Academic people intimidate me. Yes, I comprehend the irony of that statement but it’s also accurate. To prove this statement even further, I will confess a true event: I once returned the book provided for a faculty dialogue group because I didn’t understand it! Fortunately, this has only happened once and the opportunity to converse with colleagues in various disciplines is an aspect of academic life that I relish; but because I did have this experience, I am sometimes hesitant to engage with certain titles. And surprisingly an intimidating selection for this term entitled The Liberating Arts: Why We Need Liberal Arts, actually “had me at hello” (for any Jerry McGuire viewers) in the first few pages.
The message that pinned me to the mat to continue reading was this: “Who am I supposed to be after college?” Anyone courageous enough to help a student wrestle that question to the ground? Especially for a student athlete whose identity has been shaped for decades by their sport. And the real bellringer came next: “…if only more faculty and administrators were asking the same question.” These are issues that have plagued me for an entire career in higher education, so much so, that I’ve contemplated if an additional degree might equip me to help students more effectively—Christian studies, life coaching, vocational psychology, or perhaps…Wrestling Coach?
There are many wonderful faculty and staff across campuses all over Christian higher education who are investing in a title that will never appear on their resume, business card, or curriculum vitae—that of Wrestling Coach. Because we are truly attempting to teach an Emerging Generation how to wrestle, and I have a library of book titles to recommend on this topic; however, it was the words of a presentation by Jennifer Patterson in 2021 that prompted the question in my own mind: How do we teach them to wrestle? Patterson shares her perspective on some of these Big Questions when she recognizes the ones “that we all ask in one form or another throughout life: Who am I? How do I fit? We agonize about them as adolescents. At some point, we reach a degree of confidence and comfort about our answers, only to have that disrupted by the next [Season of Life] change—and so it continues. Much of life is wrestling, consciously or subconsciously, with how to be comfortable in one’s own skin.”
So, the reality is that not only are educators navigating how to best equip students with the knowledge needed to become a successful professional in the discipline, there is a need to also become a Wrestling Coach to help this generation traverse the competing messages between who culture says they should be and who God designed them to be. Complicate this even further with the expectation that many college graduates feel compelled to choose a lifelong career before they graduate, the stakes are extremely high. So, if anyone would like to question why I spend so much time researching what it means to Flourish at Life, this is my reason.
Emerging Generations need coaching now more than ever. There are Too Many Choices, too many people speaking into their lives, and too much uncertainty for them to navigate these waters without some selective guidance from parents, educators, mentors, ministers, or Wrestling Coaches. And they are not often very effective at communicating this need for themselves. I may not be very effective at teaching an athlete the greatest technique to best an opponent on the mat, but this Wrestling Coach will continue to do her best to seek whatever wisdom she can locate to help students win at life!
References:
Bilbro, J., Wilson, J.H. & Henreckson, D. (2023). The liberating arts: Why we need liberal arts education. Plough Publishers.
Parks, S.D. (2011). Big questions, worthy dreams: Mentoring emerging adults in their search for meaning, purpose, and faith. [Kindle version]. Jossey-Bass.
Patterson, J. (2021, Feb. 4) Wisdom for cultural challenges about human flourishing. [Presentation]. IACE Second Annual Conference, Ft. Worth, Texas.
Flourishing @ Life 
This blog was at the top and immediately caught my eye. As I continued to read through this blog I realized how much I can relate to it. “Who am I supposed to be after college?” I am a student athlete myself, and all I have ever known is wake up, go to class, go to practice, come home, and do it all over again the next day. Feeling like I have to have my entire life together before I graduate is difficult as well. I appreciated reading through this blog because it is a reminder that there are people out there who want to help college students get through this season of life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Julie – I think you’ve achieved more “pins” than you could ever count. So thankful for you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am so grateful to have had the privilege to read this blog post tonight. As my time in college nears its end I have often pondered what it is that I will do after graduation. This situation is different than most for me because I will have an entire semester of no school between graduation and attending graduate school. I could not have made it without professors who double as mentors, friends, and wrestling coaches to talk me through situations when it might feel like I am doing the wrong thing or making the wrong decision. It is a relationship that makes me proud to be a student at this liberal arts school!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read this blog post at the right time! As my career as a college softball player comes to an end soon I can not help but think what will the future hold? All I have ever known is that diamond on the softball field being my whole life. I have missed multiple birthday parties, family functions, and vacations throughout the years. I could not have continued being a college student-athlete without the Lord. He has guided my steps at every turn of my journey here. I trust in his plan for me today and for years to come from now. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this blog post because it makes me feel like I am not alone in this journey of wresting life and I have a ton of people in my corner going to battle with me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This article is one that I can relate to in my life. As an athlete, my whole life has revolved around sports. I grew up playing any sport you could think of. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to play college baseball and continue my athletic career. However, as I’ve gotten older the realization that sports don’t go on forever has hit. I’ve spent the last year dealing with injuries that affect my playing ability. As I’ve dealt with these injuries I feel as if I’ve had to develop a new identity. We tend to walk around labeled as an “athlete” when we are much more than just that. I truly think my injuries have been a wake-up call to be more than just an athlete.
LikeLike
This article speaks on a topic that I have thought about for quite some time, Who am I supposed to be after college? I grew up playing sports all my life so I my life consisted of; going to school, going to practice, eat some dinner, go to bed, and do it all over again. I absolutely loved it. I was a part of a team at all times, built some relationships that will last a lifetime, and learned lessons that I think can only be learned through sport. As I got to college, and I was no longer a student athlete, I had to realize that life wasn’t all about going to practice, or playing in the big game. I had much more time to think about who I was as a person and really form my identity. I struggled with this for quite some time but extremely thankful for all that I have learned and overcome through this process.
LikeLike
What an interesting title and discussion. It is definitely something I have struggled with as my life’s direction has been hard to find, plunging me into a sea of confusion. Navigating through the myriad choices and unexpected detours, I have grapples with defining a purposeful path. The ambiguity surrounding career choices, personal relationships, and self-discovery has often left me bewildered. Yet, this confusion has been a catalyst for growth, pushing myself to explore diverse avenues and unearth my true passions. Embracing uncertainty has become a transformative journey, fostering resilience and adaptability. In the midst of life’s directional chaos, I have grasped an opportunity to sculpt a unique narrative, where confusion acts as a stepping stone toward a more authentic and fulfilling existence.
LikeLike
I was really happy that I got to read this, and also I am so grateful to have such a great professor like you. This post has me asking so many questions. As an athlete that came to college to be just an athlete because I didn’t really like school. I have always been just a softball girl and sports have always been my priority. However, reading this most is what I can relate to the most. Softball is not life because it ends after college unless you go pro but I am not because it doesn’t pay enough. College has been my wake up call for me. I feel like being in college has made me more mature and made me realize that I need to love what I do in the future.
LikeLike
This blog post really spoke to me as a student athlete. Sometimes it is easy to feel as though I am defined by my sport and my team and my athletic accomplishments, so it felt very reassuring to read this post and to feel understood. Looking back at growing up surrounded by sports I feel very fortunate and blessed, it has led me all across north america, to places I never thought I’d go, it has brought me lifelong friendships and unique experiences I wouldn’t trade for the world. But, I do feel as though athletes feel a pressure to have everything figured out and always be working towards something. And it can be hard to admit that sometimes just standing still in life and taking a moment to breathe and relax and be okay with not knowing what’s next can feel really good; and it makes you appreciate how far you’ve come. And although being an athlete has given me so much in life, it doesn’t define me.
LikeLike
This blog just so happened to be the first one I clicked on and it was in the middle. The contents in this blog were amazing. I am so glad that you touched on this topic, because it just happens to be something that I am dealing with right now. I have always wanted to be involved in sports in some way because I grew up playing sports and I LOVE them and I also love helping people and being hands on. So when it came to picking a major, I thought that physical therapy and/or athletic training was the way for me to go. I even work at a PT clinic right now. But the more time I am in college, the more time I have to think about what I want to do once I graduate. It is one of those things that I do not want to admit to myself because it stresses me out to not know, so you speaking on this topic has put me as ease because it helps me realize that I am not the only one going through this issue and that everything will be okay and it will work itself out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: How to Die – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: More Your Size – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: Here Again – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: Baptized Ambition – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: CTRL+ALT+DEL – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: Asking Over Assuming – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: Unpredictable Future – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: Gen Beta – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: No Square Inch – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: Doctor Why – Flourishing @ Life
Pingback: His Presence – Flourishing @ Life