Shounlikenoun...

I mean, my blog name in itself is derived from my last name, Shoun. As I typed that a red line appeared underneath it, and I have mixed feelings about that. It means my name is unique, not many people have it, which I think is really cool. On the other hand, it means that my name is unknown to many, so it's mispronounced and autocorrected. I've learned to embrace it, though the use of the catchy saying "Shoun like noun". Yet sometimes it can have a negative effective on me, such as when it is mispronounced at important events like when receiving awards or at varsity athletic games. When that occurs it makes me feel as if I am being improperly recognized and sometimes it creates a humorous situation when my friends know it was mispronounced. The humor takes away from the reason I am being recognized. Yet, I hope that these traits of my name do define me. I hope that I am as unique as my last name is, and that I stand out from the crowd. I also strive to remain strong and confident in the face of adversity, and though my resilience may not be represented with a catchy slogan. I want my last name to be representative of who I am.
As individual this year I have been a captain of the volleyball team, yet as a group I have two other captains that hold equal power. This has been hard because sometimes I disagree with them and what they think is best for our team, but then as a unit we have to come to a decision. I as an individual have had to learn to balance my personal opinions of what I think is right for our team with what the captains has decided is right for the team. At times it can be incredibly challenging, or at times it can feel as if the power held between us as three captains is unequal. Yet it has revealed to me the positive lessons that can be learned by having to work with a group to maintain authority over an even larger group, which in this case was just a team of eleven people.