<p>be as critical as possible. i need all the advice i could get on improving the essay because it needs to stand out. my gpa is already lower than the average, but applying from hawaii and being filipino might help somewhat.</p>
<p>anyways,</p>
<p>One of the core values of Villanova, as an Augustinian university founded on the teachings of St. Augustine, is that students and faculty learn from each other. As you imagine yourself as a member of the Villanova community, what is one lesson that you have learned in your life that you will want to share with others?
Never take the fun out of something you love. Those 9 words are the most important words I will ever hear in my life.<br>
Last year, in my first year of varsity basketball, I experienced extreme ups and downs. One day, I would show flashes of brilliance. The next day, I would be at the end of the bench. Nothing was consistent for me and I was beginning to get sick of it.
After a lousy practice the day before a big game against the eventual state champion Kamehameha Warriors, I engaged in locker room chatter with a fellow teammate who was brought up from the junior varsity about two weeks prior. We talked about the pressure of playing on the varsity level and our unwillingness to take risks on the court. As the conversation flowed, team captain Marcus Holyfield walked in and overheard us, me in particular.
He came up to me without any formality and asked, Why are you so scared to shoot, Matt? I know you can shoot.<br>
I answered, Well, Im scared Im going to miss. If I just rebound and play defense, the coaches cant find flaws in my game. If I shoot and miss, I wont get as much playing time.<br>
He paused. He cracked a smile and shook his head as if my comment was sarcastic. Never take the fun out of something you love.
That right there was it. Marcus went on for 45 minutes, trying to motivate me through his strong beliefs in religion and hard work, but none of it really hit me. I already found what I was looking for: the one tangible that would turn my season around. This simple, 9 word phrase changed my entire season, ending my days of inconsistency and reluctant play. From then on, I went to practice with gleaming confidence. I would not hesitate to play my game. Despite what the coaches thought, I truly did not care. I was not going to take the fun out of my true love for extra minutes. Its not worth it when youre not having a good time.<br>
The team noticed my re-emergence as a solid player. My confidence and level had not been that high since the beginning of the season. The next game against the eventual state champion Kamehameha Warriors ended up being one of my strongest performances of the season. Without Marcuss 9 letter phrase, who knows what would have happened to me.
I try to live by this phrase every day, and I urge others to adopt it as well. Life seems so much more carefree and enjoyable when you live it to the fullest. You incorporate things into your life whether its a sport or a hobby because they give you pleasure and satisfaction. If youre going through all of that effort to enjoy these things, then it simply makes no sense to take the fun out of them. I wish to spread this lesson to everyone I encounter, no matter where I end up, because I truly believe it can change lives. I know it has changed mine.</p>