Friday was one of the best days of my college life thus far. I have had one of the most stressful and busy past two weeks—filled with tests, meetings, early mornings, lack of sleep, and tons of studying. On Friday, I had my last of five tests and I was in dire need of some social time spent with some of my closest friends. Late Thursday night, Demi Dollihite invited me and a few others to spend the day at her grandparent’s lake house in Lake Conroe. It was spontaneous and very last minute, but saying “yes” was one of the greatest decisions I’ve made in a while. We loaded up in two cars around 12:30pm and headed off to the lake. There is nothing better than spending the day on the lake with some of your best friends. Road Tripping was half the fun and according to Marcos everything we did was “SO COLLEGE!” Her grandparents welcomed us to their home and we quickly changed into our bathing suits. Their house was perfectly situated on the lake and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Her grandfather drove us around in their boat and he was one of the funniest old men I’ve ever met. We used double tubes and flew around that lake like it was nobody’s business. I’ve never had so much fun tubing before!! It was a lot of people’s first time out there and I am so glad I could be a part of their memorable experience. We took hundreds of pictures and relaxed out on the lake all day. In the midst of this exciting day, I had a moment on the boat. I was sitting in the front area of the boat with it traveling very high speed along the lake. The wind was blowing my hair and my eyes were sealed shut. It is so easy to get caught up in the stresses of this life and lose sight of what is truly important. I worry more about my grades and classes, and sometimes overlook the more important things like friendships and faith. This trip was the perfect reminder for me. It showed me of how blessed I am to have such incredible people surrounding me that constantly challenge me to become a better person. It also reminded me how little time we have left in our freshmen year of college. I want to live in every moment and appreciate the opportunities I’ve been given. The day continued to get better and better as it went on. We goofed around, played Frisbee, tossed the football, snacked on pretzels, and took more pictures. Even though our boating equipment continued to break and deflate, we passed through several obstacles. On the second round out on the boat, we had a new tube and a set of skis. Several of my friends got up on the skis and they were rockin’ and rollin’. As the day began winding down, we headed back to the house and sat on their patio singing songs and hanging out. Demi’s sweet grandparents cooked us a homemade dinner and ate alongside us out by the lake. It was an absolutely delicious meal with a great group of friends. After dinner, we continued listening to Brett and Marcos sing as we roasted some marshmallows for our S’morz. We headed out to the dock for some “dock time” filled with music, deep conversations, and memories that will last a lifetime. We sat out there for hours and this was by far my favorite part of the day. The seven of us bonded in a unique way and I couldn’t be more thankful for each and every person that came on this day-trip. We laughed, we cried, we sang, we played, we joked, we swam… we basically did it all. This was my favorite Friday of my college experience. I won’t give up on the friendships I’ve made this year and I know I am gonna miss this more than anything. Before driving back, we stood together in a unified hug and discussed our favorite parts of the day. We arrived back in College Station late into the night and had a movie night at the villas. I cannot say thank you enough to Demi for being so sweet to invite us to her grandparents’ house for the day. This day was absolutely perfect in every way. I am obsessed with these pictures, these memories, and these incredible people. Words do not do this day justice… It was just “so college.”
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Dukeeeee
My Fish Camp is absolutely amazing. It is such a unique blend of people that mold together perfectly. We are still in the early stages, but I can already tell that Camp Duke beats all of the other camps (hands down). Our Co-Chairs are fantastic, our counselors are all well-rounded and enthusiastic, and our Gmail List Serve never slows down. Did I mention one of my co-chairs own a pet squirrel? Crazy. It is most certainly not my favorite animal or anything I would like within five feet of me, but meeting Joby last weekend was monumental. My Camp is OBSESSED with this squirrel. Last Sunday, we had our very first Developmental Program of the entire Fish Camp process. We learned lots of policies, gathered several pieces of information, but more importantly we continued to get to know one another and build upon our friendships. This week we started lunch buddies in an attempt to find our perfect DG partner. Camp Duke has just begun and I am beginning to realize how blessed I am to be a part of such a unique camp. I can’t wait to see what the rest of this semester holds and I am already anxious about meeting my freshmen!!!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
The Big Event
Today, the students and faculty of Texas A&M University participated in the 30th Annual Big Event. This event started as a way for students to say “Thank You” to the surrounding community. It was a one-day service project where residents of Bryan and College Station would be shown appreciation for their continued support of Texas A&M students during their college careers. The Big Event was viewed as a way for students to show their appreciation by completing various tasks at area residents’ homes. After all… it was the least we could do to give one big thanks to our community on one big day each year. The Big Event’s Mission Statement: “Through service-oriented activities, The Big Event promotes campus and community unity as students come together for one day to express their gratitude for the support from the surrounding community.” And it did just that. It was an amazing success this morning. Our entire student body came together to selflessly serve and make a positive difference in our community. All types of organizations, friends, and leaders gathered in one location for one Big Event. The newly elected yell leaders made an appearance as well as several other important figures on campus. For the 30th Annual Big Event, they had over 17,000 volunteers. THAT ALONE IS INCREDIBLE! I participated in my first Big Event with MSC FISH and had the best group ever. I couldn’t have asked for better people to work with or a better person to serve. We worked together all day completing various tasks around and outside the house. While cleaning out the gutter system, it dawned on me how truly remarkable this event and this university is. Seventeen thousands students and faculty members woke up on a Saturday morning at 7 am to serve their community. There were no rewards, payments, or extra credit… These individuals were serving because they are a member of the Aggie family. I couldn’t have been more thankful to serve alongside my best friends from MSC FISH. I am constantly surrounded by people that make me want to become a better person. We love serving together and this morning was no exception. I attend the greatest university in the world with traditions, core values, and memories that extend much further than the classroom. One Big Day. One Big Thanks. One Big Event!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)