Project 4: Reflective Essay

Matthew Sean Cleveland

DMF 203

Project 4: Reflective Essay

Throughout my life there have been numerous satisfying “interactive” experiences, but nothing compares to meeting my girlfriend, the best tennis match played, and getting hired at a creditable firm. I determined these as satisfying, because I can’t stop thinking about them as a meaningful achievement in my life. They are things that have formed me into who I am. They have brought out my true nature and showed my hard. Nothing compares to these great achievements. I have an indefinite amount of things in my life that I am thankful for, but for what is a truly satisfying experience, I have a bunch.

I will start off with least important, the best tennis match I have ever played. It happened my senior year of high school during the tennis season we were at districts tennis tournament, the tournament to decide who goes to state. I was in a bracket with around 4 other number 1 singles players. The first two matches went by easily. I even let them win a couple points. The next match was the one get me to state, and it was against the number 1 of Marshfield, Oregon. We had previously played earlier in the season, and I lost 6-1, 6-2, straight sets. He had to beaten a guy from Thurston who was seated 3 and also, lost before in 2 different matches, one would have gotten me to state last year. I was already tired from the previous matches and not thinking to highly of myself. The very first set I won easily, 6-2. I took a bathroom break and couldn’t stop high fiving myself because the win was near, yet I was skeptical. The second set however, he easily won 4 games right off the bat. During a switchover, I remember telling him how much it sucks to work your whole life to not have any reward, but I don’t think he heard me. Throughout that set I showed signs of me giving up by immature acts. Nothing I am proud of. The second set ended, 4-6. I was able to pull out a couple games. The next and final set was full blown war, we both pulled everything out. The points seemed endless. We played our hardest, winning only on our serves. I even did a between the legs. Every game I thought, how did I get this far and how will I continue. Every point won felt heroic, while every point lost felt tragic. After I broke (won) his serve, all stress stopped even though it wasn’t over. I only had to win one more game to win the match. The crowd watching our match was enormous. We were the last match and since it was at Thurston, most people weren’t rooting for me. I aced him the first point and the crowd erupted and cheers. The next couple points that finalized my victory were effortless, since he knew the inevitable. After the match, I couldn’t stop being in my joyous moment, yet, felt sympathy for my opponent. He was nice and respectful and a freshmen and had 3 more years to complete what I had to complete. After 10 years of learning tennis, my hard work paid off.

The second best experience and less descriptive is my first creditable job. On the Monday night after my high school graduation, my dad asked if I wanted a job. I didn’t have a job that I wanted to do, since I was working at SOU in their mail room and didn’t respect how easy it was. So, of course I said yes. The next 4 months until school started, I worked at my dad’s engineering firm as the clerical assistant. Worked from 8am till 5pm with minimum breaks and constant work with the best coworkers I could ever work with. I sorted files, ran errands, did yard work, helped clean up and whatever else they asked me to do. Every once in a while I will continue that same job, whenever they need help. That job has helped me get my internship at a IT firm working for the Rogue Valley Manor and has helped get me some creditability as a individual. Just knowing that I have been through a truly hard working job, makes me know that I have the ability to succeed in life.

The best experience in my life is meeting my girlfriend, Morgan. I first met her in October, 2009 while going to lunch with a friend. We were only introduced, but nothing much. The next time was while I was doing chemistry homework in the chemistry hall. She sat right next to me, and we kicked it off right away chatting about anything and everything. I thought she was not interested in me until the next march when we spend numerous days together. I didn’t ask her out, just accidently said I loved her and she admitted she felt the same way. Since then, we have dated for over a year and it has been the best year of my life. I know there will be many years to come.

All of these experiences will add to my designs of interactive media. I don’t know how exactly, but everything adds a certain element that makes it more perfected and enjoyable. These experiences differ because they show something different of myself, by determination, hard work, and love. Besides getting to know Morgan and going through the stress of not knowing who to act like to get Morgan to like me (conscious), the tennis match and my job were animal instincts (subconscious). I knew what to do in the situation and what to do to achieve the goal at hand.