Comments on: The Obsession of Being First

By: Go For The Gold | WhiteEyebrows

Go For The Gold | WhiteEyebrows — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:10:28 +0000

[...] to get a gold medal for being first at something. Don’t forget, I already covered the obsession with being first a few years [...]

By: YFC

YFC — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 21:45:57 +0000

Sam, Thanks so much for having this blog. I really really enjoy reading it and it just makes my day.

By: Annike

Annike — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:26:27 +0000

Ah, the joy of alphabetical seating…try being a VerHoef! I was always in the back row, far corner, all through school. It wasn’t so bad when Victor Vanderburg was in my class (yum!) but otherwise I seemed to be surrounded by the problem children at school. Maybe there is some truth to the alphabet/grades thing – although I did alright for myself after all!
It was also another joy in marrying a Jones – I moved straight up the alphabetical food chain!

By: ben

ben — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:36:16 +0000

I too was always first chair by the desk but im living proof of the name/alphabet=good academcs

By: Angie

Angie — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:11:02 +0000

Yeah? You thought that you were first? Try your first name also starting with an A. There was a Brandy Anderson in my grade, but I beat her out. There wasn’t any Adams in my grade so that was it. I was first of all. And what about always having the front row far left (according to the teacher’s vantage) seat. Some teachers went alphabetical across the rows, some went alphabetical down the columns, but I was always the same seat. The routine was always the same. The first day everyone was to stand up and walk to the front of the room against the blackboard. I always tried to be in the front of that so that I didn’t have to step over everyone knowing that I was to be the first one to sit down. Then the teacher would point to the chair to start with and say “Angela Anderson”. So it always went. And a surprisingly many teachers would leave us that way all year long. Later as I was older I was glad a bit glad when we were put in alphabetical order AND John Benson was in my class. He would be assigned behind me and that was good *wink*. But how do you think that Michael Bowling became my best friend in high school? Same social circle AND a B name? Oh and also you didn’t explore one of my favorite points about all this. There was recently a study done and there is some association between having your name start at the beginning of the alphabet and academic achievement. Amy does better than Zach I guess. IF I would have known all that I would have named my kids differently and made Scott take MY last name!

By: ryan ricks

ryan ricks — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:32:25 +0000

This has to be one of my all-time favorite posts. I know the pain of being last as my name begins with R. I guess I just got used to it. But there are a few times I finished first. Remind me to tell you about them.