163. What is your favortite word, and why? (University of Virginia)
Innovation.
I thought I was going to spell that word wrong for the millionth time. When I was in 4th grade, my best friend and I were in an "advanced spelling group." This just meant that we were willing to do the homework sheets that our teacher used to give us and we liked spelling words. We used to learn hard words and it made me feel really smart. Cocky, but true. But no matter what I tried, I could never ever spell the word innovation. I would always put a single "n" and spell it like this: inovation. I was so adamant about the fact that I was spelling it right, I wouldn't even consider spelling it with two "n"s. My teacher would make me spell it over and over again, thinking that I would understand it. I did know the spelling but I just wouldn't spell it correctly. I didn't want to. For a while, my teacher thought that there was something wrong with me, but all that it was, was that I didn't understand why and didn't want to give up my belief system and spell it the way it was "meant" to be spelt.
This word is my favorite word because I feel like this is one of those words that define me. Not because of the meaning behind the word, but because of the experiences I have had with it. When I look at myself today, I want to be that little 9 year old girl who stuck to her belief system. These days I feel like the product of the "Combine". They tell me that I need to do 5 extracuriculars and I try to do it. They tell me that my clothes are too short and too revealing, so I cover it up. They tell me to come for an open gym practice before basketball tryouts, and I go and bust my ass off. They tell me I have a math test tomorrow and I study for it. I don't understand. That 4th grade girl shows me that she believes what she believes. She shows me that just because something is set in the world and society we live in today, doesn't mean that we can't question it.
Innovation, my favorite word. Innovation: the little girl challenge the world. Innovation: the word that strikes a lighbulb in my head and wants me to change to the person who sticks by her belief.
Innovation: everything we live for.
Innovation.
I thought I was going to spell that word wrong for the millionth time. When I was in 4th grade, my best friend and I were in an "advanced spelling group." This just meant that we were willing to do the homework sheets that our teacher used to give us and we liked spelling words. We used to learn hard words and it made me feel really smart. Cocky, but true. But no matter what I tried, I could never ever spell the word innovation. I would always put a single "n" and spell it like this: inovation. I was so adamant about the fact that I was spelling it right, I wouldn't even consider spelling it with two "n"s. My teacher would make me spell it over and over again, thinking that I would understand it. I did know the spelling but I just wouldn't spell it correctly. I didn't want to. For a while, my teacher thought that there was something wrong with me, but all that it was, was that I didn't understand why and didn't want to give up my belief system and spell it the way it was "meant" to be spelt.
This word is my favorite word because I feel like this is one of those words that define me. Not because of the meaning behind the word, but because of the experiences I have had with it. When I look at myself today, I want to be that little 9 year old girl who stuck to her belief system. These days I feel like the product of the "Combine". They tell me that I need to do 5 extracuriculars and I try to do it. They tell me that my clothes are too short and too revealing, so I cover it up. They tell me to come for an open gym practice before basketball tryouts, and I go and bust my ass off. They tell me I have a math test tomorrow and I study for it. I don't understand. That 4th grade girl shows me that she believes what she believes. She shows me that just because something is set in the world and society we live in today, doesn't mean that we can't question it.
Innovation, my favorite word. Innovation: the little girl challenge the world. Innovation: the word that strikes a lighbulb in my head and wants me to change to the person who sticks by her belief.
Innovation: everything we live for.
Something tells me that you still do things you're not "supposed" to do once in a while. And there's nothing wrong with that.
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