cherries in the fruit cocktail of life. Few and far between, risks keep life as exciting as it was meant to be. Lessons that are disguised as things like invincibility and risk taking become something that young people will seek out.

I frown on the negative view that most adults have on mistakes and lessons that young adults learn. When forced to learn things that we’ve never experienced, we don’t gain an ounce of knowledge that’s useable. Lessons learned by error have such higher meaning. Not only are we left with knowledge of what to do (or not to) in the future, we have a great story and a fun time under our belts.

Age is never an excuse for the stupid things that we do.  However, a validation for these kinds of mistakes has stuck with me for a long time.  If we can’t make mistakes while we’re young and restless, when can we?  I certainly don’t like the idea of making many mistakes while I have a job and a family.  I likely won’t have the same romantic views of them anymore either.

I’m not sure that names are the best way to really get to know someone. My name doesn’t define me, rather I define it.  When I think about how this applies, it becomes obvious that we’re a product of our experiences.  All that we can do is involve ourselves in the things we’d be happy to be reflecting on.  Mistakes as well as experiences become a major component of who we are.

With these ideas in mind, I wonder how I’ll ever truly introduce myself when asked.  “Hello. I now have a fear of doing front tuck flips off the high dive after a minor collision between my head and the jumping surface.  I’ll also likely push a lot of boundaries no matter the impending danger, and upon suffering the consequences seldom regret doing so.”

“What’s your name?”

Well, it’s a sad reality, but that isn’t very practical.  Looks like I’m stuck with Morgan.