J.P. – Page 2 – J.P. Pressley

The Purpose of Life

January 2, 2018 No Comments

It’s a new year – 2018. And with a new year comes new year resolutions. For the next few weeks our gyms will be crowded, our libraries bustling, and our alarm clocks adhered to. Then February will hit, and the majority of people who made new year resolutions will soon fall off if they haven’t already. If you made any new year resolutions, I wish you the best in becoming one of the few to actually achieve your goal(s). Personally, however, I didn’t make a new years resolution. I didn’t need to. Day in and day out, my resolution has been the same for a couple of years now, and will continue to be the same in all the days and years to come. For my resolution is my ultimate life goal: to

The New Adult

Week 17 – Progress Is Determined By Action

December 16, 2017 No Comments

Much to my joy, finals are over. And with that, my first semester at The King’s College has come to a close. Thus far, I’ve shared a good portion of my outside-the-classroom learnings and revelations with you in previous The New Adult posts. But as I reflect on my semester, I realized there’s one more thing I need to remind you of before the end of the year: progress is determined by action.

This isn’t a novel concept. In fact, even if

The Random

Why Black People Like Chicken and Watermelon

December 14, 2017 No Comments

I don’t need to tell you about the stereotype. We all know it. And, unlike many other common perceptions, this one is true. Plain and simple, (I dare say most) black people like chicken and watermelon. Especially when it’s fried chicken. But why? I’ve been asked this question countless times over the years and have typically just laughed it off. But the question keeps being asked. So, naturally, I’ve decided to answer it.

Black people like chicken and watermelon because

The Serious

Strengthen Your Mind

December 12, 2017 No Comments

Academics just aren’t for everyone. In America, it’s typically seen as the best way to get ahead, and that may very well be true, but that doesn’t mean it’s the way to get ahead for each individual. The proof of this lies in many of the both small and large business owners in America today, let alone sports, art, etc. Because of this, if people tell me that, despite how hard they try, they don’t do well in school and have decided to discontinue their academic career in the pursuit of something else, I don’t think any less of them. If anything, I regard them more highly due to their courage to even make that decision. Yet and still, even if academics aren’t your thing, you need to strengthen your mind.

As you could probably assume, I don’t mean academics. Going to school isn’t the only way to

The New Adult

Week 16 – Finals

December 9, 2017 No Comments

Like most college students, I’m not the biggest fan of finals. I’m just not. The fact that, regardless of how well or poorly you completed every assignment throughout the semester, your final grade is most always dependent on one high-pressured exam has always perturbed me. It’s why I’ve never liked finals and likely never will. Yet that’s not my only take on them. For now, in my fifth college semester, I finally see how finals apply to the real world.

The Random

Roommate Conversations – The B.S. Car Salesman

December 7, 2017 1 Comment

One of my roommates and I were talking a bit yesterday afternoon. After making jokes about LiAngelo Ball and talking about the Ball family and Big Baller Brand, we somehow transitioned to “reality” television shows. Here we came up with a show that we’d find more enjoyable than Pawn Stars and the like, simply by taping the work of certain professionals: car salesmen.

The Serious

Don’t Be Dead Before You Die

December 5, 2017 No Comments

Okay, I’m still trying to shake a mild concussion I got this past weekend so this post is going to be short (even more so than usual). I just want to remind you about one thing: don’t be dead before you die.

Confused? Don’t be. All I mean is that

The New Adult

Week 15 – Utilizing The Spare Minutes

December 2, 2017 No Comments

Time; there’s only so much of it, and it continuously ticks away whether we utilize it or not. It’s for this reason that I wrote about the importance of time management in the life of a new adult. But one thing that isn’t stressed enough is utilizing the spare minutes that make themselves available throughout the day. Especially since doing so can give you the boost you need to reach your goals.

We have a lot more spare minutes than we typically realize; especially if don’t lay out our plan for the day in a planner of some sort. There may be the five minutes we’re waiting in

The Random

How Come Fiction Has To Be Realistic?

November 30, 2017 No Comments

Just so you know, this post is going to be quick and to the point. I’m just venting a little because of one question that’s bothered me for years: how come fiction has to be realistic but real life doesn’t?

I mean, it just doesn’t

The Serious

Just Start

November 28, 2017 No Comments

If it weren’t for Nike, I probably would’ve titled this post “Just Do It.” But, you know, trademarks. Anyway, the reason for this is because Nike got it exactly right. Whatever it is you want to do in life – with regards to your health, academics, career, etc. – you just need to get up and do it. You just need to start.

If you feel like this is a simple concept, you’re absolutely right. In fact, it’s so simple that