Durham, Khurana, Canent 1
Connor Durham, Nikit Khurana, Jake Canent
Mrs. Morris
HELA 10
9 May 2017
Learning is Everything
We stood in Mr. Wassinger’s technology classroom while students were hard at work on the computers working on Web Design and Computer Applications assignments. He wasn’t there yet as the three of us stood in the corner mapping out a plan for the interview. We really weren’t sure how it was going to go. It was very informal with us just showing up in his room without much warning. We discussed some questions we would ask and what direction we wanted to take the interview. There were a few key questions written down on a scratch piece of paper but not enough for our hour long interview, at least that is what we thought. That didn’t matter as our planning was cut short as the door creaked open and in walked Mr. Wassinger.
Mr. Wassinger walked in greeting us with a friendly smile and sat down in his desk chair. We asked if he was ready to be interviewed and he replied, “I have some great stories to talk to you about.” The first question we asked was, “When you were in high school what different activities did you participate in and how were you able to manage your time?” He began to tell us about how he grew up in a small town and went to the local high school. He was a three-sport student athlete who also had a job at the supermarket. “I was a pretty good athlete, but I also had commitments every Tuesday and Friday unpacking trucks at the grocery store I worked at.” At first, Mr. Wassinger said he had a difficult time managing all three of his priorities at once. However, after some time he was able to adapt which enabled him to maintain good grades, stay a successful athlete, and make a living for himself all at once.
The next question we asked Mr.Wassinger was, “What life lessons do you wish you would have learned sooner?” He began to laugh a little bit and started telling us about his days in college. Back then, he had no idea how to wash his own clothes because his mom always did for him. Mr.Wassinger then told us, “So I went out and bought a stuffed bear that you threw in the washing machine to wash your clothes.” Little did he know that all the bear did was soften his clothes. “I visited my family back at home and had to do my own laundry since I was an adult. So I brought the bear and my sister looked at me and said ‘you know that the bear is only a fabric softener right’ and I looked at her like she was crazy.” Mr. Wassinger wishes he listened and watched his mom when he was younger so he was better prepared to take on the real world later on in his life.
Not only did Mr. Wassinger tell us the attention-grabbing stories of his youth, but he also gave us some precious advice that can help us throughout the next couple of years in high school. For example, he reiterated, “I think everyone can learn something every day.” As a teacher, coach, parent, and sibling, Mr. Wassinger has obviously experienced the stressful situations of life. Therefore, his recommendations are definitely credible. Furthermore, from this quote, we can learn that every day should be a day to get better, and that should be our motivation to get out of bed. Afterall, what is the point of living if there is no learning, whether that is through fun or bookwork. Additionally, Mr. Wassinger claimed, “If you aren’t learning something whether it is from someone younger or older than you then you aren’t really getting everything you could have out of that day.” This allows us to understand that we have limited time in the world, so we should act without hesitation, and be the best we can be. If we make sure to do that, we are making a great leap towards becoming a better person.
Although the topics that Mr. Wassinger thoroughly discussed during our interview were irrelevant to what he was going through now, he had experienced everything he talked about numerous times in the past. Those experiences allowed him to acquire many skills that are now very useful in his life. As Mr. Wassinger said, “I would not be where I am today without exercising the skills I learned to use during the days of varsity basketball games and unloading produce later that night”. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to. Mr. Wassinger is no ordinary man. He has had his ups and downs, and eventually become a successful businessman, teacher, and coach. If one finds it difficult to learn from him, then one cannot learn from anyone. This is the key to being successful in life, you must be able to learn from specific situations and be able to adapt to situations that may not go your way.