Showing Up
For senior Gabe Martinez, having a Warrior spirit means showing up. Showing up to class, to activities, to life. In all aspects of your life, it is important to have the discipline and consistency to show up. It is how we ultimately find success. Gabe has worked to embody this mentality in every part of his life, especially during his time at Midland.
“The most important thing is showing up. Midland is unique in where for most of us attendance is required, so part of the Warrior spirit is being there. The nice thing is that we are all in this together, and there is something comforting about that.”
Gabe has always approached his academics with a working mentality, which has not changed during his time at Midland. The reason behind his success academically has been his understanding of putting in the work.
“If you are consistent, you work hard, and you care, then you are probably going to find success. I have done really well here at Midland and gotten really good grades, but I am not this out-of-this-world genius. I just figure that if I work hard at this, I care about it, and try my best, then I can do well and get where I want to be.”
When he first came to Midland, Gabe started as an athletic training major. It did not take long for him to recognize that major was not the right fit for him. After speaking with Janet Lack, Coordinator of the Academic Resource Center, Gabe settled on an accounting major. He has not looked back since.
“I like the career structure that accounting has. I was that kid that had no idea what he was going to do and the prospect of accounting and seeing people who know what they are doing after school was comforting. In my freshman year, I realized I didn’t have that one subject I was excelling at; I was doing well in all of my subjects. I decided I wanted my major to maximize my opportunities and time here, and accounting fit that.”
Gabe enjoys the challenge that comes with studying accounting. As a swimmer, many of the competitive skills he has developed within his sport have helped shape his trajectory as a student in the classroom. Gabe believes it is essential that student-athletes recognize the need to let their sport work in tandem with their academics. The skills developed from both go hand-in-hand with each other. It all starts with putting in the work for both.
“I always say that swimming is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but that is the most attractive thing about the sport to me. When you are facing the water, you never know how far you’re going to go. It’s like an endless ocean. Swimming is so difficult and challenging when you look at it, but the possibilities are endless with it. It can take you to college, and you can achieve all these times, but it is also very fair, where you get out what you put into it. This mindset has developed me as a person and how I approach everything.”
To his peers, Gabe encourages them to find a sense of discipline in whatever they decide to do. That may be academics, a sport, or life in general. Being disciplined in what you set out to do does not mean being stiff. It means making sure you are pushing yourself and putting in the right amount of effort to find success. It means showing up.
“The most important thing is taking responsibility for yourself. Don’t look for excuses. Really look at what you can improve on. If you have a bad day, or didn’t do very well on that test, don’t look at it like, ‘Oh, I am so bad.’ Look at it like, ‘Oh, I have so much to improve on.’ I feel that room for growth feels so much better than just being on top.”
Gabe Martinez is a senior accounting and math major from Fort Collins, CO. To share your story or nominate a friend, email social@midlandu.edu or post using #FacesofMidland.
