#Conviction March 6

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Today contribution to the 30-Day Letter Writing Coach4aday Challenge is on CONVICTION.

The challenge involves composing a letter to yourself when you were an earlier age. The goal is to focus on a value, habit, or choice that needs to be adopted or made.

Today I revisit my time at the end of graduate school. I had one more hurdle to get over in April 1977 to earn my master’s degree. That challenge was to pass an Oral Comprehensive Exam where my CONVICTION on whether I was correct would become a critical factor.

Day 6 Letter-CONVICTION

April 1977

Dear Graduate Student Dan:

Tomorrow at 3:00 PM you have your Oral Comprehensive Exams to complete your Graduate Degree in Physical Education. This exam is possible because you have passed your Written Comprehensive Exams that covered 8 courses you were required to pass. Those courses include Kinesiology, biomechanics, and Anatomy & Physiology,

Navigating the written comps has earned you the privilege to be marched in front of three tenured East Carolina University professors. Each of the 3 have taught you in both undergraduate and graduate classes. That heavyweight line-up will include Dr Lionel Kendrick, Dr. Robert Gantt, and Dr Raymond Martinez.

How this verbal scrutiny works is that each member of the esteemed review board will ask questions to validate your expertise on topics covered in any of your grad classes. During that series of question tomorrow one member of the group is going to challenge one of your answers. The question is going to be related to anaerobic exercise. Your question is going to require you to provide an example of anaerobic exercise and where its energy source comes from.

The Answer

Processing the question, you answer that 15 seconds of jump robing is an example of anaerobic exercise. You will go on to share that this activity has the muscles receive energy by utilizing glucose. Dr. Gantt who asked the question informs you that your response is incorrect. He tells you that oxygen and ATP are the energy source. You are confused and deflated but immediately the panel delivers to you the next question.

When the intellectual interrogation is complete you will be asked to give a closing statement. Your heart is racing and palms are sweating but you are convinced that your response about anaerobic exercise is correct. With conviction you respectful disagree with fat and glucose being an anerobic energy source. You are dismissed and asked to wait outside for the verdict on whether you passed. If you fail you could be required to retake a course, delay graduation, or be asked to go thru a second oral review.

You are called in and told two things. One you passed and second your answer about anaerobic was correct and that the panel admired your CONVICTION. Keep holding on to your beliefs or opinions when they can be backed up with facts.

Grown Up Dan