Hi everybody! I am sorry I haven't posted on here since the beginning of summer. I just thought I'd give you a quick update on how my sophomore year is going. For those who don't know, I am no longer at Blinn. Fortunately, I was accepted into the Texas A&M School of Liberal Arts where I will be studying English. However, I am still only human and make typos. Luckily, this is just a blog post and not a formal paper.
I've now been here for two weeks and have enjoyed almost everyday of it. While I still have those days where I miss the good ole' town of Flo Mo, I've tried not being completely anti-social and actually started interacting with other human beings. I am not one who likes to party every night so sometimes it's kind of difficult finding something to entertain me. Last week was our first week of classes and I am actually looking forward to school for once. All my professors seem to be entertaining and actually care that students learn. My favorite class so far is my Intro to British Literature class. The reading load is quite overwhelming but totally worth it.
In my opinion Fall semester is always better than Spring because of one reason. That reason is football season! Kyle Field just finished the first round of renovations and the results are glorious. Saturday night was my first official game as part of the 12th Man (the name of the A&M student body) and it was truly magical. I was fortunate enough to be apart of history as Kyle Field shattered the record for largest attendance at a collegiate football game in the state of Texas. Gathering with 104,000 other Aggies for a game was something I truly enjoyed.
This week I am currently exploring clubs to join. Luckily, A&M has a lot of options so surely I'll find something. Well that's about it. I just thought I'd let you guys know that I am alive and doing well. Thanks for all the support! I'll try posting on here more!
“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I know it's been awhile since I posted on here so I felt it would be appropriate for to me to give an update. As of last Tuesday, I finished my first year of college. The beginning of my college experience was a bit of a roller coaster to be honest. The first semester I kind of just sat back and let my introverted ways take over. I did not try very hard to make friends and just wanted to sit in my room while watching Netflix. I noticed that this not only took a toll on me socially but it also affected me academically as well. I tended to skip class more and felt that school was a tad bit pointless. Because of my carelessness, my grades suffered and I was still miserable. However, the second semester was a bit different.
When second semester rolled around I had the knowledge of what to expect. I was taking three of the same professors from my previous semester and desperately needed good grades to raise my G.P.A. I had my confidence boosted when my first set of test rolled around and I had received surprisingly, exceptional grades. This trend seemed to continue as the semester went on and I was deeply encouraged to keep fighting on. One factor I am deeply grateful for my second semester was my tendency to drink a lot more coffee. I don't know why I did not drink more coffee the first semester because it literally saved my ass every morning that second semester. Luckily, I was able to attend class a lot more and this ultimately helped me achieve the grades I was aiming for.
I also tended to socialize more second semester. I acquired more friends and was not sulking in my room for hours. I was great deal happier with people I could hang out with instead of just being so reclusive. So my advice to anyone going to college soon is to be yourself and find people who accept you for who you are. If a weirdo like myself can find friends then you kids should be just fine.
I have finished my first year of college and now playing the waiting game as I wait to hear back if I got accepted into Texas A&M. I was able to raise my G.P.A. from a 2.75 to a 3.33. A&M recommends that you have a 3.0 so I have done all in my power. Now it is up the admissions office and it is out of my control. Even if I am not accepted for the 2014-2015 school year, I am proud to say I tried my hardest and there's always next year. Fortunately, I am excited nonetheless to go back to school next year and begin the next chapter that is my sophomore year. Peace!
Finding new music for me has been quite a struggle lately. Last semester I was lucky to stumble upon awesome new bands such as Chvrches, Haim, and Parquet Courts. This semester has been a tad different. I've found bands who I don't mind listening to but I haven't really struck gold yet. So what do you do when you can't seem to find good, new music? Well the answer is very simple. You listen to the old music. Luckily, there is an artist that never seems to let me down and that is a man by the name of Tom Petty.
I found out about Tom Petty when I was in the seventh grade. I watched him briefly perform during the Super Bowl XLII halftime show and I was immediately hooked. About a week later I sat down with my father and watched his epic, 4 hour documentary "Runnin' Down A Dream". I was mesmerized by all the great music this man made yet I was just finding out about him until now.For the next few months my iPod was constantly playing music from Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I started off with his greatest hits album. Soon afterwards I was listening to nearly all his songs including his work with the Traveling Wilburys.
Tom Petty has also introduced me to new music. Thanks to collaborations and covers of his, I've been able to discover bands/artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash. I also have to thank Tom Petty for inspiring me to play guitar. Unfortunately, I am no where near his playing ability and I can't write a song to save my life but it is still an exciting hobby for me.
Luckily, my father is a huge Tom Petty fanatic as well. I've been to three Tom Petty shows with him and every single one has been unique and it's own way. I have to say my favorite one was last summer. I got to skip school and go to New York city for a few days to see him perform at the Beacon. The Beacon is a small theater that only seats around 3,000. The other two shows I had seen were in arenas so this was a bit different for me. Not only was the venue different but Tom and the guys had a different setlist each night. They weren't playing a setlist full of hits. They had some hits here and there but they were also playing some songs they don't usually perform live. This was awesome for me and my Dad. We loved every moment of it.
I am one of the few kids my age, that I know of, that listens to Tom Petty. I mean there are the kids who are like "Oh, I know him! He sings Free Fallin'". I do believe "Free Fallin'" is a good song but it kind of disappoints me because Tom has so much better music than just that song. Below this article I have attached a Tom Petty playlist I have made on Spotify. This was a struggle for me since I admire almost all his music but I tried to narrow it down to 30 songs. I hope you will cherish them just as much as I do.
Everyday I get the privilege of getting on a twenty five minute bus ride from the A&M campus to the Blinn campus. In my recent experiences, I have seen all kinds of bus behavior. From the weird, smelly guy to the girl who feels the need to yell while talking on her cellphone. I am here to give you several helpful hints so you aren't that person that people absolutely despise on the bus.
The Don'ts
The Sleeper- It's alright to sleep but don't lean on neighbor when you're in a deep slumber. Nobody wants to be a human pillow.
The Yeller- We understand that you have friends. That's great! However, when it is early in the morning, nobody enjoys it when you are shouting to your buddy. Chances are people on the bus were out late studying or partying. Either wait till you get off the bus or just keep it to a low tone.
The Stench- Unfortunately, there are people that just naturally smell bad. If you are one of these people I am deeply sorry. You should at least make an effort to smell good though. Please wear deodorant and bathe regularly. It not only makes you feel good but the people around you will be much more comfortable as well.
The Gum Smacker- People like chewing gum. It's tasty and it makes your breath smell good. That doesn't mean the whole world has it hear it though. Don't chew your gum so loud that the whole bus can hear your weird chewing habits.
The Conversation Sharer- This kind of falls in the yeller category. Talking with your friend on the phone is a great way to stay in touch with old pals or family. Yelling about how "there is a sell at J.C. Penney's" or how "Jan is such a slut" is not exciting for your bus mates to hear about.
The Do's
The Student- The big reason your in college is to receive a education. Yes you can have fun along the way but studying is the biggest priority. The bus is a great way to review notes or get in reading from the textbook. Either way this is probably the best use of your time.
The Music Discoverer- Another productive use of time is to listen to music. Thanks to stations such as Pandora and Spotify, people have access to a wide variety of music. Bus rides are a great way to find out about new artists. Just make you are wearing headphones in the process.
The Reader- In college it's hard to find time to read a good book. Reading on the bus is not only enjoyable but it can also help the imagination run wild. Whether it is reading a textbook or just simply reading a newspaper, it's a great way to get the brain flowing.
The Conversationer- This one can be tricky. Usually you have to be a good judge of people when trying to start a conversation with someone. There are people on the bus who would love a decent chat and meeting new people. There are also the people who have had a long day and simply don't want to be bothered. As long as you use your inside voice and know your limits, it is always worth a try.
The Gentleman- Buses have a nature to fill up quite quickly. If you are sitting and there is a girl standing, be a gentleman and offer her your seat. However,this can be quite tricky at times. If there are multiple girls just pick one and hope the other girls don't give you a dirty look. If a girl says no to you then it's a win-win situation. You get to keep your seat and the girl is thinking to herself "Dang! This kid sure is polite".
Next time you are a busy bus take these behavior types into consideration. You can choose to fall in the Don'ts but chances are people will probably hate your guts. On the other hand, you can be a Do kind of guy. Not only will people like you but they'll also respect you.
For me growing up a fan of Aggie football has its ups and its downs. Every season they will either surprise the hell out of me or they will just rip my heart out and stomp on it. It seems as though it's just a constant cycle. We play some mediocre quarterback with no high expectations that season and somehow do great or we have a great returning quarterback and somehow manage to come home without a victory.
Every time it was a different quarterback but it was same exact results. I watched the years with McNeal, next up was McGee, then he gave the reigns to Johnson, and then Tannehill led the team. All these guys were decent quarterbacks but none of them had that swagger or that wow factor to them. Tannehill had his moments where you thought there was potential but his senior year just led to second half collapses nearly every week.
In the year 2012 Texas A&M made a huge splash by moving to the Southeastern Conference. At the time A&M took a lot of heat for this move. People criticized the move saying A&M would get their butts handed to them by Alabama or LSU. Little did they know that for the first time in a long time, Aggie football was about to take off.
Right after the 2011 regular season A&M decided to fire their head coach Mike Sherman. Sherman led the Aggies to a 6-6 record but was infamously known for losing games during the second half. Even though Sherman was fired he still left his mark on Aggie football with his recruiting. Luckily for the 12th Man, Sherman drafted a kid by the name of Johnny Manziel out of Kerville, Texas.
2012 was a year of learning and a fresh start for the Aggies. A&M opened the season off against their first SEC foe Florida at a sold out Kyle Field. The summer before was a time of rebuilding for the team. They had just hired Kevin Sumlin out of Houston to take over the head coaching duties and were looking for the right quarterback to start off the season. In a four quarterback battle for the starting job, Manziel came out on top.
The Johnny Manziel move was a bit surprising to fans. Throughout the whole off-season Jameill Showers had been thought to be the favorite for the starting job. That assumption was strengthened when Johnny Manziel was arrested due an outside bar fight in College Station. However, Coach Sumlin still gave the job to Johnny Football and let him run the show.
Johnny Football surprised Aggieland that day of opening SEC play. Even though the Aggies lost, Manziel came out firing and people were really excited about the future of Aggie football. A&M managed to get an easy win the next week with a 48-3 victory over the Mustangs of SMU. Their next game lined up was against South Carolina State. Although this was easy win, this game has a lot of significance to me. This happened to be the first A&M game I got to see Manziel up close and in person. That day I watched the future legend of Aggieland run wild. It was magnificent just watching the way the guy could roll out of the pocket and extend the play like it was no problem. My Dad and I would joke around saying how this guy would win the Heisman this year and take everyone by surprise. The Aggies went on to win their next five out of six games. Then came the game where everything changed for Johnny Manziel.
On November 10 the #15 ranked Aggies made a road trip to play #1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide. At the time Bama was the defending National Champion and was heavily favored to repeat. The Aggies soon pulled out to a 21-0 lead. The second half was a shootout but Johnny Manziel was able to lead the Ags to a 29-24 upset over the Crimson Tide.
Johnny Manziel closed out the regular season with victories over Sam Houston State and Missouri. Manziel was able to edge out Manti Te'o and Collin Klein to win 2012 Heisman Trophy. He had been the first Aggie to win the Heisman trophy since 1957. Soon afterwards Texas A&M accept a bid to play their former Big 12 opponent OU. On January 4 in Arlington, Texas the Aggies ran wild on the Sooners. Johnny set a bowl record with 512 total yards. Then came the treacherous and long off-season of 2013.
Ever have those days where you just wake up and nothing seems to go your way? That was nearly everyday for Texas A&M fans during the off-season of 2013. Manziel was first under heavy scrutiny when he got in a little scruff with a grad assistant during Texas A&M's spring game. From there on out it didn't get much better. You couldn't turn on a sports network without hearing about Manziel doing something. Whether it was getting kicked out of the Manning Passing Academy or showing up to a frat party wearing a Tim Tebow jersey. Johnny was the most loved and hated celebrity in all of sports. The worst of the off-season was the autograph scandal. ESPN's own Joe Schad and Darren Rovall reported that Johnny was signing autographs in exchange for money. The NCAA conducted an investigation on Johnny and Texas A&M and was only able to find enough evidence to suspend Manziel for the first half of the season opener against Rice.
I had the honor of watching seven out of the eight home games at Kyle Field this season. One memory that sticks out to me unlike any other is when Manziel took the field for the second half against Rice. Kyle Field was pure bedlam. Chants of "Johnny" broke out all across the stadium. The feeling was surreal. The Aggies were able to win their season opener against Rice and then got a win the next week against Sam Houston State. Then came the rematch. The Alabama Crimson Tide came to town seeking revenge. Unfortunately the Aggie defense couldn't stop the Alabama offense and the Crimson Tide were able to return to Tuscaloosa with a 49-42 victory. However, Johnny was able to to throw for 464 yards and 5 touchdown passes. The rest of the season wasn't the expectations Aggie had on their minds.
A&M was able to win their next 3 games before losing to the Auburn Tigers. Manziel was partly injured during the game but was still able to throw for 454 yards and 4 touchdowns while running one in as well. A&M was able to win their next three against Vanderbilt, UTEP, and Mississippi State. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the Mississippi State game but one part of Johnny's time that is tattooed in my brain was after the game he ran out into the stands to join the 12th Man to sing the Aggie War Hymn for one last time at Kyle Field.
The next two weeks were a nightmare for the Aggies. Manziel was constantly battling injuries and could not get any help from the defense which was quite a common occurrence throughout the season. The Aggies lost the next two games against LSU and Mizzou. Johnny put up the numbers of any regular quarterback and Aggieland's spirits were dampened. The Aggies next test was the Chick Fil A Bowl against a hot Duke team.
When it was announced A&M was playing Duke most Aggies were fairly confident in their team. Duke had been the ACC Coastal Champions but were lit up by Jameis Winston and the Florida State Seminoles during the final game of the regular season. When New Years Eve rolled around, Johnny Football took the field for what many speculated would his last time in an Aggie uniform. The game started off as an disaster for the fightin' farmers. Duke was able to torch the Aggie defense and take a 38-17 lead over the Aggies at halftime. The second half was a bit different. Johnny helped spark a comeback and with a little help from the defense, the Aggies were able to win 52-48. Not only was it a great ending to the Johnny Manziel era in Aggieland but it was also a great way to come together and play as a team. This was the first time in school history that A&M was able to win three straight bowl games. Today Johnny Manziel declared that he would be entering the 2014 NFL draft.
So what will the legacy of Johnny Manziel be as he makes the next step to the NFL? Maybe he will be a Tim Tebow and not live up to the potential. Maybe he will be a Russell Wilson and show us size does not matter. Maybe to some people his legacy will just be the guy who likes to party all the time. But the legacy he left in Aggieland is something that is overwhelming. He's the most exciting player I've gotten the chance to watch and I am lucky that I was able to see him live and in person so many times. So I thank you Johnny Football. Thank you for putting A&M on the map. Thank you for giving it all on the field. Thank you for making Aggie football fun to watch. Thanks and Gig'Em!
Monday, January 6, 2014
It's funny how this day in age that everyone just seems to be sucked up into this whirlwind of technology. Now days instead of actual human interactions and talking to a person face to face, it's all about "tweeting" that person or sending them a "snapchat". Unfortunately, technology has an addiction that can sometimes consume our life. Adults are constantly nagging and exclaiming all this new technology is rotting their kids' brains. I agree with this to a certain extent, but we also tend to overlook the joys that technology can bring to kids.
This year was my first semester of college and I was out on my own. I think one part of high school I never really learned was how to make the jump to college. I remember being told to the workload was much harder in college but I never really had a teacher to tell me that my life would be a bit different. Anyway, this kind of took me by surprise my first semester and I didn't really cope with it to well.
During Thanksgiving Break I had a serious talk with my parents and that kind of settled my nerves. I think the big problem was I am at a community college but I am living three and a half hours away. For those who don't know I attend Blinn Community College in Bryan, Texas. Blinn has a big reputation for being a stepping block so kids can eventually transfer into Texas A&M. Like many other students there, my ultimate goal is to be accepted and attend Texas A&M. I tend to be a bit pessimistic so I was always worrying about what if my grades aren't good enough. After talking with my parents, I kind of got my head straight and just decided "I'll worry about that when the times comes".
Next semester starts in a week and I've just been sort of thinking about a way I can express my joys/frustrations of college life instead of stressing myself out all the flipping time! I ultimately decided a blog would the appropriate approach due to my enjoyment of writing and my knowledge of technology. See how that all kind of tied up to beginning? While technology has its flaws, it can also give us a matter of perspective and help us show the way we feel. So this is my first blog post and I hope there are many more to come.
