Without the tradition of archery, many of the achievements and values that I have would be hindered or non-existent. There would not be a first-place league trophy of an archer, quiver equipped and bow in hand on my bookshelf.

The material possessions, though,  are not worth more the weekly occurring memories in the summer of practicing at an indoor archery range with my grandparents watching behind me. During this, both my grandfather and the range owner provided me their experiences in order for my own improvement.

One of the guidelines first instilled into me was to never rest an arrow in my bow  if there was a person ahead in my field-of-vision, out of respect for their safety and well-being. Of course, this is common sense, yet the rule emphasized the need to focus on the variety of consequences that can arise out of an action.

These consequences are a prominent piece in prioritizing for a regular weekday throughout the school year. A balance must be struck between staying up until midnight to complete assignments and chores, or leaving homework for later days to study for an impactful assessment. The variety of consequences to come from this may mean a pile of homework the next night, or low confidence in test performance. In the end, I’ll choose whichever will leave my grades in the safest position.

In practice, the goal is to have groupings of arrows on a target, no matter the area. If not all of the arrows landed in the bullseye, it should be improved upon by changing stance or other methods, as each arrow adds points to the total score, in which a bullseye is of greatest value, a reward for accuracy and stability. It is important in the grand scheme of a match, as each arrow that lands in the bullseye is crucial in a competitive setting.

This is similar to how homework grades provide practice, and while low value, can eventually add up and have an impact on later test performances, or the overall grade for the class.   

Consistency, alongside perseverance, have both led me into working as hard as possible on projects, even if it is more than required, just to ensure a higher score than the one previous.

Outside of direct values, archery can provide direct experience, via hunting. In the time period of 2017 to 2018, there are two deer hunting seasons restricted to the use of bows, according to michigan.gov. For clarity, while I have not participated in the archery seasons, I have for multiple firearm seasons. Either way, through hunting, one can turn a tradition or hobby such as archery into a serious matter, while still forming memories with family.

The reminiscing and experiences are ultimately of greatest importance in life, along with the long-lasting values brought out by an activity, not the resulting materials.