Gymnastics and School

Gymnastics and School

It is difficult to balance my schedule with so many things to do. I have homework and gymnastics practice, in addition to school, and other daily things. It is very hard to find time to do all these activities with school starting at 8:00 and ending at 3:15, and gymnastics starting at 5:00 and ending at 9:00. I wish that each day was an hour longer, so we could have that extra time to do something that we needed more time for. Having less free time to do important things like homework is sometimes a problem, but is also makes make me a better student.

Having less time for homework does not sound like it would give me better habits, and it is true that sometimes less time does not work in my favor, but over time it has provided me with good habits. When I was younger, and had much more time for homework, I would procrastinate. Procrastinate a lot. However much I used to procrastinate, that habit is gone now because of my time constraint. With gymnastics, I often have the right amount of time to do my homework before practice. Because of this, I hardly ever procrastinate, and have been able to put more long continuous time and effort into my work.

me at a meet

    There are many more wonderful things that come from participating in a sport that helps  people become better students, and develop better character. Let me share some examples from my experience. From gymnastics, I have learned to win and lose gracefully. Winning and losing with good character, has helped me in school because if I do badly on a test, I know how to handle the disappointment. Likewise, if I do well on a test, I know how to feel proud of myself, without making others feel badly. I also believe that because of my success in gymnastics, I am more confident. Being a part of a team has taught me how to give support to others, and to receive support. I have made lifelong friends, that I spend a huge amount to time with. Gymnastics is also incredibly fun, and if I have something stressful going on, gymnastics clears my mind. I look forward to every practice. I believe these traits, developed through gymnastics, will help me have more success later in life.
    Although gymnastics has so many positive influences on my school life, there are also a few negative effects. One thing that sometimes happens with gymnastics is that I feel rushed doing homework. This hardly ever happens anymore, now that I have figured out a rhythm, but it used to be a common problem in fifth and sixth grade. Another negative impact that comes from the amount of practice I have is the late end time. When I get home at 9:30-ish after practice, I am hungry, and I still have to eat a late night dinner. I also have to finish any undone homework. With school starting at 8:00, I sometimes don’t get enough sleep. These difficulties are not frequent, and gymnastics is most definitely worth a rushed, late night every once in awhile.
    I believe that gymnastics has made me a better student, and set me up to have the skills that I need to be successful later in life. Gymnastics has made me procrastinate less, which helps me focus more on my homework. Gymnastics has also given me life skills, and confidence. Gymnastics is something that I can look forward to on a good or bad day.  I believe that everyone should have something that they love to do, and that that will make them a happier, better person. Even though there are a few downsides to such a demanding sport, gymnastics has given me so many positive habits, and experiences.

Book image source: http://tullyschools.org/teacherpage.cfm?teacher=218