Tag Archive for 'Motivation'

Ya’Ke Smith is my hero.

Published by Alexzandria Siprian on August 25, 2011 in Alexzandria. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Welcome back, friends!

Back to another year of classes, traditions, inspiring moments, and all-nighters. Get excited!

I am officially a Junior in college! Can you believe that?! So crazy! I’m super excited because I made really great grades last semester and I want that to continue to happen. I’ve spent the summer waiting for that feeling of motivation to consume me, and just when I thought I had it, I get to my dorm and I feel motivation-less all over again.

Yesterday, just like we have every year before the first day of classes, we had our Mavs Meet Convocation. I’m not gonna lie, I never bothered to go in my first two years at UTA – but I wish I had. This year, however, I made my way over to the Convocation, and it was awesome! The key note speaker was one of our professors, Ya’Ke Smith. His address to the students of UTA was incredible and inspiring. No lie, I felt like I was in church. Haha. There was even a point when I said, “Testify!” in response to his appeal. He talked about how you can’t gain true success without struggle. I’m like – oh my goodness, that makes so much sense! He said, “Success without true struggle is nothing more than a gift. And if you give me something, you can take it back.” I just feel like I now have one of those golden nuggets of life that people talk about. Haha.

I feel like I’ve found my motivation.

Ya’Ke was a first-generation college kid, just like me. He has had plenty of struggle in his life, and I have too. I can look at him and listen to his story of success and know that I can also be a success story. Professor Smith talked about how the key to success is in our own hands. Basically, we’ve got to get up and go for it! We’ve got to move, strive, ACT towards our own success.

This year, I’m going to do work and strive towards my goals and my success. There are going to be a lot of trials and hard times to face, I’m sure. But those struggles will mean that my success will be genuine. And mine to hold.

I’m ready.

I Finally Figured It Out…

Published by Delonte Lynch on March 8, 2010 in Delonte. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Being a young man in this world you hear a lot of sayings and words of wisdom from people further along in their life. My mom always use to tell me a poem we I was growing up:

Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor –
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
‘Cause you finds it’s kinda hard.
Don’t you fall now –
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.

When your first told things in life, your like, what in the world does this have to do with me and my situation? After 19 years of living I’ve learned here, while at college, to open your mind up and try to look at things from different perspectives. Having a supporting cast of students, all the way up to some of my teachers here at UTA have taught me valuable life lessons that I can actually use in real world situations. I write this blog to you, anybody out there that needs motivation. I’ll leave you with these words that I’ve found very helpful: Your only facing just what other people have met! Have a great day to anybody who reads this and See It Through to anybody who has difficulty in any situation.

P.S.- My mom can talk, that’s just how the poem is spelled out by Langston Hughes.