By: Paige Humber, ENGL 331.002What does it mean to be a renaissance man? To understand this term, you need only ask to talk to Alex Covington. You name it, and this guy has done it. Sailing in Massachusetts, working with kids, and attending college are only a few things Alex can cross off of his bucket list.
To begin to understand this jack of all trades, you have got to get to know him a little bit. Alex is a 20-year-old attending Frostburg State University and studies Geography. Perhaps his major is what influenced him to travel once his college career is done. "I want to move to Australia when I'm out of college to be a paleoceanographer and then eventually move to England to do field work for a geological organization, hopefully". Pretty impressive, right? For those of you wondering, paleoceanography is "the study of ocean systems through Earth history from whatever sedimentary records are available" (geology.uprm.edu). The definition itself shows the intelligence needed to perform such a job. But before all of this can happen, Alex voiced his inner mentor by expressing how much he would like to go to South Korea to teach English. This just shows how ambitious, and even philanthropic, a college student can be.
"I am such a water guy!" Alex pointed out with passion. Over the summer, he was a camp counselor and watched kids anywhere from the age of 5 to 18. They spent most of their time out in the pool and lake. "It's really fun and rewarding working with kids. I got to play around all day". This quote displays how great of a guy this man is. Alex, however, is not limited to just being around the water when he’s a camp counselor. Sailing up and down the East Coast is a pastime of his. Seems like an amazing activity, right? Turns out, Alex is a firm believer in Sisu, "a Finnish term loosely translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity" which is exactly how he lives his life -- with no fear. (For more information, go to http://www.sisugrp.com/sisuis.htm)
After getting to know him tad more, it is easy to tell that he is up for anything at any time. Even his taste in music samples his thirst for variety. Alex listens to dub step, rap, and rock (Dave Matthews style). After asking him who, if any rap artist, he could listen to forever, he stated "Well you always get tired of someone’s voice, but I'd have to go with Lil' Wayne." After pausing and thinking a bit more, he changed his answer to, "Biggie. Definitely Biggie." His eclectic taste in music only emphasizes his Sisu lifestyle: Never be afraid to try anything out.
Every person has developed into his or her own individual self by this point in their college careers. Though many are proud to list off their various accomplishments, very few, like Alex Covington, have been able to say they have achieved this much in such little time in their young lives.
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