I have noticed throughout my life that things that are not at all related seem to go well together or, if nothing else, are good for each other. 

The activities of my life seem to be no different. I am kind of a random person. I like and enjoy lots of different things. My academic career illustrates this to a degree, I mean I am majoring in business but have a minor in equine science and web design. The even better illustration of my randomness are my extra-curricular involvements.  It seems like I do everything, or have done it at some point in the past: I ride horses.  I make videos.  I sing.  I play field hockey. I try to make art. I play the clarinet as well as a handful of other instruments.  I like photography. I think you have at least started to get the picture. I do a lot - some related to others, some not. 

OK, now back to my realization that I started with and how my activities relate to it.  The two extra-curricular activities that are currently occupying my time are field hockey and an investment research competition. 

Field hockey is a fun and exciting game. I am not much of an athlete, but I love field hockey. I think it has something to do with the intensity of the competition and the aggression it fuels. Field hockey is a Judson tradition that students participate in during the fall semester and is currently going on. To learn more about field hockey at Judson, you should check out Audra's blog www.judson.edu/blogs/audra/?action=ind&pub_id=1087

The investment research competition is a finance competition that is put on by CFA  (I wish I could tell you what that stood for, but to be honest I don't remember but it is some finance/business organization). The competition involves a group of students working together to perform a financial analysis of a company and making predictions about the company's future. The team has to create a written report as well as a presentation, if they pass the written portion.  

 I have been able to find no connection between these two things, but I have come to find that they are very good for each other. 

You guessed it:  I am on Judson's team for the investment competition and, although business is my major and this competition will look very good on resumes and such, it has not been my favorite thing to do. The main part of the competition involves finance and accounting. I have not yet taken either of these classes, making me feel very lost at times, not to mention overwhelmed.  The work for this competition is also very extensive, and with my already jam packed schedule, the pressure and stress I am feeling is tremendous. 

All of this stress may not be good for my health, but it is great for my hockey. Like I said before, hockey is a very aggressive sport. I, however, am not a very aggressive person, but when you are under as much pressure and stress as I am, it just feels good to hit the ever loving stew out of something.  This new found love of hitting things is great for hockey because it makes me want to be aggressive. 

So, like I was saying, field hockey and investment competitions may have very little in common, but they  sure are good for each other. The stress and pressure I am under because of the investment challenge makes me a more aggressive hockey player and hockey gives me a release for all that  stress and pressure, which helps me calm down and focus on what I need to learn for the competition.