Post by indyqdog on Apr 11, 2012 19:51:56 GMT -5
For those of you who don't know me, my name is Quentin and I recently turned 18.
Many people make hasty generalizations of city slickers and I just kind of wanted to share my view on it.
I live in one of the fastest growing communities in the world, Fishers. It isn't a rural community like many of you may live in. In fact, its the definition of suburbia. But I feel like many of us receive a stereotype of not being hardened enough for hunting and such things. I just want people to understand what its like to be me.
Now in no way, shape, or form am I complaining at all. Im just stating facts.
First, I go to one of the hardest schools in the country. Our grading scale was 4% higher in comparison to other schools (94 was an A instead of 90) In my school there are mostly wealthy kids. In the school parking lot, there are Mercedes, BMWs, porches, souped up racing cars, and much more. I do not want to be associated with those kids in a stereotype. In rural communities, I reckon that people don't receive as many weird looks for wearing camo as the city. Where I come from, you do. When i wore a camo hat one day people called me hillbilly, redneck, fried, inbred, and more. Did I care? no. When people ask what sports I do, I mention fishing and hunting. They criticize me saying that its worthless and I shouldn't do it because i live in the city. Apparently I cant enjoy nature. This is better than what most kids at our school do with their weekends. Recently, many kids were arrested for underage drinking, possesion, resisting arrest, etc. WE seem to get this stereotype living in the city that all teens just drink and smoke. Im here to say thats not true. I have done neither as I shouldn't. I was raised better than that. We also get this stereotype that we don't know how to work. That is one of the assumptions that really gets at me. when I wanted to buy a bow, I didn't ask for mommy and daddys money. Instead, i went to Mikes Carwash and got a job. Only 1/100 get hired. I worked in the steaming heat sweating and on occasion bleeding while fixing machines. I got frostbite in the winter but pushed through to work. I got acid on me while fixing machines. I clean all kinds of pits that hold the mud from cars and much more. (Dead birds, coons, etc. you'd be surprised at what is in your underbody) I just hate being associated with that.
What surprised me the most though was some of the looks I got when I tried to get in to hunting. Non of my family hunts at all. We have a family friend and thats about it. I remember going to the gun club to shoot and them ridiculing me for driving a Honda CR-V instead of a truck and wearing nikes. I was taken back. I remember being made fun of at a pheasant hunt because I was by myself and carrying a synthetic gun.(Don't worry, I wiped the looks off their face when I shot 24/25 on the trap shoot)
But, I'm not here to complain at all. I just want everyone to understand that living in the city as a teen should not be such a bad thing. There are some of us that will do whatever it takes to pursue our passion. I fish retention ponds, shoot my bow in a vacant neighborhood, and more. It just grinds my gears when people underestimate me. Shouldn't our dying sport be garnered by blind fellowship instead of being constantly charred by a breadth of insults and dirty looks. This website has certainly been a hub for education for me. I have met some amazing people on here and for that I thank all of you.
In summary, thank you. Thank you for taking me under your guys' wing and teaching me. I am sooooo grateful
Just make sure next time you see the kid pull up to a hunting event that isn't driving a truck or maybe doesn't know as much, don't assume. Try to teach the person more so they can expand the community.
Many people make hasty generalizations of city slickers and I just kind of wanted to share my view on it.
I live in one of the fastest growing communities in the world, Fishers. It isn't a rural community like many of you may live in. In fact, its the definition of suburbia. But I feel like many of us receive a stereotype of not being hardened enough for hunting and such things. I just want people to understand what its like to be me.
Now in no way, shape, or form am I complaining at all. Im just stating facts.
First, I go to one of the hardest schools in the country. Our grading scale was 4% higher in comparison to other schools (94 was an A instead of 90) In my school there are mostly wealthy kids. In the school parking lot, there are Mercedes, BMWs, porches, souped up racing cars, and much more. I do not want to be associated with those kids in a stereotype. In rural communities, I reckon that people don't receive as many weird looks for wearing camo as the city. Where I come from, you do. When i wore a camo hat one day people called me hillbilly, redneck, fried, inbred, and more. Did I care? no. When people ask what sports I do, I mention fishing and hunting. They criticize me saying that its worthless and I shouldn't do it because i live in the city. Apparently I cant enjoy nature. This is better than what most kids at our school do with their weekends. Recently, many kids were arrested for underage drinking, possesion, resisting arrest, etc. WE seem to get this stereotype living in the city that all teens just drink and smoke. Im here to say thats not true. I have done neither as I shouldn't. I was raised better than that. We also get this stereotype that we don't know how to work. That is one of the assumptions that really gets at me. when I wanted to buy a bow, I didn't ask for mommy and daddys money. Instead, i went to Mikes Carwash and got a job. Only 1/100 get hired. I worked in the steaming heat sweating and on occasion bleeding while fixing machines. I got frostbite in the winter but pushed through to work. I got acid on me while fixing machines. I clean all kinds of pits that hold the mud from cars and much more. (Dead birds, coons, etc. you'd be surprised at what is in your underbody) I just hate being associated with that.
What surprised me the most though was some of the looks I got when I tried to get in to hunting. Non of my family hunts at all. We have a family friend and thats about it. I remember going to the gun club to shoot and them ridiculing me for driving a Honda CR-V instead of a truck and wearing nikes. I was taken back. I remember being made fun of at a pheasant hunt because I was by myself and carrying a synthetic gun.(Don't worry, I wiped the looks off their face when I shot 24/25 on the trap shoot)
But, I'm not here to complain at all. I just want everyone to understand that living in the city as a teen should not be such a bad thing. There are some of us that will do whatever it takes to pursue our passion. I fish retention ponds, shoot my bow in a vacant neighborhood, and more. It just grinds my gears when people underestimate me. Shouldn't our dying sport be garnered by blind fellowship instead of being constantly charred by a breadth of insults and dirty looks. This website has certainly been a hub for education for me. I have met some amazing people on here and for that I thank all of you.
In summary, thank you. Thank you for taking me under your guys' wing and teaching me. I am sooooo grateful
Just make sure next time you see the kid pull up to a hunting event that isn't driving a truck or maybe doesn't know as much, don't assume. Try to teach the person more so they can expand the community.
