Chapter 13
Becoming a Veteran:
“Just Call Me Kobe”
February 2013
When I was in first grade I was a diehard LA Laker fan. I
can still remember the Shaquille O’Neal jersey my parents bought me for Christmas.
I wore that purple jersey everywhere. Since I lived in North Carolina and I was
only in first grade I figured that I would never get to see my favorite team
play. However it just so happened that I became really good friends with a
season ticket holder of what used to be the Charlotte Hornets. During first
grade Chris Baker and I became really good friends, and he eventually learned
how much I loved the Lakers. So, as you may have guessed he invited me to go
watch the Lakers in Charlotte with him. I don’t think I realized it then, but
going to a Lakers game is a huge deal. Especially for basketball fans, and it
just so happened that this Lakers team had three hall of famers. The legendary
Phil Jackson, the face of the franchise, Kobe Bryant, and my favorite player of
all time Shaq, all were suited up and in front of me that night. We arrived at
the game a little early so I was able to watch the players’ warm-up from our
lower deck seats. For a first grader the gigantic basketball players didn’t seem
like real humans; they were giants! As my dream of watching a Lakers game
became a reality I began to take it all in. I can still remember the day like
it was yesterday. I remember being amazed by the huge TV screen and I even
missed Shaq dunking it because I was just so infatuated by the entire arena.
Even though I did miss some key parts of the game; I got to see the most
important part.
The game was tight the entire game and no one could really
claim a substantial lead. It was one of those games where the last person to
have the ball was going to win. And it just so happened that the Lakers had the
ball with 20 seconds left on the clock, and everyone knew who was going to take
the shot. The Hornets were up one and the Charlotte faithful were on their
feet. As time fell, the ball was placed
into the veteran’s hand, Kobe Bryant. Kobe dribbled a few seconds, made his
move, drained a shot from the corner and the buzzer sounded. Since I was
surrounded by ticked off Hornets fans, I had to celebrate discreetly. The Lakers
game is one of my most treasured childhood memories.
You might be wondering why in the world I would share
something like that, but I feel as if Kobe and I have a little in common. No, I
don’t have the rings, the fame, or the basketball ability, but I am slowly
becoming a veteran of this thing called college. Even though my classes are
more difficult and I am much busier than I was first semester; it feels as if I
am becoming a great college student. My study skills have seemed to improve, I
am reading more than ever, and I feel like every day seems to zoom by. I hope I am not getting over confident, but I
just want to express to you that the college experience gets easier. At times,
like how I was just a few weeks ago, you’ll want to give up, but you have to
realize that you can make it through the adversity.
The spring semester allows you to see college in a different
way, and you have to remember to continue to search for opportunities because
with a new semester comes new opportunities. If you’re at a college basketball
school you will have the opportunity to attend basketball games. Attending
basketball games at UNC has been an incredible experience. It has been an
incredible experience because I have waited so long to have the opportunity to
come to these games, and because I am now called “The Banana Man.” I know what you’re
thinking. This Austin guy, he’s weird, he’s crazy, and why would he dress up as
a banana at a UNC basketball game? A banana has no correlation with the Tar
Heels and it’s not even the same color, why would anyone do that. Trust me, I
have been asked those same questions a thousand times, and my answer is still
the same. Why not? Or sometimes I tell them I want to get on TV so that my
parents can see me. I see it as another opportunity to do something that I have
never done. It seems like a silly opportunity, but it’s not every day that you
get to wait in line for hours in the freezing cold just to dress up like a
banana. By being at every home game dress like a banana I have gained plenty of
ESPN time, the title of “The Banana Man” around campus, and an experience that
has made my college experience even more worthwhile. I am finding that the more
that I step out of my comfort zone; the more doors that are opened. I have
learned some valuable lessons by being “The Banana Man” over this short time.
1.
Sometimes you have to wait in line, but when
that door opens, you better be ready.
2.
When you’re studies become overwhelming, take a
break.
3.
When the Tar Heels make a shot, Go Bananas!
It is very important to be involved with the college environment.
If you are not a college basketball fanatic like me, it is still a crucial part
of the experience. I felt like I hit on this enough in a past chapter, but I
really want to hammer home all of the positive experiences I have had with
getting involved on campus.
My second semester is already proving to be harder than the
first and I know I will have to work harder this semester than I did in the
last. However, the time is flying by and the first exam season is already here.
I might not make the game winning shots like Kobe does, but I have a feeling
that when I walk out of this place in four years; I’ll look back on my experiences
and give them a place in my Hall of Fame.
