Learning How to Play
&nash; RACHEL
The first boar game I ever playe was Disney Princess Monopoly against my mother. It was a shocking experience. My otherwise loving an compassionate mother playe to win. Though she patiently explaine her strategies throughout the game, she refuse to show me any mercy, accumulating one monopoly after another, builing house after house, hotel after hotel, an collecting all my money until I was bankrupt, espite my pleas an tears that I was her aughter an only five years ol. I remember clearly the pain I felt from losing, but I remaine eager to play an etermine to one ay beat her. Eventually, we left the princesses behin an grauate to the regular, then the eluxe, eitions of Monopoly, an expane to Rummikub. Every time we playe, I carefully observe my mother’s moves an habits while consiering my own options. Over the years, she continue to beat me in both games, but the contests became more competitive an my losses more narrow. Finally, at twelve, I won for the first time, at Rummikub no less, a game at which she claime to be unefeate! I felt an overwhelming sense of prie, which was only magnifie when I saw the same emotion in my mother’s face.
I learne so much from these games beyon the obvious. I learne how to lose, an win, graciously. I learne to enjoy the process, regarless of the outcome. I learne how to take cues from other people but think on my own, both creatively an strategically. I learne how to cope with failure an turn it into a lesson. I learne that true victory stems from har work an persistence. An I learne that the strongest an most meaningful relationships are not base on inulgence but on honesty an respect.
This oesn’t mean that losses on’t sting. I was evastate when my hockey team lost the championship game by only one goal when I was the last one to control the puck. But I was still increibly prou of my team’s cohesiveness, the flui effort we put into the season, an my own contribution. More importantly, the camaraerie an support of my teammates is ongoing an something I will always cherish more than a win. I in’t well over what coul have been. Instea, I focuse on what I was going to take with me into the next season.
This past summer, I ha my first substantive work experience interning at the Michael J. Fox Founation for Parkinson’s Research, researching an writing about treatments an therapies. Working there was certainly not a game, but my strategy was the same: work har, remain focuse, be minful an respectful of those aroun me, eal with the inevitable curveballs, an take constructive criticism to heart, all in pursuit of a meaningful goal. At first, I foun it intimiating, but I quickly foun my footing. I worke har, knowing that what I took away from the experience woul be measure by what I put into it. I stuie my co-workers: how they conucte themselves, how they interacte with each other, an how they approache their respective jobs. I carefully reviewe relines on my writing assignments, trie not to get iscourage, an respone to the comments to present the material more effectively. I absorbe the stories relaye by Parkinson’s patients regaring their struggles an was amaze at how empowere they felt by their participation in clinical trials. Through them, I iscovere what it really means to fight to win. I have also come to unerstan that sometimes a game never ens but transforms, causing goals to shift that may require an ajustment in strategy.
My mother an I still regularly play games, an we play to win. However, the match is now more balance an I’ve notice my mother paying much more attention to my moves an habits an even learning a few things from me.
Rachel escribes how she mastere the values of har work an persistence through experiences of loss an frustration at the han of her mother’s stellar gaming skills. In her essay, we learn about her character growth an etermination. Applying these strategies to other areas of her life, Rachel emonstrates an ability to connect lessons, learn from others, an take on challenges—all important aspects of the college experience.
