Rachel’s Blog

  My Rational Argument     I'm asking the question, " Why are there such differences between men's and women's lacrosse gear?" This is a very prevalent question as women's lacrosse is expanding like crazy. My question goes a bit deeper than the surface and I did research from the beginning of lacrosse and how it was colonized. The root of the issue is more systematic and not just about the sports being contact sports or not. I was able to trace back to when Native Americans were first playing. Then the colonizers came in and decided to make a game patriarchal. They wanted the women's game to be more feminine, which meant no contact and they also didn't want to make the women wear gear in fear that they wouldn't look feminine anymore. They made the women wear goggles, mouth guards and skirts, Originally they wore gloves too but times have changed and we don't wear gloves anymore. Some people don't even wear goggles.     My feelings about my ...

Fall Break     I'm really excited for fall break and this upcoming week in general. I get to hang out with my friends over the weekend, go to a Bulls game with my best friend, have  Friendsgiving, then Thanksgiving, and then another Thanksgiving in Indiana with my family. It seems super busy but I know that I'll enjoy seeing my friends and family over the next week.      For Friendsgiving, we have it at my friend Anette's house every year and everyone is super generous in what they bring to dinner. This year we're bringing food that starts with the letter of our first name. So, I'm planning on bringing ravioli and I was  also thinking about bringing some type of raspberry dessert but I'm not sure yet. Also, my friend Annette always is so thoughtful when she sets up her house for us. She sets the tables with nice napkins, silverware, and fancy plates. Then we eat the food buffet or "pass it around style" and it's always super fun. Now, with everyone...

Why Fall and Winter are the Best for Holidays     There's something about the cold months of the year that brings people together. I enjoy the colder months, not because they are cold but because they are filled  with holidays that bring family together and where memories are created. I like to say that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because of all the food. But, the best part of Thanksgiving is being able to sit around the dinner table for hours and just listen to everyone talking and making jokes. My family also brings over close friends or people who don't have a family to eat with. I really enjoy listening to others' stories and then on top of that eating my sister's cooking. She loves to go all out on Thanksgiving and cooks some of the best food. I also just like having the house feel warm with all the people there and the collective environment of all of us coming together to cook and feed everyone who's visiting.     Christmas is also super fun. I lo...

  The Beginning     I'll give credit where credit is deserved. Jocelyn, my older sister, is the one who got me into playing lacrosse. She started in 8th grade and continued all the way through college. She played the game for nine years! She  definitely had/has a love for the game. She got me into a couple months before I started high school, so going into my summer camp before freshman year would be easier.      The camp was cool, I felt like I was ahead and I was proud of myself for going to play with my sister. Coach EG, always told us that every day that we practiced was a day that we sucked a little less. I live by that quote. Practicing something I was unfamiliar with was super uncomfortable but in hindsight, it was so worth it. Even now I live by this motto; if I am trying to practice or fine-tune a new skill then I need to keep practicing so I can get better and better each day.  High School Career     So,  unfortunately, my...

  Exercise and the Brain     So I've just started this 8-week class and it's a kinesiology class. This is the book we've been assigned to read for the class and take notes, etc. So far I have learned that exercise affects more than the body's health. A video we watched about Naperville Central High School and they had proved that with mid-high intense workout everyday for 30 minutes improved the students grades. They had done a test for math and science and were one of the top ranked schools for best scores. Then another school that had students who were failing and not participating began participating in putting their students through more exercise, and then the students were able to focus in class and also began to become more motivated. Also, Naperville Central High School's students were fitter and had fewer obese students than the population's average.      I never actually thought about how exercise could affect the brain so drastically. I knew ...

  Fall and Why I Love It     I've always been a "spring girly" not too cold, but not too hot. Honestly, fall has turned into one of my favorite seasons. It is not too hot, but not too cold. I love how the sunsets are easier to see now that the sun goes down earlier and how the leaves change. Recently, the leaves have changed but there are always a couple trees on certain blocks that are a little more "matured" in their leaf change than the others. I love how these trees stand out, their fiery orange leaves next to the green ones in front of a bright blue sky. It's really amazing. Also another thing that has happened recently is that the fall weather has been very skewed. Some days it almost reaches 80 degrees while others barely reach 50 degrees. I think these differences in temperatures are funny because once I "get used" to the colder weather, it's hot again. I like it when it's cooler especially since I'm naturally warm but I like to...