The Gallon Challenge Anonymous

On Thursday, July 10th, I learned an essential lesson about ambition.

I walked optimistically through the grand Springer Opera House entranceway, ready for a day of captivating classes and wild theatre kids. I saw my friends and migrated downstage left with my water jug in hand. It was really just a gallon of Chick-fil-A sweet tea refilled with water. Similar jugs were dispersed across the stage because of The Gallon Challenge trend, where one attempts to drink an entire gallon of water before the end of the day. When done correctly (with proper restroom breaks and distributed drinking times), the challenge encourages hydration. I was fully prepared to mask my competitive nature behind this healthy bandwagon. The night before, I had washed out the remaining sweet tea, filled my jug with water, and made the final decision: I will complete The Gallon Challenge.

With high self esteem, I chugged at any given opportunity. Before class, I chugged; during transitions, I chugged; but especially during lunch… I chugged. I reasoned with myself that if I finished by the end of the day, then I would be a successful participant. But if I finished by the end of lunch… I would be a champion. I became greedy with the idea of victory and drank...