Journey to the Unkown

Journey to the unkown
The purpose of Chris McCandless’s journey was for him to find himself through the simplicity of nature. Growing up, his parents were controlling and when he graduated from college he set out on his journey. Chris took his car and went north. In the book Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer explains his thoughts and reasons behind Chris’s choice to go into the wild. “McCandless went into the wilderness not primarily to ponder nature or the world at large but, rather, to explore the inner country of his soul” (183). He was in search of who he was and what he wanted to become.
Chris did whatever it took for his dream to become possible. Chris knew what he wanted to do and he went for it. He gave up on everything, his family, school and even money. He had an idea of what his life was going to look like and starting with nothing was one of those things. Chris followed through with what he believed in until the very end. Many people tried to tell Chris that what he was doing was stupid and that he couldn’t achieve his final goal which was to get to Alaska. He didn’t listen; he wouldn’t let anyone try to stop him. Krakauer shares what his thoughts were when he was younger and he had a dream just like Chris. “It is easy, when you are young, to believe that what you desire is no less than what you deserve, to assume that if you want something badly enough, it is your God-given right to have it” (155). He had a dream and he followed it until he saw it succeed. As someone goes on their own journey they can follow the example that Chris set. Do whatever it takes it follow what you want to do.
An important step when following a dream is being prepared. This means learning all the things that are necessary. Crazy things happen in life and you need to be ready for whatever it may be. Chris was not as prepared as he could have been, his pride got in the way of him getting the things that were essential for him to live in the wild. He didn’t have the appropriate apparel and gear to enter the cold Alaskan frontier. Although he had a good sense what of what is was going to be like he did not know the full extent of the challenges he was going to face. Krakauer explains how he thought he was ready to go on his journey but he didn’t realize how hard it was going to be. “As I formulated my plan to climb the Thumb, I was dimly aware that I might be getting in over my head” (135).
Going on a journey is important so you can learn new things, grow as an individual, meet new people, and make something of your life. Chris grew to know many things about the world, nature and himself on his journey. It is important for me to go on my own journey so I can learn and grow as a person. There are certain steps and things that I am going to have to learn for me to achieve my end goal which is to be a Physical Education teacher. I am going to have to get an education. Use my family and the people I meet as support. Also learn good communication skills, how to persevere through obstacles; get over the fear of trying and in the end when I do these things I will become a teacher.
Education will provide the essential information and experiences for a successful life. Education is going to a university and getting my bachelor’s degree. School puts an individual in a different setting than one is used to. School requires one to have a good work ethic, to get their work done and be the best quality as possible. College gives the opportunity to be self-reliant. The feeling of doing thing on your own is a great accomplishment. School tests an individual. Name of person explains one of the benefits of getting an education. “College graduates typically earn more money and enjoy a broader range of job opportunities than those who do not earn a college degree. Over the course of a life-time, one who holds a high school diploma will earn, on average, half of what a person holding a bachelor’s degree will earn.” (). You can gain self-confidence after having received a higher education. Not only are you more educated in the area of study you went into, but you know you have accomplished something in having received the higher education. You will know that you are capable of learning at a high level. A college education can carry students further into the professional world, offering limitless possibilities in improved earnings and the pick of successful, empowering jobs.
Obstacles and trials mean growth and learning. Life is not always easy there are things that get in the way of achieving a dream. Hardships are going to come up and it is up to the individual if they are going to back down and give up or face up to the challenge. Obstacles only make one stronger if they can push through it. When there are trials there is always something that can be learned. When going through a hard time McCandless says from Into the Wild, that it is not needed to be physically strong but to push through and be mentally strong. “It’s not always necessary to be strong, but to feel strong” (). Another major part of facing obstacles is when encountered to be able to come back to reality and keep going. When knocked down to be able to get up, be resilient. Resilience means to bounce back, rebound, or resume shape after compression. Being Resilient means that a person can come back after a traumatic event. “According to this view of resilience, individuals may experience profound and positive changes in their perceptions of themselves, their relationships with others, and their philosophy of life. These benefits include feeling more confident, becoming more self-reliant, growing closer to others, disclosing more, feeling more compassion for humanity, appreciating life more deeply, reviewing priorities, and experiencing a more intense sense of spirituality (21st Century Psychology: A Reference Handbook). There are many things that can be learned from hardships, they are a test of determination and willingness to keep going.
Communication will enhance the productivity of being a teacher. A major part of teaching is being able to communicate with students, parents, and other coworkers. When communication skills are developed the overall effectiveness of the students learning is going to improve. As a teacher the students need to be able to understand what is being taught without confusion. In “Communication and Effective Teaching.”, Prozesky shares how good communication can affect a class. “Effective student learning depends largely upon the strong and positive management of classroom communication in all its forms and situations. In turn, effective classroom management and the roles of planning, organizing, controlling and motivating depend upon the management of effective communication. Communication is at the heart of classroom processes.” (Detlef Prozesky).
Fear and self-doubt can stop those who are in search for their dream. The mind is an influential thing that can alter and overpower what is really happening. The mind can make one second guess their decision about something. When those thoughts are present it is key to remember that you can do it. Our own thoughts and feelings can get in the way of doing what we want. Having self-doubt is very hindering to one’s success. These negative thoughts prevent progression and reaching the goal that is set. “Everyone has negative thoughts and feelings about the self, but people with a differentiated self-concept can compartmentalize these elements into separate regions. People who have a fragmented self-concept, however, cannot think about any aspect of the self without encountering a mix of positive and negative thoughts” (Encyclopedia of Consciousness). These negative thoughts bring on complacency and the stand still of progression. These thoughts need to be pushed aside. It is a test of grit, if one will cave into those tempting thoughts.
Perseverance needs to play a key role in the process of a journey. Perseverance can be defined as endurance in regular tasks or ideas in spite of several complications or difficulties. It can also be defined as being able to bear difficulties calmly without complaint. It is a commitment, endurance, patient and hard work. When those trials and hardships come it is essential that they don’t stop you from reaching your goal. Gelderen writes “The ability to preserve against all odds is the most important character trait of a successful people. The power of perseverance is more magical and incredible than one could ever begin to imagine…So many people quit one yard from the touch down and one step from the finish. Never stop doing, no matter what the hardships and what it may cost when one can find a dream within the heart” (Marco, van Gelderen). The ability to keep going challenges ones character. How much do they want to achieve their goal, what are they willing to do.
Family means love and patience. Family is where no matter what they will be there for you. A family is a great support group; they want to help you succeed. At home is where you learn a lot of things growing up. It is where your first words are spoken, the first steps are taken, and many other first things occur. “Your family is the environment where you learned to use your abilities, and to understand and cope with the physical world.” (). When it comes to family patience is vital to keep it running smoothly. People do things that don’t make sense or push us until we want to break. Patience is having that self-control and discipline to regulate our emotions. Kids are learning new things every day and require that self-control to understand. Teachers have to have patience because they are teaching something that is new and unknown so for some it may be hard to understand. Teaching means helping others gain knowledge to enhance their life. Teachers share new knowledge to help guide those students on the right path. In “Teachers Thinking about Their Practice”, it shares that teachers play a more important role when they teach. “Teachers pass on knowledge and values to children, prepare them for further education and for working life and are main contributors to good education.” (Teachers Thinking About Their Practice). Teachers are role models for the kids that are in their class. They have been through a lot, like school, they have seen and experienced things that would help benefit the students in their lives. Going on this journey is very essential to becoming who I want to be. As I learn the different lessons and characteristics of being a teacher, one day I will reach my goal and be able to share the knowledge that I have come to learn myself

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