Student Affairs and Career Services invite the Barry community to view the winning essays for the "This I Believe" essay contest. As part of the ORI 100-Freshmen Seminar class at Barry, first-year students read the book "This I Believe," a set of short stories written by various people discussing what they beleive in. This fall, the final assignment for all students in sections of ORI 100 was to write their own "This I Believe" essay.
Instructors selected their top three essays, which were then scored by five judges on:
1) Originality
2) Ability to Move the Reader
3) Grammar/Writing Ability
Judges included:
Dr. Karen Callaghan – College of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Andrea Greenbaum – Professional Writing/English
Angela Scott – Enrollment Services
Shaunie Wall – Career Services
Homma Rafi – Communications master’s student
The top two essays won $50 gift cards to the bookstore to assist in buying their spring 2010 books. The winning essays are below.
"When Kindness calls, will you answer?"
by Kendall Sealy
by Kendall Sealy
I believe in kindness, not just the kindness that you show to loved ones and those close to you, but the kind that you display when anyone (regardless of your relationship with them) is in need of it. I didn’t always have this belief though. It took a very special incident in my first year of secondary school to show me this kindness.
From the beginning of the school year I had already developed somewhat or an arch nemesis. His name was Jeremy Mc Meo and we seemed to butt heads on everything. It started with a simple soccer Game in P.E class where I was chosen as the captain of our teams but he wanted that honour for himself. We argued on the field repeatedly and had it not been for an intervention from the P.E teacher, we would have surely come to blows. From then on we would always argue and speak openly of our dislike for each other whether it was in line at the cafeteria or choosing seats in class, with us having to be parted on several occasions to avoid fights. It seems trivial in retrospect but as 10 year old boys we were convinced that we hated each other.
All that changed one evening after soccer practice. It was late and all the boys were getting picked up or going to board the bus to go home. I was waiting for my dad to pick me up as well but unbeknownst to me; my Dad was having car trouble and was going to be late. I sat there as all the boys left one by one with the sky growing darker every minute. Every time somebody asked how I was getting home I simply replied “My Dad is supposed to come for me” and they left. Then one of the strangest things happened. One of my classmates, Jeremy Mc Meo, (the same one with whom I had shared several feuds), realised that I would be the only one left down on the field waiting. And anticipating the unpleasant and unsafe situation I would have to endure, declined a ride with someone else and offered to wait with me. We waited for about an hour after dark without knowing what to do, because back then, the average ten year old didn’t have a cell phone, so we had no way of contacting my dad and no idea of how long we would be there waiting.
We had nothing to do while we waited but talk about our differences and we eventually were able to find some common ground. We continued sitting together alone in the bleachers, watching every pair of headlights that approached hoping it would be my Dad. Though it was only an hour, it felt like days. Finally, Just when the heavens were starting to open up to bring on the most unwelcomed of showers, I saw the blue of my dad’s Honda Civic and we rushed out to meet him. I told my dad what Jeremy did and he was very grateful to him and so was I. After that day we became the best of friends and we still are to this day!
I had many experiences in secondary school, but that one day will remain with me for as long as I live. Looking back on that situation, I realize just how scary that would have been for me had I been there all alone. Who knows what situations I might have gotten myself into? I might have resorted to stopping a stranger and asking for a ride, which wouldn’t exactly have been a very safe thing to do, considering that it was after dark and I would have been all alone.
I always wondered why he chose to stay with me, considering that if someone had said that at that time Jeremy and I disliked each other, it would have surely been a euphemism. That day taught me that no matter whom it is, when the situation calls for it, you have to step up and be there for someone else. Kindness does not and should not discriminate.
From the beginning of the school year I had already developed somewhat or an arch nemesis. His name was Jeremy Mc Meo and we seemed to butt heads on everything. It started with a simple soccer Game in P.E class where I was chosen as the captain of our teams but he wanted that honour for himself. We argued on the field repeatedly and had it not been for an intervention from the P.E teacher, we would have surely come to blows. From then on we would always argue and speak openly of our dislike for each other whether it was in line at the cafeteria or choosing seats in class, with us having to be parted on several occasions to avoid fights. It seems trivial in retrospect but as 10 year old boys we were convinced that we hated each other.
All that changed one evening after soccer practice. It was late and all the boys were getting picked up or going to board the bus to go home. I was waiting for my dad to pick me up as well but unbeknownst to me; my Dad was having car trouble and was going to be late. I sat there as all the boys left one by one with the sky growing darker every minute. Every time somebody asked how I was getting home I simply replied “My Dad is supposed to come for me” and they left. Then one of the strangest things happened. One of my classmates, Jeremy Mc Meo, (the same one with whom I had shared several feuds), realised that I would be the only one left down on the field waiting. And anticipating the unpleasant and unsafe situation I would have to endure, declined a ride with someone else and offered to wait with me. We waited for about an hour after dark without knowing what to do, because back then, the average ten year old didn’t have a cell phone, so we had no way of contacting my dad and no idea of how long we would be there waiting.
We had nothing to do while we waited but talk about our differences and we eventually were able to find some common ground. We continued sitting together alone in the bleachers, watching every pair of headlights that approached hoping it would be my Dad. Though it was only an hour, it felt like days. Finally, Just when the heavens were starting to open up to bring on the most unwelcomed of showers, I saw the blue of my dad’s Honda Civic and we rushed out to meet him. I told my dad what Jeremy did and he was very grateful to him and so was I. After that day we became the best of friends and we still are to this day!
I had many experiences in secondary school, but that one day will remain with me for as long as I live. Looking back on that situation, I realize just how scary that would have been for me had I been there all alone. Who knows what situations I might have gotten myself into? I might have resorted to stopping a stranger and asking for a ride, which wouldn’t exactly have been a very safe thing to do, considering that it was after dark and I would have been all alone.
I always wondered why he chose to stay with me, considering that if someone had said that at that time Jeremy and I disliked each other, it would have surely been a euphemism. That day taught me that no matter whom it is, when the situation calls for it, you have to step up and be there for someone else. Kindness does not and should not discriminate.
"Belief of Love"
by Kasey Mistishen
by Kasey Mistishen
I have learned to sleep through the arguing. I’ve learned to take care of myself at a young age. I have understood what responsibility was when the separation occurred. This separation caused a lot of frustration and a lot of disappointment. It made me believe that there was no such thing as a “perfect” family. There was no such thing as true love. None of that existed to me anymore. What did I have to prove me wrong?
I was about five years old. I was living with parents that were full of love for me and my brothers but somehow, lost the love they had for each other on the path to happiness. As I said before, the separation was brutal. Not knowing which side to take, wondering if it was even worth it to take a side. Love for me didn’t exist anymore. All the bed-time stories I heard, I learned early that they were only stories. They were fiction stories. They were written just to make little kids believe in happiness. They never really came true.
I’ve had my fair share of relationships, but they never really meant anything to me. The boys were thought upon as close friends rather than “significant others.” I had trust issues, and believed love never existed so I barely put any effort into my relationships. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school where I was proven different.
He came from a “perfect” family. Parents still together and his life seemed perfect. I always wondered why he always said needed me in his life. Why did he need me? He has the perfect family, why fall for a girl that doesn’t even know what family is, let alone a girl who doesn’t believe in love. As time went on, we got to know each other better. Throughout late night walks and all night talks, I found out we weren’t so different. We needed each other. We depended on one other to be there when we needed someone. We made each other feel wanted, a feeling we both missed. We weren’t going to let this feeling slip away.
He and his family were the ones that taught me love does exist. He and his family were willing to do anything to make me happy. I am not even their birth child and they take care of me like I was. They argue of course but they don’t let a simple argument ruin years of love for one another.
Before this, the word Love was not in my vocabulary. Though out my childhood, I was one of those people that needed to see it in order to believe it. I needed to see and feel the love that a family should have. As of this day I cannot thank him enough. He has loved me like no one else has or will. He and his family have taught me that a lovely, caring family does exist and I will never forget what they have shown me. I will never let him and his family go. They have taught me too much to walk away.
Sound like your normal love story right? Wrong, this is more than a love story; it is a lesson in life. I believe in Love.
I was about five years old. I was living with parents that were full of love for me and my brothers but somehow, lost the love they had for each other on the path to happiness. As I said before, the separation was brutal. Not knowing which side to take, wondering if it was even worth it to take a side. Love for me didn’t exist anymore. All the bed-time stories I heard, I learned early that they were only stories. They were fiction stories. They were written just to make little kids believe in happiness. They never really came true.
I’ve had my fair share of relationships, but they never really meant anything to me. The boys were thought upon as close friends rather than “significant others.” I had trust issues, and believed love never existed so I barely put any effort into my relationships. It wasn’t until my senior year in high school where I was proven different.
He came from a “perfect” family. Parents still together and his life seemed perfect. I always wondered why he always said needed me in his life. Why did he need me? He has the perfect family, why fall for a girl that doesn’t even know what family is, let alone a girl who doesn’t believe in love. As time went on, we got to know each other better. Throughout late night walks and all night talks, I found out we weren’t so different. We needed each other. We depended on one other to be there when we needed someone. We made each other feel wanted, a feeling we both missed. We weren’t going to let this feeling slip away.
He and his family were the ones that taught me love does exist. He and his family were willing to do anything to make me happy. I am not even their birth child and they take care of me like I was. They argue of course but they don’t let a simple argument ruin years of love for one another.
Before this, the word Love was not in my vocabulary. Though out my childhood, I was one of those people that needed to see it in order to believe it. I needed to see and feel the love that a family should have. As of this day I cannot thank him enough. He has loved me like no one else has or will. He and his family have taught me that a lovely, caring family does exist and I will never forget what they have shown me. I will never let him and his family go. They have taught me too much to walk away.
Sound like your normal love story right? Wrong, this is more than a love story; it is a lesson in life. I believe in Love.