A Blinding Rivarly
Tonight, I will be present at Copper Hills High School when the Grizzlies take on the West Jordan Jaguars in the final game of their regular football seasons. West Jordan and Copper Hills are the two high schools in the city of West Jordan, and are "rival" schools - always competing for supremacy in "Dub Town". Any event in competition between the two schools is certain to hold a slightly more special meaning to the athletes competing and the spectators watching, and a win of one over the other is just a little more special than a normal win. And that's all fun and everything. Something that makes a game more exciting is always welcome.
But sometimes, the rivalry went too far.
I used to attend West Jordan High, and I admit that there was a point in my life when I got caught up in the theatrics of it all and I had developed a weird sort of hostility towards Copper Hills. I didn't have any desire to associate with any kids from Copper Hills, unless I already knew them. I would automatically think of someone differently if I found out that they attended my so-called "rival" school. Looking back on it, I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I ever felt this way - that this label as rivals would have influenced me so much that I viewed an entire group of people differently because the attended a different high school than I did.
Let's just say that I've learned a lot since then.
Because of my move in April, I made the decision to attend Bingham High School, which I love (my decision process is actually kinda cool. Remind me to post about it sometime). One of the reasons that I transferred was because I knew that I would have the opportunity to meet a ton of amazing new people - which has come true in every way possible. There are so many sweet people at Bingham, and I'm so happy I switched (not that West Jordan didn't have many sweet people there too, but I'm just grateful that I've had the chance to meet people at both schools instead of just one). I realized one very simple but one very important thing:
There are good people everywhere.
And I don't know exactly how I didn't realize this before. I had shut myself into this idiotic idea that the only people worth associating with were the ones I had already associated with, which is absolutely ridiculous. It was like saying that chocolate chip cookies are the only cookies worth eating without even trying any other kind of cookie.
And then you miss out on the Oreos, which is an enormous tragedy in itself.
Anyway, about the same time as I was having the epiphany about good people being everywhere, it just so happened Bingham was having its homecoming football game - which conveniently happened to be against Copper Hills (say what you want about fate, but I don't think that the experiences that I went through were accidental). Of course, I rooted on the side of the Miners, who won easily. But the score of the game is not so important as what I learned that night. At halftime of the homecoming game, I went over to the side where the Copper Hills students were trying to keep up their spirits, despite being down by fifty points. I will admit that I felt a little weird, but I had a good friend that I really wanted to see and so I pressed through the crowd of my fellow high schoolers, feeling eyes stare at the royal blue "B" painted on my cheek as I passed by. I met up with her, only intending to stay through halftime. Well, I never went back to cheer on Bingham's side that night. She introduced me to a bunch of her friends, and although I still can't remember half of their names, it was really fun to be there. I stayed with those kids and I had a blast that night. And I discovered that I really liked those kids. I even liked them so much that I hung out with them a week later at one of their homecoming festivities, which was also a really good time.
I cannot express in one simple blog post how frustrated I feel that I ever let a rivalry instill such negative feelings in me towards such amazing people. I love the kids that I've met at Copper Hills, and I'm sure that there are so many cool kids there that I haven't met yet. I can't believe the fact that I missed out on some amazing experiences because of a silly little rivalry.
Why did I do that? Why would I ever restrict myself to one group of people? I reflect on my previous mindset about Copper Hills, and I don't even understand how I got to be so narrow minded. To you, dear reader, I would ask you one thing: why would you choose between two things of high quality when you can have both?
Why would you only take half of a masterpiece?
Don't sell yourself short. Be open minded. Be fair. Treat others with respect, and remember that they have so much to offer. I can't believe I ever thought any other way. Don't you dare look back with the same kind of regret that I did.
Ps
Go Jaguars ;)
But sometimes, the rivalry went too far.
I used to attend West Jordan High, and I admit that there was a point in my life when I got caught up in the theatrics of it all and I had developed a weird sort of hostility towards Copper Hills. I didn't have any desire to associate with any kids from Copper Hills, unless I already knew them. I would automatically think of someone differently if I found out that they attended my so-called "rival" school. Looking back on it, I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I ever felt this way - that this label as rivals would have influenced me so much that I viewed an entire group of people differently because the attended a different high school than I did.
Let's just say that I've learned a lot since then.
Because of my move in April, I made the decision to attend Bingham High School, which I love (my decision process is actually kinda cool. Remind me to post about it sometime). One of the reasons that I transferred was because I knew that I would have the opportunity to meet a ton of amazing new people - which has come true in every way possible. There are so many sweet people at Bingham, and I'm so happy I switched (not that West Jordan didn't have many sweet people there too, but I'm just grateful that I've had the chance to meet people at both schools instead of just one). I realized one very simple but one very important thing:
There are good people everywhere.
And I don't know exactly how I didn't realize this before. I had shut myself into this idiotic idea that the only people worth associating with were the ones I had already associated with, which is absolutely ridiculous. It was like saying that chocolate chip cookies are the only cookies worth eating without even trying any other kind of cookie.
And then you miss out on the Oreos, which is an enormous tragedy in itself.
Anyway, about the same time as I was having the epiphany about good people being everywhere, it just so happened Bingham was having its homecoming football game - which conveniently happened to be against Copper Hills (say what you want about fate, but I don't think that the experiences that I went through were accidental). Of course, I rooted on the side of the Miners, who won easily. But the score of the game is not so important as what I learned that night. At halftime of the homecoming game, I went over to the side where the Copper Hills students were trying to keep up their spirits, despite being down by fifty points. I will admit that I felt a little weird, but I had a good friend that I really wanted to see and so I pressed through the crowd of my fellow high schoolers, feeling eyes stare at the royal blue "B" painted on my cheek as I passed by. I met up with her, only intending to stay through halftime. Well, I never went back to cheer on Bingham's side that night. She introduced me to a bunch of her friends, and although I still can't remember half of their names, it was really fun to be there. I stayed with those kids and I had a blast that night. And I discovered that I really liked those kids. I even liked them so much that I hung out with them a week later at one of their homecoming festivities, which was also a really good time.
I cannot express in one simple blog post how frustrated I feel that I ever let a rivalry instill such negative feelings in me towards such amazing people. I love the kids that I've met at Copper Hills, and I'm sure that there are so many cool kids there that I haven't met yet. I can't believe the fact that I missed out on some amazing experiences because of a silly little rivalry.
Why did I do that? Why would I ever restrict myself to one group of people? I reflect on my previous mindset about Copper Hills, and I don't even understand how I got to be so narrow minded. To you, dear reader, I would ask you one thing: why would you choose between two things of high quality when you can have both?
Why would you only take half of a masterpiece?
Don't sell yourself short. Be open minded. Be fair. Treat others with respect, and remember that they have so much to offer. I can't believe I ever thought any other way. Don't you dare look back with the same kind of regret that I did.
Ps
Go Jaguars ;)
