Cause and Effect

Where would I be in life without golf and school? Don’t get me wrong, there are many other things that were very important to me growing up that shaped greatly who I am today, but none are of as much importance. These things shaped my life more than family, church, or ethnicity, simply because of the majority of ways they influenced me. Parents just teach their kids the basics, and then the kids learn everything else on the way. Both of these things moved me further towards independence from the rules, boundaries, and “basics” set up by my parents. They’ve provided me with entertainment, independence, personal satisfaction, and to some degree my friendships.
I took up the great game of golf when I was ten years old. The first few times I played I didn’t think much of it. I was obviously terrible, but my family said that if I worked hard at it, it was something I could be good at someday. So I practiced, got lessons, bought thousands of dollars worth of equipment, and just kept at it. I got better and better until eventually I could beat all my family members, then my friends, then my golf team, and finally all the kids in my entire region of Wisconsin. Golf consumed my life while I was growing up. I played in numerous tournaments and outings, and made some of my greatest friendships out on the course. By the end of High School I had recruited eight kids from the track team to try out for golf instead. Not only was golf a big thing on the course, but I was affected by it off the course as well. In High School I never really participated in the party scene. It was merely too big of a risk for me as I feared getting caught and losing my eligibility. As a result I stayed out of trouble and learned some valuable lessons in self discipline and responsibility. Golf also affected another huge life choice of mine; where to attend school. If it wasn’t for me trying to play golf at UW – Eau Claire, I would’ve never come here in the first place. So you could say golf chose my school for me.
Being here has influenced my life in so many ways, and I am glad I came here golf or no golf. College has opened my eyes to so many new classes, opportunities, people, cultures, sports, and a multitude of other things. One of the biggest changes for me from high school to college is the social scene. I didn’t spend much time partying in high school, but I feel I’ve done more than enough to catch up here in college. Going out provides people with the ability to meet new people, have fun, and relax. If done safely it’s a good way to get away from all the rigors of school and unwind. I’ve also met tons of people at parties, so not only is partying fun, it’s a great networking tool. I’m not suggesting that the only place to meet people in college is parties, but it can be a good starting point. While here at college I’ve met many people who I consider to be good friends and I hope to remain friends with them for a long time to come.
College has not only shaped me socially, but intellectually. In high school everything was a breeze. I’d do homework ten minutes before it was due, I never studied for tests, and I didn’t learn a single thing. College put me in my place just like I knew it would. The classes were difficult and professors here do this thing called teaching. Who would’ve thought one could actually learn from school? I’ve not only learned from the classroom, but from the dorm room. Independent life has taught me many life lessons: responsibility, accountability for my own actions, time management, and how to take care of myself.

Definition

I grew up in a relatively small town where being part of a group would shape one and the world around them in a vast manner. The church communities in my town all had an integral part in many fundraisers, fairs, and other volunteer events. There were two schools and thus, two communities within the bigger community that is the town itself. Within these schools laid clubs, music groups, and the sporting organizations. Therein was football, which was arguably my best teacher throughout my High School tenure. I learned more on the field then I ever did in any specific class. I learned leadership, responsibility, respect, work ethic, and loyalty.
Being part of the football team means so much more than going out on the field and playing some games. I’d compare it to being in a branch of the military. Everyone on the field is not only a teammate, but a member of an elite family. They’re part of a group of guys who are willing to lay it out on the line for you even though they may not know or like you that much. There is a certain amount of respect you gain for your peers and mentors on the team, but with that respect comes responsibility. In the army everyone looks to their superiors for guidance and leadership in times of need. But the lower ranking soldiers are still an important piece of the larger machine. Everyone needs to function as one and do their part, and in turn the machine will function properly. One needs to trust that the lower members of the team will do their job properly to ensure the success of the machine, and in turn the higher ranking members will return the favor. But when something goes wrong, the leader must step up and take control.
During my junior year of school those leaders didn’t step up. They in fact fell apart in the face of adversity, and in turn, so did the team. I was actually one of the hardest workers in the weight room, and a great leader for the Junior Varsity team my sophomore year. I hit my junior year and was expecting to see the field a lot, and help the team win some games. The head coach of the varsity had some issues with my dad, and because of that I was penalized. I entered the season backup up a tandem of 3 senior starters at three different positions. One of those starters went down with a knee injury, and the coach turned around, stared me directly in the eyes, and yelled “do I have anyone else who can play his position!?” He then proceeded to shoot me a subtle glare with a smug smirk on his face. If I didn’t love the game so much I would’ve walked off the field right then and there. I went through sixteen weeks of uncontrollable hell. All I could do was sit back and wait for my time to strike back.
At the end of a 0-9 season in which I appeared in three games for a very brief period of time, our coach was fired. As it turns out, some of my friends’ parents had taken notice of the coach and his methods, and started a petition to the school board. The next year was the most fun year I’ve ever had while playing sports. We finally started winning games and I earned conference accolades, and it made everything worthwhile. It was good for me to go through that whole experience and reflect back upon it. I learned that good things really do come to those who wait, and with hard work, anything is possible. I learned to respect people despite the fact that I hated them, and whether the respect was a show or not, good things still came out of it in the end. I don’t wish it upon anyone to have that horrible experience like I did, but I would encourage all to just get out and try out for some sort of sport. Football for me was that solace from the outside world, where I felt invincible. I was free from all other cares, worries, and problems. When I was playing not only was I with my friends, but my family.

Compare and Contrast

Picture a boomerang. Now picture a human leg. Now picture a human leg, in the shape of a boomerang. That leg 3 years ago belonged to my father. He had torn ligaments so many times in his knee that it couldn’t hold its own weight anymore and thus, started collapsing. Numerous doctors, physical therapists, friends, and family members advised him to get the surgery to finally repair the crushed knee. After some deliberation knee surgery number 14 was set up, and carried out. My dad would come out of that whole experience a different person, emotionally, and physically.
All these problems spawned from a very long time ago, in which my dad played college and semi-professional football. As many players do, he took numerous shots to the knees, and required many surgeries. He knew the risks of playing, and he knew how playing football for just four years can lead to bad things forty years down the road, but he persevered. He finished his football career and settled down, and eventually I was born. Upon me being born, my dad had no time to work out, and he spent much of his time eating meals on the go, and thus, he became less healthy. Due to some simple laws of gravity this caused the weakened knee to collapse upon itself. He would go through a lot of physical pain throughout the years until the surgery.
My dad is a much happier person now then he was back in the younger years of my life. I remember when he would have random fits of rage when things would go wrong with his knee. Whenever he hit it on something the pain would be amplified so great for him, he would have difficulty standing afterwards. Near the time right before the surgery there were many problems with the knee itself. My dad would fall at least 5 times a day just due to the sheer lack of support from his right leg. It became very difficult for him to sit in one place for an extended period of time, and also to get in and out of his truck, let alone try to drive it. Finally all the problems because unbearable and he got the surgery. The leg hasn’t bothered him since. It’s so nice to see my dad finally able to function like he should again. His leg is now as strong as ever. I can actually hit it and he only feels minor pain, because the whole thing is made out of a giant chunk of steel now. He no longer falls, and can actually drive a vehicle without pain. He can also relax in his recliner and read or watch television for more than 30 minutes. He works out a lot more now than he used to and he is making sure to stay in shape so the other knee doesn’t collapse now. Not only is he in good physical condition, but his emotional outlook on life is much different.
Before the surgery he was always very grumpy and he had a tendency to be stubborn. He didn’t like taking advice regarding his knee from the doctors and other physical therapists he worked with. He consistently disregarded the advice and this made the situation worse. His grumpiness and stubbornness would ball itself up inside and he would lash out at various times for no good reason. Upon receiving the surgery he changed his ways. When he realized his family had to help him 100 percent of the time with all his daily activities, he took a much more patient and open view on life. He is no longer consistently stubborn, and the small fits of rage are gone. He’s learned to not take so many things for granted now that he knows what it’s like to experience a life changing situation such as this one. He is literally and figuratively speaking, a changed man.

Music Ethnography

Song List
Lullabye - Billy Joel
Abide With Me - Popular funeral hymn
Ganja Smuggling - Eek-a-mouse
Hard To Concentrate - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Breakdown - Jack Johnson
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing - Jack Johnson
For The Longest Time - Billy Joel
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
Fields Of Gold - Sting

I wish I could do this experiment again and list my 10 most favorite songs and see if I would get a different result. We'll never know though..


Music truly is a gateway into social relationships whether they are friend or family. A lot of songs I listen to are a reflection of past experiences, good or bad, or they provide some sort of meaning and insight into my life now. Music is a very useful tool used to identify a person’s actions, beliefs, sociability, and style. Actually all of the songs on my list had to deal with an event that had happened earlier in my life. Some were sad songs reminiscent of funerals, and some had a much happier meaning.
The songs on my list reflect all of the different things I’ve gone through during my life. They represent all my ups and downs, highs and lows. The good thing is at least the songs that constitute “ups” outweigh the “downs.” Many of the songs have to do with experiences I’ve had with friends, and if someone were to identify that, they would be able to identify subculture. But some of my songs are about past experiences with other things such as sports, funerals, girls, and choir. If I would’ve listed my favorite ten songs then I’m sure this experiment would’ve turned out a lot different.
By listening to the songs I selected I think people could still get a decent understanding of who I am. People would infer that I am a laid back person with a ”chill” attitude on life, and I enjoy good musicianship. Whoever had my list today in class basically got all the questions right about me. They properly identified my subculture now as well as my past subcultures. They even got my clothing choice right… The only thing one might not get from listening to this playlist is the fact that I play a lot of sports. Since my songs aren’t aggressive at all in tone or style, one could suggest that I don’t play any hardcore sports. I actually played football for the past 9 years of my life, but contrary to the traditional “pump up” music, I listened to Jack Johnson before every game. I am also a huge golfer, and the mellow attitude of all the songs helped me relax myself before tournaments.

Out of the Comfort Zone

The dress up day was really not that big of a deal for me. I was somewhat out of my comfort zone, but if I was to truly conduct this experiment I would’ve had to wear something truly outrageous. Personally I think that not many people in the class were completely out of their comfort zone, to the point of “not getting caught dead in” their particular outfit.
I decided to wear what I did because the clothes I had on were about the only ones that could make me stand out in any way. I didn’t really have any mental boundaries, and I suppose if I wanted to I could’ve worn make up, and then the experiment would be for real. But, knowing all well that nobody else was going to go anywhere close to that far, I didn’t think it would be appropriate.
As for approaching people on campus, I found it no different than any other day. The people I know are the ones who know me well enough to actually believe that I would wear something like I did on a regular basis. (I once went to Hilltop in a Gorilla Costume and ordered a Sub) I just think that at college people are way more accepting of others and who they are. There are so many different types of people in the world, and I don’t judge them, so why should they judge me. Usually if I see someone wearing something completely outrageous I know that there’s probably a reason for it, and I go about my business like a normal human being. The only people who talked to me in regards to my clothing were complimentary of it, including professors.
So I still believe that people make the people, clothes do not. If clothes made the people that would mean that on Wednesday we were all a bunch of freaks. Since I’m pretty sure most of us aren’t freaks, I’d say that justifies clothes not making the person.

The Golf Swing Process Analysis

Before I came to college I ate, slept, and breathed golf every day. It was, and I suppose still is my absolute favorite sport. Golf clubs were originally made by archers in Scotland back in the 1400’s, and the first documented use of these clubs was at St. Andrews in 1421. Their swings back then were as complicated and flawed as the ones used in this day and age to play the great game of golf. The swing consists of four main factors: Setup, Backswing, Downswing, and Finish. Put these four things together properly and a true sight will occur; the perfect swing.
The first step to the golf swing is knowing how to set up properly. The first thing you should always do is align the tips of your feet parallel to the line you want the ball to travel on. The feet should be about shoulder width apart with an equal weight distribution on each foot. Depending on what type of club is being used, ball position will change. For a short distance shot, the ball should be halfway in between the left and right feet. For a middle distance shot the ball should be halfway in between the middle and the front foot. Then for a longer shot or tee shot, the ball should be positioned in the front of the stance. Now to pick up the club, grip it with the less dominant hand in the form of a handshake, and then place the other hand below the first, interlocking the pointer finger on the weaker hand with the pinky finger on the dominant hand. Now were ready to start forming a swing.
When swinging a golf club, the most important thing is consistency. It should be done the same way every time. There is a very particular order in which each part of the body should move in order to create the best results. The first thing that should move is the hands. At the very beginning of the backswing there should be a very slight cocking of the wrists and hands. The next thing to move should be the shoulders. They should start slowly opening up to the right if you’re right handed, or to the left if you’re left handed. Next comes the torso. In a very similar manner to the shoulders, the torso should twist in the direction of the dominant hand. Last but certainly not least is the hips. Many people who know golf have often heard the phrase “it’s all in the hips.” This is completely true, as almost all the power in the golf swing comes from solid hip movement. Once the club becomes parallel to the ground on the backswing it’s time to start the downswing.
On the downswing the same steps are followed, but just in a reversed order. The hips should turn to the left, then the torso, then the shoulders. Remember those cocked wrists? Right before you’re about to hit the ball release the hinge and let the hands seemingly fly through the ball. A big full rotation of the body should be made when following through the ball. The chest should face directly at the target and 90% of the weight should be transferred onto the front foot. After the swing is complete, I usually like to hold the pose for a bit, and make sure my posture is completely correct.
The golf swing really isn’t that hard is it? There are only about a thousand different little mechanical things that can go wrong each time a club is picked up and swung. But even the pros go back to the basics sometimes and remember the 4 easy steps to the swing: setup, backswing, downswing, finish. Replicate the steps about 20 million times and you’ll be ready to take on the pros!

My Findings

Based on my research I can say that Eau Claire, and probably many other campuses around the US are viewed by the outside world as glorified institutions where learning and growth take place. From the inside, it almost appears as if learning takes a backseat to fun. Many students don’t put the time and effort in that their professors would like them too, and in return the professors just don’t gear themselves to those students. It’s not like High School where if you sleep in class or skip, a teacher will get on you. In college professors teach to the students who care about being here, not the ones who are just living the dream of partying and fun.