"Alright son, go check the 128, 32, corner 90, long 80, and walk down to the bottom levee and look for a hole. Got all that?"
"Uh, yeah. I think so dad," and so would begin my day on the farm during the summer. For you yankees and city folk out there, my dad was giving me instructions on what fields to check, and what levees to ride. And just to clarify, I very rarely "had it." It would take about 6 phone calls, three texts, and a picture for me to figure out exactly what my dad wanted. But at the end of the day I got it done, maybe not always in a timely fashion, but all the same I got it done.
I can confidently same I have one of the most unique outlooks on life out of everyone I know. My mother is from California, my dad is farm grown, and I'm somewhere in the middle. I can plow a field and work a shovel, or dress up and have a day in the city. The way I grew up gave me lessons that can't be found in any book, and can only be taught at T.I.T (Thornwell Institute of Technology).
Lesson #1: "If there's a will, there's a way."
Now, before I explain this, let me just say that this can be the most aggravating rule to learn, especially when being taught by Kevin Berken. Every time I said, "I can't" or "There's no way" or "I don't know how", I was always met with "If there's a will, there's a way," and no help. My dad taught me that you must have the will to get things done, to succeed on your own; if you want to accomplish anything. Giving up wasn't an option, saying "I can't" wasn't allowed in my vocabulary, and it pays off for me everyday in college academics and athletics.
Lesson #2: The work will be there, regardless of your attitude
Everyday, on the farm or in life, something will need to be done. You will have to get out of bed and do it, or suffer the consequences. You can choose to have the right attitude and mindset to get it done, or you can complain,moan, and whine, and make it worse. I will be the first to tell you, I had a poor attitude a lot of the time in the beginning of the summer. I never wanted to wake up at 6:30, and go to hard labor; but that didn't change the fact that I had to do it. When I started realizing that if I had the right mindset and outlook on work that it got easier and more enjoyable, the days didn't seem nearly as long.
Lesson #3: If you are going to do something, give it 100%
At the Thornwell Institute of Technology, "half-assed" work is not accepted. It is obvious when you give something your all, and when you give something just enough effort to get by. In life, if you are going to put your name on something, do you want people to see something you gave minimal effort on, or something you gave your all on and you can be proud of. That extends to schoolwork, and play on the field.
Of course I learned many more rules and lesson, but those are the main three that stick with me and help me out on a day to day basis. Word of advice for parents with bratty kids out there, send them to a farm for a summer. Hard work cures all, and farm lessons turn to life lessons. While I very rally showed it, I loved my time on the farm, I'm thankful for all that I learned, and I can't wait to get home for a few days.
