"One story says that a man at this location said, "Come out, you old rat!"" My thumb triggered the red button, attacking it as if it were small prey roaming the savannahs, while my other fingers lined up perfectly with the finger grip provided on the black "ring-in device". I felt the adrenaline rushing through my veins right in the middle of a History Bowl game - a game where one might play against future valedictorians, Ivy League graduates, and Mensa members. At the time, I was still relatively new to buzzing. Yet, as a freshman, I was in the Sewall-Belmont House in Washington D.C. competing at the National Championship.
Almost three years later, I still participate in History Bowl - currently preparing for a fourth straight National Championship berth even though I have not been able to attend the last two. History Bowl, a derivative of Quiz Bowl, has been rewarding because it provides opportunities to meet quirky personalities and allows me to reinvigorate a previously lost interest in reading within me. I'm surrounded by people who think reading is defined by the assigned words in class materials or people's social media updates. It's toxic. And, it's contagious! Somehow, my personal investment in Quiz Bowl and History Bowl kept me quarantined from such an outrageous epidemic. However, History Bowl's greatest influence was creating a thirst for knowledge, regardless of its triviality. Many Quiz Bowl and History Bowl enthusiasts try to make it clear that the knowledge one needs to know to succeed in Quiz Bowl is different from trivia. I did not care about the distinction; I cared that I learned unusual facts about a wide spectrum of topics.Who knew James Garfield provided a unique proof of the Pythagorean Theorem while a U.S. Congressman? It was interesting and that's all that matters.
My eighth-grade social studies teacher was an avid fan of Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World. (He wasn't the only one; President Obama was photographed reading this book prior to his election in 2008). I was part of a self-select social studies honors program in eighth grade, which challenged students to reading and writing about advanced texts. Reading The Post-American World was influential for the following two reasons: my teacher finally learned my name and I developed an interest in global affairs. More importantly, my teacher helped me set sail on a long journey toward pursuing law.
Mr. Zakaria focuses onto an idea that developed several years before he published his novel: the rise of economies in developing countries. Although I was years from understanding basic economic principles, I understood the need for politicians to recognize the changing world. Specifically, Mr. Zakaria mentions the absurd growth of the Chinese economy - the country my ancestors call home - and its potential to start the "post-American" world order. My heritage and cultural identity stem from the crossroads of two eras in modern history - the American global order and the "post-American" world order. Although I've assimilated within the American culture, I'm tightly clinging onto a final thread of the Chinese culture: language. As a result, I embody that crossroad and being proficient in English and Chinese - while learning other languages - has served me well in past, present, and future.
My interest in The Post-American World made me more interested in the relationships between countries. Before I knew it, I was constantly checking the "World" tab under the CNN and The New York Times websites. My parents criticized me for pursuing intellectual thoughts beyond my next graded assessment, for "learning more about nothing." However, History Bowl gave me my excuse to learn more about nothing and I abused that excuse.
In case you were wondering, the location was Fort Ticonderoga. Ethan Allen of the Green Mountain Boys purportedly said "come out, you old rat" to Captain William Delaplace of the British Royal Army at Fort Ticonderoga moments before seizing the fort from British control.
Almost three years later, I still participate in History Bowl - currently preparing for a fourth straight National Championship berth even though I have not been able to attend the last two. History Bowl, a derivative of Quiz Bowl, has been rewarding because it provides opportunities to meet quirky personalities and allows me to reinvigorate a previously lost interest in reading within me. I'm surrounded by people who think reading is defined by the assigned words in class materials or people's social media updates. It's toxic. And, it's contagious! Somehow, my personal investment in Quiz Bowl and History Bowl kept me quarantined from such an outrageous epidemic. However, History Bowl's greatest influence was creating a thirst for knowledge, regardless of its triviality. Many Quiz Bowl and History Bowl enthusiasts try to make it clear that the knowledge one needs to know to succeed in Quiz Bowl is different from trivia. I did not care about the distinction; I cared that I learned unusual facts about a wide spectrum of topics.Who knew James Garfield provided a unique proof of the Pythagorean Theorem while a U.S. Congressman? It was interesting and that's all that matters.
My eighth-grade social studies teacher was an avid fan of Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World. (He wasn't the only one; President Obama was photographed reading this book prior to his election in 2008). I was part of a self-select social studies honors program in eighth grade, which challenged students to reading and writing about advanced texts. Reading The Post-American World was influential for the following two reasons: my teacher finally learned my name and I developed an interest in global affairs. More importantly, my teacher helped me set sail on a long journey toward pursuing law.
Mr. Zakaria focuses onto an idea that developed several years before he published his novel: the rise of economies in developing countries. Although I was years from understanding basic economic principles, I understood the need for politicians to recognize the changing world. Specifically, Mr. Zakaria mentions the absurd growth of the Chinese economy - the country my ancestors call home - and its potential to start the "post-American" world order. My heritage and cultural identity stem from the crossroads of two eras in modern history - the American global order and the "post-American" world order. Although I've assimilated within the American culture, I'm tightly clinging onto a final thread of the Chinese culture: language. As a result, I embody that crossroad and being proficient in English and Chinese - while learning other languages - has served me well in past, present, and future.
My interest in The Post-American World made me more interested in the relationships between countries. Before I knew it, I was constantly checking the "World" tab under the CNN and The New York Times websites. My parents criticized me for pursuing intellectual thoughts beyond my next graded assessment, for "learning more about nothing." However, History Bowl gave me my excuse to learn more about nothing and I abused that excuse.
In case you were wondering, the location was Fort Ticonderoga. Ethan Allen of the Green Mountain Boys purportedly said "come out, you old rat" to Captain William Delaplace of the British Royal Army at Fort Ticonderoga moments before seizing the fort from British control.