Ask the Coach
Higher education Hey, Coach! I am a senior who is about to graduate, and I am undecided about going to college.
My mom and dad want me to get a college degree, but I don’t think I’m smart enough. I make mostly Css and a few Bss, and I know college is a lot harder than high school. I’m just not sure I’m ready or able. This all scares me.
My dad refers to you as a very grounded person, so please try to help make sense of all this for me. Thank you.
Signed…High School Grad
Dear High School Grad: The Coach appreciates your dad’s thoughts, and being grounded is something that we all should strive to be.
While college may not be for everyone, the Coach believes you may be underestimating your academic ability and potential. You say you make Bs and Cs, and the Coach’s guess is that you probably could have had better grades if you had put a more concerted effort into your “academic life.”
Our minds and our thoughts are incredibly powerful things, and if you don’t believe you are smart enough, then you probably aren’t.
If we turn that around, and you thought you were smart enough to be successful in college, then you probably would be that, instead.
Hope you follow.
This follows along the lines of a glass that is either half full or half empty.
Are you the eternal optimist or a pessimist?
Sounds like you are the latter at the moment, and you are encouraged to rethink your stance on this matter and on life, in general.
If your future is unclear, perhaps you may want to stay close to home and attend college part-time, while also working to help defray expenses. If you want to work full-time to save some cash, with the thought of starting classes next year, perhaps your parents would support that thought, too.
With all of this said, you are encouraged to keep your eye on the prize, and the prize is what higher education can do for you. A college degree, even if only a two-year degree, will open up new doors and avenues, and one’s earning power will typically be increased dramatically.
Need the Coach say more?
Good luck with your decision.
Non-traditional workouts
Hey, Coach! I am a middle-aged woman with four kids. While I have an appreciation that you always try to encourage everyone to work out more and to become more fit, I think you should remember that some people do a lot of housework and cleaning, and that this is also a great way of working out.
My husband is also very active by cutting lots of grass with a push mower, and he works in our garden almost every night.
Aren’t these workouts comparable to what you try to encourage? You will probably say we make excuses, but we really don’t have time to work out in a more traditional manner.
Signed…Busy, Busy, Busy
Dear Busy: You make some valid points, and a family of six must have a lot going on 24/7.
You are probably taking the kids all over creation, and doing work around the house can keep you very busy and even be exhausting at times., Cutting grass and gardening are also great activities.
The Coach is still going to encourage you to try to set aside time for weekends/off days to engage in family activities that include some sort of moderate to rigorous aerobic activities.
With summer approaching, there are more options outdoors than during the winter months.
Also, since both of you are so busy, the Coach suggests trying to get in some workouts at the start of the day, as opposed to later, when you may not be as energetic.
Coach’s Comments: For some, there may be a sense of exhilaration that comes from facing tough times head-on and then saying, “We will continue to work hard in an attempt to find a way to prevail.”
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You can contact the Coach at askthecoach2003@yahoo.com.