It has been hard for me to synthesize all of the experiences that have culminated here my senior year. This was the case for me in high school and it has been the case for me now in college too. As students and young adults I think we do so much, work so hard and have so many experiences that it is hard to sum them all up and then move on. Especially when it comes to resumes and applications for our next step, it seems like I don’t have the time to do it all.
When I watched the Florida Gators play tonight I got a similar feeling. Most of the seniors have been on the football team for four years now. They, the coaches and the fans have been there year after year as they have won, lost, grown and strengthened as a team. As the season came to a close some teams went to conference championships and some went to bowl games, but only two teams went on to the national championship. There was a lot of talk about who was the best, the most talented and the hardest working. People debated who earned the spot the most, who played the greatest games and who would win it all. They quoted records, percentages, ranks, point spreads, totals and all manner of statistics. But then it came down to it. Just like it is in my life, it came down to today and how I will perform now. Excuses, titles and experiences aside, when given a shot to stand out my hard work will either pay off or it won’t.
I like to think that my life will be filled with many experiences and my resume will be full by the end of it all, but I think synthesizing everything together is a lot more about enjoying life and playing hard than it is about winning. Ohio State and Florida both played hard tonight. I think they enjoyed the last game of their season and I think their hard work paid off. I’m proud to support the Florida Gators because they work hard every season and they always have, ever since I can remember saying “Go Gators!” as a little boy in Florida. They had a chance to stand out this season and I think their hard work paid off. They enjoyed the game, played hard and also happened to win the National Championship. Congratulations you Florida Gators you.
