Class discussion today was good, if a little off topic at times. But I feel that I learn more from class discussions than from lectures. We are all participants in the learning process and it keeps me interested. I can learn from 20 people instead of just 1 person, the teacher. The teacher only has one view and background while we have 20x that in one classroom. Our discussions on location have been very enlightening.
Last class we talked more about our similar location as being students at Texas A&M University. Being an aggie comes with many preconceptions. We are portrayed as spirited fans of our university. Many people look at us as a pseudo cult. One of my high school teachers who graduated from A&M, told me that I was in the aggie cult now! I was a little weirded out at first. I enjoy the traditions but I am not that hard core of an aggie. I like the traditions and sports here but it is not the highlight of my A&M experience. It is definitely the people here. After the first year, I have found some friends who will probably be the best men in my wedding. There are a couple of guys who will stick with me for life. That is way more important than traditions or sports any day.
So being an aggie, I get stereotypes thrown at me all the time. Even my parents throw aggie jokes at me. Such as that aggies are dumb. Most people think that being an aggie I am threatened with entrance to the Corp if my grades drop. I laugh at their misconceptions.
The main topic of class was how our location impacts who we are. I feel this is true to some extent. My life would probably look very different if my house was located even a mile away from its current locations. It is crazy to think of all the possibilities that can happen. Being an aggie, my location impacts me in the people I hang out with, the friends I have, and the story I am currently telling with my life.
I am from Plano, Texas and I think my story would be radically different if I was even from neighboring cities, such as Allen or Mckinney. It is interesting to think of one’s story and how location has been an integral part of it. Even if I had gone to a different high school in the same town, it would have led to my life telling a different story. I may have gone to a different college. I know my friends would have been different and I most likely would not have been able to play sports or been part of the activities I participated in. I don’t really think about alternative situations like this a lot because there is no point. Christ is in control of my life and I don’t need to worry about where I am going or where I could have been. I am where He wants me to be and that is good enough for me.
But my location does not shape my identity in everyway. I am a follower of Jesus first and an aggie second. Before Jesus changed my life, I was always afraid of changing locations or going where my location did not give me a secure identity. But now, I am loved my Heavenly Father wherever I am. My location does not affect who I am. The locations of this world will let us down. They are never permanent. If I put my most treasured identity as that of an aggie, it will destroy me. There will come a time when people will not care that I am an aggie. Many of classmates will be hurt emotionally when they leave college because they have placed their self worth in being an aggie or in some identity connected with this campus. So location can be a huge influence in people’s identities but the most important location someone can have is being located in Christ’s love because it will not change.
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