Sperm Donors

Our topic for debate is if sperm donors should be responsible for the kids that are born using their sperm. Personally, I think that they should not be responsible because some sperm donors give sperm regularly and if they were responsible for every kid then they could have hundreds of kids which is unreasonable. Also sperm donors are to help families that are unable to have kids, it's kind of like adopting. Some families do not want the sperm donor to know the kids because they want their family to know the dad that they grew up with and the dad that took care of them, not the biological father. Some children go on a search for their biological fathers when they get older and are sometimes rejected because the sperm donor doesn't want to be responsible for them, which can sometimes cause the child to go into depression after being rejected. Therefore, with all of this information, I don't think that sperm donor should be responsible for the children that are born from their sperm.

Reputations

We had a little incident over the past weekend where a freshmen on the soccer team acted poorly and was taking to the hospital. She was unable to control her alcohol and put a lot of people in charge of taking care of her. Ever since this has happened, it has been the talk of Wartburg, and people tend to clump everyone freshmen soccer player together. We are known as the drunk girls who can control themselves. I find this really hard because I was not apart of this but yet me and some other freshmen girls are getting this reputation. When you are a part of a team, you are representing that team. You have to represent it in a positive way. As a team player you are not just affecting your own reputation, but you are affecting the other people's on your team as well. From this weekend, I think that a lot of girls have realized how important it is to make good decisions and put the team before yourself sometimes.

Finals

I beginning to get a little overwhelmed with finals coming up. I feel like I have so much to do in so little time. I feel like I have so many tests to study for and so many papers and presentations. I am just hoping that these final tests and projects don't destroy my grades and that I will still be able to end up with decent grades. In high school I was a straight A student and in college it is so much different for me now. I am getting B's in classes and it scares me for some reason. B's are still good and my parents always tell me that, but I'm used to getting A's so it feels weird looking at my grades and seeing B's. I get upset with myself and I don't know why. I just know that I need to continue to work hard for the rest of the semester to keep my grades up, even though I'm hitting that wall where all I'm thinking about is Thanksgiving and Christmas break.

Thanksgiving Break

I am so excited for Thanksgiving break! I can't wait to go home and just be able to relax with my friends and family. I can't wait to see my best friend again because it's been over 3 months since the last time I've seen her. Every time I have gone home so far it's either been for a doctor's appointment or something related to my injury. I'm looking forward to going home and spending time with everyone and actually being able to do things that I want to do. I know I'm not going to want to come back to Wartburg though. I'm just happy that it's only 2 weeks and then I get to go home for Christmas break. This is one of my favorite times of the year and I think I'm going to appreciate it so much more this year because I miss my family so much right now.

Friends

People say that your college friends become your best friends and you barely even remember your high school friends and even the names of some of the people that went to your high school. I don't really think that is true because even though my friend goes to school 3 hours away from me right now, we still talk all the time and play on visiting each other. We were really close in high school and I don't think distance is going to change that. On the other hand, I do think that I'm going to find some of my best friends here at Wartburg, I know that I have already found a few. I have the soccer team to thank for that. Being on the soccer team, it has given me a second family and about 30 new friends. I spend every day with them and I really don't know what college would be like without them. It's only been about 3 months and I feel like I have known some of them my whole life. I think your true friends in high school will stay in touch with you, and things will always work out if you put in the effort. My friends are very important to me and I would do anything for them, so I make sure that I visit and talk to them, even if we are hours away.

Surgery

In a month I will be getting surgery on my ACL, and I'm really scared for it. December 18th will the first day to my recovery to be back playing soccer again. I know this is going to be a struggle for me, but some people say that these type of things only make you stronger. I know that I have the strength and motivation to do this and come back stronger than before. With my teammates, friends, and parents as my support system, I'm to work as hard as I can to come back as soon as I can. I couldn't imagine being done with soccer right now since it is such a big part of my life, so I'm going to do whatever it takes to get healthy again. I'm sure it's going to be countless hours of exercise and restrictions on driving and walking, but I know that I can do it. I want to come back and show everyone how far I had come and hard I worked to get back playing again.

Next

I didn't think that I was actually going to like this novel because this isn't the type of book that I'm normally interested in, but I really enjoy reading this one and it has been very entertaining. It is difficult to keep up with all the plot changes, but I think the fact that it does have so many characters and stories is what keeps that book interesting. The part of the reading that I am at right now is when Burnnet stole his own cells back because he felt that he has ownership of his cells, not BioGen. This is a debate that has been going on for awhile, on who technically owns your tissues and cells. I think that any part of your body is for your own self, whether it is in your body or it's removed. Especially since in the book, his cells were being sold for a large amount of money. That money could be the patients money first of all, and the doctor should not be making money from stealing parts of a patients body. I think that people should have the rights to their own body and do what they wish with it.

My Weekend at Home

I spend my past weekend at home visiting my family and friends, and it also happened to be my great grandpa's 88th birthday. I love being able to go home now that soccer is done. I love going home to my parents waiting to give me a hug, and I love being able to sleep in my own bed again. I never want to come back to Wartburg after going home. It makes me miss my family more after I go home. It makes me realize how I really am on my own now and I don't like saying bye to them every time I leave. My family is my number one support system and I know that I would be completely lost without them by my side. My weekend at home has just made me more excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas break.

Service

On Saturday morning, I volunteered at Genuine Faux Farm. I went with 5 other girls and we helped the couple on the farm by pulling weeds, picking vegetables, and moving equipment. We worked for a total of 6 hours and the couple that owned the farm said that all the work that we helped with would've taken them 6 hours if we weren't there to help them. It was cold and it was hard work, but it was good to know that we were helping them during our free time. I couldn't imagine having that as my job and working in those kind of conditions all the time. They were super nice, and it felt good to know that we could help them, even if we really didn't do that much.

Workshops

Last Wednesday I attended two workshops for my IS class. The first one that I went to was called Vocation and the speaker said a quote that helped me understand what vocation is. "You must take your place in the circle of life," from the Lion King, was the quote that he mentioned in his presentation. To me, this quote meant that you find what you want to do in life that has meaning and that can help someone else. Your vocation keep the circle of life going and continues to help people, so those people can help other people as well. The second workshop that I went to was Wartburg West, which is located in Denver. I'm considering going to Wartburg West my junior year sometime. I would love you experience a difference environment and possibly do an internship with physical therapy while I'm there. Wartburg West is something that really interested me and it was one of the things that made Wartburg very appealing to me.

My Biggest Fear

My biggest fear in life is not succeeding or not being good enough. I never want to disappoint anyone and to hear anyone say that they are disappointed to me just instantly destroys me. My parents have said it to me a few times and I had no words to say back. Hearing the words crush me and I never know what to do from there. I hate letting people down and failing. I work as hard as I can to please people and be the best person that I can be and it always scares me that I can't do it and that I will somehow fail. My parents are my motivators in life and I always want to make them proud with everything I do, whether it's in sports, school, or anything in general. I never want to make them mad or disappointed in me. And it's not just my parents, it's my coaches, little brother, grandparents, teachers, etc. I feel like I am capable to do certain things and I don't want to fail and make anyone less proud of me. That's just one thing that I am afraid of and that is always on my mind.

Outfly

Well Outfly finally came! I was starting to think that it really didn't exist. I was hoping that it was coming soon. I was checking my phone every morning this week because I thought it was going to be that day. It was actually a perfect day for outfly for me because we got back really late from our soccer game so I got to sleep in. Outfly was a very lazy day for me. It consisted of going to Cedar Falls for breakfast and then watching movies the rest of the day. I really like the fact that we have Outfly here at Wartburg. I think it's something fun that can get students involved and it's a bit of a stress reliever for some people because it gives them time to catch up on sleep or homework. but I guess it also makes some people more stressed because they never know when it's going to be. I wasn't really too stressed about it, I just hoped it was coming soon because I really enjoyed the day off and a day to relax. I will be looking forward to it every year now.

Car Accident

When I was 16, I was driving to Cedar Rapids for a soccer game with my friend. I was about 30 minutes into the drive when I saw my life flash before my eyes. I was driving on the highway and there were no cars around me, but I looked over at my friend when we were talking and then I realized that I was slowly going off on the shoulder of the road and when I hit the gravel on the side of the road, it scared me so much that I turned the stirring wheel so fast and we began to swerve. I tried to overcorrect myself and get back on the road, but I was continuing to swerve at about 65 mph. Then all of the sudden the car was rolling. I hit my head on the top of the ceiling and I could barely see anything. The car landed on it's wheels and all that I could see what shattered windows and pieces of glass all over me. My friend was completely shocked in the passenger sit, but also calm at the same time. I broke down. There were instant tears and I called my dad right away. I was shaking so much that I couldn't even talk to him. The guy in the car behind me stopped to make sure that I was okay and to call the police. A few minutes later the ambulance and police came to get us and I was taken out on a stretcher. My friend thought it was funny and she was all worried because he lost her shoe in the crash. We both came out with just a few scratches and bruises and I will forever be thankful for whoever was looking out for me on that day. I literally saw my life flash before my eyes and it happened in a matter of 10 seconds. It's was the scariest thing I have ever been too and it made me realize how something really bad can happen in so little time and you never know when it could happen.

College So Far

I think my transition into college has been getting a lot better. Now that soccer season is coming to an end, I'm getting the real feel for college. I'm meeting new people and beginning to focus more on the school aspect. I'm actually really surprised at how well I am doing in all of my classes. I have definitely realized that you have to do a lot more work in college than you ever have to do in high school. In high school, they walk you through everything and basically hold your hand and when you get to college you are on your own and I figured that out quickly when I got here. As for the family part of it, I still miss them, but it's getting a lot easier because I'm focusing on other things right now and keeping myself busy. And I know that when soccer season is over that I will be able to visit them more often. So I would say that I am enjoying college so far and I can't wait to see how the rest of my year is going to go.

Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson is a professional football player that plays for the Minnesota Vikings. Today his two year old son died, due to abuse by Joseph Patterson, the mother's boyfriend. He first called the police Wednesday to report that the child was choking. When the police arrived at the house the child was unresponsive. The police found that the child had injuries to the head and Patterson was the only one in the house at this time. He was arrested and charged with battery. I don't understand how anyone could beat a child like that, whether it's your child or not. He murdered this child and he should have to pay for his actions. It breaks my heart to see that this is going on in our society and sometimes people are getting away with it. I don't understand how he can feel no guilt for what he did and admit to his wrongdoings.

Giving It Away

Since I tore my ACL two weeks ago, it's been a struggle for me to sit on the sideline and watch my team. Especially when I know that I could be out there scoring and helping the team out. It kills me when I see people giving up and not giving their all on the field because I wish I could be doing what they are doing and they are taking it for granted. I know that our team is in a slump right now and we aren't winning very many games, but I still want our team to try and to not give up. I would do anything to be back out there playing and all I can do it cheer on my teammates and push them to do their best.

Roommates

When I came to college I was expecting my roommate to my best friend. I wanted her to be someone that I could tell anything to and do fun things with, but unfortunately it isn't that way for me. My roommate plays on the soccer team with me, but we have nothing in common at all. We've tried to talk about it and fix things but it's not working out for us. I think in college your not going to get everything you want and this is just something in my life that I have to deal with and overcome, no matter how frustrated I get. Through the reading in the IS book about the roommates, I think that I will just have to stick it out because my expectations for my roommate were too high.

Vocation

I know in class on Wednesday we were talking about vocation and what we think it means to us and how we are taught about it hear at Wartburg. I think a lot of people today think that they need a job that pays well and will get them through life without struggling. Some people don't even do something they love anymore because they think that they won't make enough money. I think that the salary is an important part, but not the most important part. For me, I want to be a physical therapist. I know that they make pretty good money, but that's not the main reason why I want to do it. I want to spend the rest of my life doing something that I love and that I'm passionate about. I've had so many injures in sports so I know what it's like behind the curtains of a physical therapist and what it takes to be one. I want to be the person that is able to help someone recover from an injury or be able to help them with whatever problem that they are having. I think that your career or your calling should matter more on how much you love it, rather then how much money you will make.

Loss

So yesterday I hurt myself in practice. I was shooting a goal and landed on my foot wrong and messed up my knee somehow. I went to get x-rays today, to find out that I may have done something to my ACL. Emotionally, I have no idea what to do right now. It's like something has been ripped out me and taken away. Soccer could be taken away from me for the rest of the season. I'm glad that I'm only a freshman, so I at least have three more years to play. But it also sucks because I had my starting position already as a freshman and now that could be taken away from me too. You never know when something is going to happen to you in any situation, so you have to work hard every day because you never know when it's going to be your last day.

My motivation

I would say that my motivation comes from within and I also think that my parents and friends motivate me. I try to my best in school and sports for my parents. I want to make them proud. For sports, they definitely motivate me because I know how much time and money they have put into it for me to get me to where I'm at today, so I just want to try my hardest to succeed and make the proud of me. My parents want to best for me so I do everything I can in school to keep my grades high and to make sure that I'm on top of things. They expect a lot out of me and have high expectations so that's what motivates me to continue to do what I'm and to not give up.

Our Big Win

Tonight we had a game against UW Eau Claire. We have been preparing for this game all week. After coming back from two tough losses over the weekend, we knew that we needed to pick things back up and get a win. The game tonight was tied until the 65th minute of the game, when one of our freshmen scored off of a corner kick. We have been practicing corner kick plays all week, so it was good to see that our hard work was finally paying off. It's been frustrating for all of us because we know that we can win and we work so hard for it, but we have always been coming up short. With this win tonight, hopefully this can set us up for more wins in the future. Let's hope for an awesome season ahead of us.

One Day I'll Always Remember.

My grandpa passed away almost five years ago, and I will always remember the last day I got to see him. I was going to my doctors appointment to check up on my soccer injury and my dad was about to take me back to school, but he said he was going to see my grandpa. We all knew that my grandpa was very sick and that he didn't have much more time left. I begged my dad to go with him instead of going back to school. Looking back today I'm so glad I did. When I got to My grandpas house the hospice nurse was taking care of him, but he was sleeping and he almost looked dead right there. I remembering holding his and giving him one last kiss before I left. That night I had a soccer game, and right before the game, my dad called me and told me that my grandpa had passed away. When I heard it, I wasn't completely shocked, but I was so happy that I got to see him one last time before he left us. It made me realize that life was too short and you can't take anything for granted. You never know when someone special is going to leave you and you have to make every day count. You don't know when your time will end, or someone else's. The game I played that night was for my grandpa and I will always remember that day and look back at it. It will remind me that life is unpredictable and you have to live it the best way you can.

Transition into college

My transition into to college was really hard for me. I have always been a family person, and leaving my parents and little brother was one of the hardest things I have had to do. Since I've gotten here I have become more comfortable and more independent. I don't miss my parents that much anymore because I still see them almost every week when they come to my soccer games. I am really glad that I am involved in a sport here. It just made the transition a lot more easier because I have come close with multiple girls on the team already. As for the school work, it is definitely more challenging, but I have been able to keep up with it. I hope it continues to stay that way. I knew it was going to be harder than high school, but you have to work hard to get what you want. I am hoping college is the best four years of my life. It's going to be hard, and I'm going to miss some things and people, but I'm looking forward to the next 4 years.

Value of an Educated Life

I think that the value of an educated life is that you learn more, through studying and experiences. You learn more things educationally and socially with an education life. With an education you can get a degree and then move on to a certain career. Without an education it would be difficult to find a job and be success, unless you have money or your family does. But that doesn't happen very often. When you go to college, I think that you experience more of the "real world". You are on your own now, without your parents every step of the way. College is an important step in your life though, because you learn what you want to do with the rest of your life and you get to experience more and maybe live outside your comfort zone. These values match my reason for coming to Wartburg because I came here wanting to take chances and study abroad and travel as much as I could. I wanted to come here to get a great education at a great school. I knew that Wartburg could prepare me for my future. I chose this school because I knew that I would get an education, but I also knew that I would make great friends and experience amazing things.