Angelica Vargas
Jason W. Ellis
ENG1101 D380
10/05/2015
My name is Angelica Vargas. I usually tell people to call me by the name childhood nickname, Angie. My friends from high school called me Angie they all thought that was my name. During high school I thought Angie was a much cooler name than Angelica ,plus it was way more easier to remember. Facing the “new world” (college )I realized I had start signing my full name. I knew in college no professor would take me serious if I used my nickname Angie, therefore I lost my childhood nickname and decided to become Angelica. It was time for a new beginning , new friends, a new academic life style, and more responsibilities. I’m currently attending the amazing college that goes by the name New York City College of Technology. My major is Communication Design Management. When I got accepted to City Tech I was a happy camper. I was the first one in my household to apply to a four year college, and got accepted.We all have something that catches our attention the first try. For me it was volleyball. Volleyball has played a big role in my life, it has made me stay in shape and has become a big stress reliever . Recently the sport has become important to me ,especially throughout my high school experience. I learned that working with a team really helps an individual gain self confidence. At first I had some regrets on joining the team because I didn’t take judgement very well. I’m a naturally athletic person. Judging by my past experience with sports, I have been in track and volleyball in high school. I was also in karate between the ages 7 and 16, I attended karate for almost 9 years. I quit due to the fact I had to focus on my studies and move on to bigger and better things. The better things that came my way was volleyball. Volleyball was an eye opener for me cause I saw many opportunities. I was getting better during the summer of 2014, which sucked because I didn’t really have the skills during my high school experience. When my mom was living in her hometown in Dominican Republic she was in a volleyball team. That’s one thing I’m very proud of ,I took my mothers steps in high school. Volleyball will continue to be in my life.
When I first entered Academy for Careers and Television in film , the high school was located in Astoria, Queens under I.S 204. Sadly the school only had possession to the basement. When my freshmen class entered we had completed the school with all four grades. We were the fourth gradation class (class of 2015) .During my sophomore year, my principal gathered all the students in the auditorium. He had a huge announcement. We were finally moving into another building .It sucked for the seniors that were graduating in 2013. They wouldn’t have the experience of moving into the building with the lower grades. The whole school moved within a year. I spent my junior and senior years in a beautiful building near the Long Island city piers, which had a beautiful view of the city. Unfortunately the school still had to share the building with two other schools, But this time we had two floors. Throughout my high school experience I had a lot of regrets about joining the school’s team. I didn’t expect my failures like a grown adult. I got angry at little things that happened. Just imagine how would I have reacted to games where I failed? I would have embarrassed myself infront of my team,my school, and especially my coach. Throughout my high school experience I learned how to overcome my failures. I also regret not joining the team earlier just because of the fact I could have taken advantage of those four years on the team.Let’s say I started the volleyball team during my freshman year ; I would have been team captain by my senior year .I would have also had the advantage of getting multiple scholarships from colleges out of state.I lacked on my social skills on making the right friends.During my freshman year, I attended all of the school’s volleyball games. To get a sense of how they played.Meeting the right people in high school is very difficult. My Friends were the type to easily slack and go off to smoke weed and drink after school hours. Being with the bad crew of friends really labeled me when it come to first impressions in the classroom with my teacher. The volleyball coach was the physical education teacher. In my gym class freshman year I never got prepared. It was easy to get prepared because I only had to bring sneakers. Having friends that were under the influence, was very tempting. They always wanted things to go there way. If you can’t tell already I used to be a follower which got me nowhere. I’m actually proud of my high school experience it shaped me to be the person that I am today.
When I first realized I was interested in joining my high school’s volleyball team it was around the summer of 2014. My family had planned a BBQ at sunken meadow beach in Long Island. We were all enjoying ourselves. When the afternoon was slowly approaching we decided it would be a fun activity if the whole family would play volleyball together. My father saw that strangely I wasn’t playing with my family. I knew If I would have played at first, my family would have asked me so many questions about volleyball. It would obviously be all good things but I didn’t want to be encouraged to be in volleyball team anytime soon.At the beach, My family kept asking me questions about what I wanted to do after I graduate high school. These questions were so difficult to answer when I was 16 . Eventually I got up to play and saw I was doing better than before the last time I played. What really made me change my mind was, that I was the main player who was helping my team to win. My team was winning mainly because of my serves. I felt I was worth being in a team finally. Luckily nobody convinced me into joining that day. I saw hope in myself to be the best that I can be that day. I knew senior year for me would be hardest, because I didn’t pass my global regents .My goal was to pass the global regents in first semester of my senior year. Unfortunately I didn’t, I failed the global regents once again by one point.I didn’t want to join volleyball cause I thought I was going to get a class on global. I got a short tutoring session with two other students. When ever I had the chance in summer 2014 I practiced. I literally practiced everywhere you can think off ( outside ).The park, beach, piers, backyards, front yards, and dangerously on top of my roof. My father supported me while I was practicing. He took me to flushing meadow park to play with me. It took skills .It was a great workout for both of us .Yes I used to be go practice on my building’s rooftop. When I used to go off and practice on top of my rooftop ,I usually was stressed out. It was a challenge at first.It was a learning experience. I was testing out my skills of controlling the ball. What I did was I threw the ball up and I bumped it with my forearm. I kept bumping it until I couldn’t anymore .If the ball would have fell down to the ground. I would have gotten it and ran back up to my position and start all over again. That barely happened though. To be able to play at a rooftop you have to be aware on the amount of space you have. It’s exactly the same way when you are on a volleyball court. You have to be aware with the back lines ,and sidelines ,because if the ball goes out then you will be giving the other team points.My friends and cousins helped me with my progress. Im really greatfull for the people who supported me in the summer and within the fall semester of senior year.
My mother is an immigrant from the Dominican Republic. She came here due to the fact she wanted a better lifestyle for her future and her family. I remember my mom telling my sister about her past experiences during her education life style in the Dominican Republic. My sister also was involved with volleyball in middle school. She should have continue her path into volleyball in high school. Anywho my mom was a real inspiration to me cause I wanted to be just like her. According to what my mom has told me , she was very skilled .She used math to win her games. I can’t really explain because I still don’t get it. She tried to teach me her ways within the summer, but I still didn’t get it. My father on the other hand is also from the Dominican Republic. His older uncle bought his brothers and sister over to new york to better their lives. My father and I have special bond .Ever since I told him I wanted to quit karate he was very disappointed, because he didn’t raise no loser. My father always told me “quitters never prosper”. So when I made the decision on giving up on karate and joining my high school’s volleyball team, at first he wasn’t supportive. He learned how to expect my choice because it was my life. My dad decided to help me by practicing with me and also by working out with me. When It started getting cold we went to the gym to practice. It was 5 days and 3 hours during the week in the gym. Mostly doing weights and playing volleyball in the gym.I really appreciate my parents for supporting me when I needed them the most in my life.
Volleyball has changed my life. The sport has helped me in many ways, such as controlling my anger and stress. Also the sport has prepared me for the real world in accepting my failures. Failures such as getting multiple volleyballs thrown at me to learn and lesson, giving the other team points because of my bad serves within games, and hearing girls judging me on my team. A team is about helping others out in order to bring out the best out of a person. In my high school the girls didn’t follow that rule. They were very judgmental and worried about themselves. I tired to be focused on myself and becoming better then them. That just made thing worst. I never seen volleyball as a competition, I have always seen it as a motivator. It has helped with a lot of my struggles throughout my life.Volleyball will forever continue being my one true love in my life.=
