Chapter 7:

Fall Break!!

“Back on the Ground”

October 2012

Scotty Mccreery’s song, “Back on the Ground,” perfectly describes the feeling of going back home for the first time in a long time. To be exact, this was the first time I had been home since August 17^th, which is exactly two months. I didn’t want to go home until fall break because I wanted to get accustomed to the college life. The two months definitely let me become comfortable with the environment. I was able to build friendships on the weekends that I wouldn’t have built if I would have gone home every weekend. It also allowed me to stay on top with Carolina Fever points. For the past two months I have been diligent in going to every sporting event because I want my basketball tickets!!

            The week leading up to Fall Break seemed like it took forever. It was probably because I couldn’t stop thinking about home cooked meals, and my queen sized bed that needed my comfort.  However, after 2 exams, reading a novel, and writing a five page paper, I was ready to go home.

            Since I was riding home with my cousin, her mom and mine decided to just cook dinner at my cousin’s house. I really didn’t mind because there was food, and I got to see my mom. I would have preferred a meal at my house, but this would suffice for the night. As soon as we arrived my mom came outside with a huge grin on her face, ready to give her son a much awaited hug. After the hugging I decided to surprise her, and introduce her to UNC’s newest Student Admissions Ambassador.

            I forgot to mention that I also applied for the Admissions Ambassador Program at UNC. The ambassadors at UNC give tours for upcoming freshman, and I knew it was something I wanted to do. The application process was very long and demanding. They informed us after applying that they had a record number of 600 students apply for the program. After the application process 200 or so students were invited to an interview, and then roughly 100 moved on to a finals day. After all of the stress and worry, I became an Admissions Ambassador. When I received the email on the Wednesday before I left I was so excited! The bad part about getting the email was that I was in class and couldn’t scream like I wanted to. Instead of going outside or skipping class, I just asked my classmates to give me a high five. They all gave me a puzzled look, but I told them I deserved it, so they best give me one.

            When I informed my mom that I was officially an ambassador, she was exuberant. My mom had helped me with the first application, and had ironed my clothes so I would look “fresh” on my interview day. Let me tell you, I was looking spiffy in my pink bowtie, and I think that actually helped my cause of getting the job.

            After talking to my mom for a bit, I realized that my dad was nowhere to be found. My mom then informed me that he was on a work trip and he would be back home Friday. Now, my dad never goes on work trips, but I guess I’ll forgive him. My dad is that kind of father figure that never missed anything while I was in grade school. He was at every sporting event (well almost, I can tell you the ones he missed), every assembly that I was recognized, and even Donuts for Dads in elementary school. I still think he enjoyed Donuts for Dads more than me because he always took two or three to go.

After eating some spaghetti at my cousins, it was finally time to go back to my house. On the way over I was hoping that my father hadn’t made any huge mid-life crisis changes to the house. I just couldn’t deal with a bunch of different accessories added to the house.  When we pulled in I noticed that nothing had changed, other than a huge satellite in the middle of our backyard. Before I left the satellite was behind the house, and now it was sitting awkwardly in the middle of the yard! I quickly asked my mom, “Why is that there?” She laughed and said, “Your dad thinks you will be proud, we have HD now.” In case you don’t know my dad, he thinks that a HD TV comes with a clearer picture than a regular TV. I have told him plenty of times that you have to buy the HD channels in order to get the clearer resolution.  By being at UNC, I was always bragging about having HD, so it must have rubbed off on him. My mom explained the reason the satellite was in the middle of the yard was so that it had a clear shot to the sky.

When I walked into my house for the first time in two months I had to stop and take it all in. I was trying to figure out what the smell was, and realized that it was our family scent. When you live in a house for so long you become use to the smell, and usually don’t pay it any attention. The smell I am talking about is the smell that you notice when you go into anyone else’s house other than your own. Since I hadn’t been back to our house in so long I could finally smell our scent. I was finally home, as my nose clarified. We still had the same green carpet, same magnets on the fridge, and I had the same cozy bed. Oh was it was great to go home!!

When I awoke from my mattress, that felt like heaven compared to my dorm room, I realized that my mom had bought all the snacks that I loved! It was as if I was a little boy again. All of my favorite treats were aligned in the cabinet, and I knew my dad would be extra happy when he got home because there was no way I could eat them all. As I munched down on some Powdered Sugar Donuts, I realized that it had been a day since I had taken a shower. I also realized that I didn’t have to take a shower with sandals on. If you didn’t know already, you have to wear sandals when you take showers in college. Although you can take them without sandals, I wouldn’t advise that because you can catch athlete’s foot, and you never know what people do in the shower! After my sandal free shower I was ready to begin my first ever Fall Break!

Since I am the son of Amy Helms, I have learned that if you want to get anything done efficiently you should make a schedule. Before arriving in Valdese, my mom told me I should make a list of all the people I want to see because time will go by too fast. On my first day of fall break I had planned to go out to eat with my Grandma Sissy (my dad’s mom and the name is a whole different story, but I’ll be referring to her as “Sissy”). I arrived at her house around 10:30am and was met with her running out the door with the biggest smile I had ever seen. I knew Sissy loved me, but she was acting like I hadn’t been home in ages. She gave me one of those short grannie hugs, and we were on our way.

            Sissy informed me that we could go anywhere I wanted to eat, and I could eat anything I wanted to. What Sissy didn’t know was that I had already planned out where I wanted to eat, so I was quick to tell her Olive Garden.  Before college I didn’t realize how much I would miss the food at home, and in my community. Since I am a first year student, I don’t have my car and I am limited on the restaurants I get to indulge in. I have also found that when I begin to get homesick I begin to miss the food that used to be so readily available.  Now back to “Austin and Sissy’s Day Out.” We drove all over Hickory, NC buying me food and clothes for the remainder of the semester. It was definitely a day that I will never forget. It was the first time that Sissy and I had gone on a shopping trip without my mom, and because it was very difficult hauling all of my food/clothes in my two-door truck.  

 

 

 

            The hickory adventure with Sissy was super exciting, but it was now time for me to go an open gym and play basketball with kids from my high school. Even though I was only getting to play with one of the kids I played with in high school; it was definitely fun getting to play with the younger guys. When I arrived at the school I realized how small our campus actually was compared to UNC. I graduated with about 150 students, so you can just imagine how small my school is. In 2016, I will graduate with close to 6000, which is hard to fathom.  If you have the chance to go back to your high school, I would advise you go back. I know you are probably thinking, “I am never coming back to this place!” However, you must realize that this school shaped you, and you shaped that school. In my case, I was a part of the first full class. In other words, the school is in its 5^th year. It has been an awesome experience watching my high school evolve into a school that is now known nationally. During my senior Jimmy C. Draughn was ranked in the Top 20 of high schools in North Carolina. I quickly realized that the school had changed even more since I had been their last. There were now more murals on the wall, pictures of the new students, and a brand new gym floor.  I was disappointed that they decided to redo the gym floor after I was gone, but I guess that comes with the school’s growth. The floor looked spectacular, even though it looked nothing like the Dean Dome floor; I was still impressed.  By being able to come back and play in the gym I made so many memories in was really special. It was a different experience now because I was no longer the youngest player in the gym, but the oldest player. I guess it served as a wake-up call. It served as a wake-up call because it made me realize that this is home, this is where my roots where planted, and I should never forget where I come from. I gave everything I had on that court, and I should carry that to Chapel Hill. No, I won’t be playing on a court, but I will be playing the game of life, and in order to succeed I must give it my all. Just a side note, on senior night, I dropped 19 points, which was my career high. Maybe one day, I will leave Chapel Hill with a bang; well not maybe, I will leave in a bang!

            Even though playing basketball with my friends was fun, it also made me miss high school like I had never missed it before. I usually don’t get emotional, so I didn’t cry when I left that day, but I realized that this was all high school would be to me anymore.

            When I finally arrived back home after an activity filled day, my mom was waiting on me with the taco dinner I had requested. This is a must do when coming home. Tell your mom or dad to cook your favorite meal because chances are it will make your day, and they will enjoy cooking their child anything they would like. If your mom is like mine, when she is a “happy chef” the food is delicious! Of course the food was wonderful, and after devouring my second helping I gave my mom the biggest thank you hug that has ever been given out. I will tell you that if your Fall Break days are as jam packed as mine, you will be worn out, and nothing is better than sleeping on your “cloud” of a mattress. (Well compared to that prison cell bed you are being forced to sleep in)

            Friday’s are always my favorite, and this Friday just happened to be extra special. My father was coming back home, I was going out to eat with my high school friends, and going to the high school football game. If you haven’t figured out already, I love sports, and I especially love high school football. For as long as I can remember my dad and I have always gone to football games on Friday nights. Since I am in college, these Friday nights have not been filled with football games, but other activities that UNC has to offer. My dad arrived around lunch time and he took me out to eat at Chubby’s in Valdese. If I didn’t mention already, that is where one of my gumball machines is located, and their food is amazing! We were able to catch up on all of the stuff that I had missed out on. We primarily talked about Draughn’s football team. I was overjoyed that my dad came home because I had really missed those conversations.  College makes you realize that your parents were really the ones rooting for you all alone. Sometimes you may have felt that they were being to protective or too harsh on you, but you will soon realize they were doing everything for a reason. I said before that grade school doesn’t prepare for you college, but your parents do. Never forget to come back and to have those conversations. There is nothing in this world that a parent wants to hear more than their child’s voice.

            After some quality time with my dad I went to hang out with some friends. This is kind of ironic, but we also went to eat at the other restaurant that held my other vending machine. I guess you can call me paranoid, but I had to go see if they were still intact. I went to eat with three of my “girlfriends” that I had been in school with since kindergarten. It was really cool to meet up with all them and hear their different experiences. Elizabeth was going to Campbell, Bailey- NC State, and Marykate was at Western Carolina. We just shared stories from our different universities, and caught up on life. If you have a close set of friends that mean a lot to you, I highly recommend giving them a call on break. Discussing your college story with your friends really helps relieve stress, and it helps you realize that college gives everyone a unique experience. After dinner, we were on our way to the football game!!

            When I heard the voice of Bill Poteat ringing through the speakers, I knew I was at the right place. “Sharpen up your claws……Cause’ it’s time to play football in WILLLLLLDCAT COUNTRYYY!” Man, did it feel like home. When I walked into the stadium it was as if I recognized everyone. I wasn’t used to this because when the undergraduate population is 18000 you very rarely know more than ten people at one event. I was able to chat with people that I hadn’t seen since graduation. Then, I saw her, my ex-girlfriend. We had talked about meeting up at the game and talking, but how long we would talk; only time could tell.

            Before I talk about our conversation, I want to tell you that I love surprising people. I like to jump out of places, give surprise gifts, and I love to make people smile. I guess you could call me a romantic in away. Even though, my mom would attest to the whole surprising thing. Since she is my mom, it’s more of a scaring type of surprise, but that is beside the point. I love to surprise people, and even have the way I am going to propose to my wife planned out. I would tell you, but my future wife could be reading this and I don’t want to ruin the surprise.

            After catching a glimpse of my ex-girlfriend, I decided to sneak around so I could come in behind her so she wouldn’t see me. I quickly moved so I could do so, and was directly behind her. I moved in and gently touched her and head, and gave it one of those “you know who it is” touches. We talked about everything from her high school stories to my college stories, and before we knew it, it was the fourth quarter.  I realized that nothing had really changed about her, she was still gorgeous, she still had the same laugh, and the same look that always makes me smile. I really don’t know where the relationship will go from here, but I do know that I miss her. If we don’t ever become an “item” again, I know that I will always have a friend that will always be there for me. The game ended, and so did our conversation, but I don’t think it’s the last time I will be seeing this girl. She is really special.

            The weekend flew by, just as my mom predicted. I was able to see my sister, Anna, who is pregnant and my brother-in-law, Brian. It was awesome seeing my sister because she will be having a child in November, which means the next time I see her it will be time for her to have a baby. The thought of being an uncle is sweet. Although, I will not be able to see it a lot, I still know he will be my little buddy! The weekend also consisted of getting my cookie jar refilled by my mom’s best friend Gretchen. Gretchen always makes the best cookies, and she is always up for trying a new recipe for her favorite Tar Heel. This time she filled the bowl with snicker doodle, and oh are they perfect. Hopefully my roommate want get into them because they won’t last a week in the dorm room. Realizing that Fall Break was coming to an end was not at all exciting. However, I knew it was time for me to go back, and I had Fever points to get!

            Fall Break was everything that I thought it would be. I was able to eat food that I couldn’t have on campus, I was able to spend quality time with my family and friends, and I was able to reminisce high school with the basketball team. The break also made me realize how much I missed home, but also how much I enjoyed college.

            As I am recuperating from fall break, I feel homesick at times. However, as I read my goals this morning I realized that goals don’t come easy. The people that stick it out, and work hard through the thick and thin, reach their goals! Even though I am trying to get back into the swing of things, I am still counting down the days that I “get to drop by and check on mama… for a minute.”

 

 Elizabeth and I

 

Chapter 6

Random Roommate:

“There are the Best of Times and the Worst of Times”

August 2012- October 2012

 

My cousin once told me a story that seemed to make perfect since. She told me that her mom’s best friend always gave her daughter advice when something wasn’t going her way. The mother would simply say, “Now Grace, there are the best of times and the worst of times, and right now Grace, we are experiencing the worst of times.” After thinking about  the advice it has pretty much summed up my college experience thus far. I have had plenty “best of times,” and I have experienced my share of “worst of times.” Remember when I said the roommate stories were coming?

Since I didn’t have the option of rooming with a guy from my high school; I chose to take the random roommate track. Yes, the random roommate track can be hard, but it is all a part of the first-year college experience. Remember when I told you that getting to know your roommate is a good idea? Well, when I met mine for the first time I thought that the roommate experience was going to be a very easy transition. We had a great conversation about our high school experiences, and we were both stoked about going to Carolina. However, I should have realized that there is a big difference in hanging out with someone, and actually living with that person. 

On move-in day I learned first-hand how difficult the roommate experience can be.  My roommate had arrived earlier that day and already had set his side of the room up. When I walked into the room with my parents and my cousin, I thought that we should set the room up a different way. When I proposed a new room plan, he informed me that he had already plugged in his computer charger and he wasn’t going to unplug it. My parents looked at him with this dumbfounded look, and we just kept working. My advice would be to not argue with your roommate, but to just choose your battles with them when you don’t agree with everything they say. I decided that the best time to talk to him about the room setup was not when I was moving in.

The first week on campus with my roommate was not pleasant.  For starters, he had the alarm going off at 8am, and we weren’t even in class. When I asked why he had the alarms set he told me that it was because he wanted to get used to waking up early. However, the bad part about it was that he wouldn’t cut the alarms off. He would just sit in his bed and eventually I would get mad enough and cut them off myself. I should reiterate that learning to live with someone can be difficult. No matter how much you think you know your roommate, it will be an experience that you will never forget. The alarm situation didn’t last long because I actually had to get up, so all of the alarms have benefited me. If I don’t get up on the first buzz, I am quickly awakened by the sound of his pop music. I can still remember, “Someone like you” by Adele, booming from the speakers one morning, and I think that is the morning I almost threw the radio out the window. 

The number one reason I decided to live in the substance-free dorm was because I didn’t want to have to deal with my roommate coming in drunk. I figured a person who wanted to live in a substance-free dorm would go to bed at a decent hour; however, my roommate doesn’t sleep. When I mean doesn’t sleep, I mean he usually goes to bed at 3 or 4am. He doesn’t just stay up this late on the weekends, but this is an everyday ritual. There have even been times where he doesn’t sleep at all. I woke up one morning at like 5am, and he was nowhere to be found. But, I finally found him and, he was just sleeping in the lounge. Even though his sleeping habits are different than mine, he has never disrupted my sleeping pattern. Sometimes the people in our dorm joke with us because I am the one that goes to bed super early, and he goes to bed super late.  When we decided to move our room around it seemed to be a very stressful situation for my roommate. I found that somewhat understandable though. He had already gotten used to the room arrangement that we were in, and I was just feeling the need for a change. One of the hardest challenges you will have with your roommate is compromising on issues. The small issue of rearranging your room can be a big deal for some people. Everyone is different in a way, and I am different in the fact that I like to change things up every now and then. After working out a way to design our room, we bunked the beds, and were able to consolidate for more space. So my advice when making decisions like rearranging the room is to take both of your ideas and come to a mutual agreement. Also I would suggest getting some friends down the hall to help because rearranging the room can be a ton of work. 

Even though I can’t stand my roommate sometimes, I wouldn’t change this experience for anything. It is a great experience learning to live on your own, and learning to live with someone else. I guarantee that you will dislike at least one thing about your roommate, but make sure you don’t get into an argument with them. My roommate and I have not had an argument yet, and I don’t plan on getting in one anytime soon. My advice would be to not room with one of your friends because if you were friends before, there is a chance that you won’t be friends after the roommate experience. Even though my roommate wasn’t great with cutting off his own alarm, and he doesn’t understand the word sleep; he keeps his side of the room clean, and he respects my belongings. That may sound a little childish, but I think it is one of the most important things with a dorm. For instance, who wants to walk into a stinky, messy room? Not this guy.

If my roommate is reading this am not apologizing for what I have stated; I just wanted people to realize that rooming with someone is a difficult experience. I am also sure that he could reiterate the fact that I have some weird habits of my own. For example, on move in day I brought in a truck load of clothes, which for a guy my age is very odd. I have also found myself going to bed at 9:30 on some evenings, which is not typical of a college student.

Even though my roommate and I are very different, I still treat him with respect. Since I have not known him for long enough I have not had the opportunity to actually get to know him as a person. The only thing that I have experienced is the way that he deals with simple living things. If you base your roommate experience solely on “alarm clocks” or “bed times” you will never get the chance to know someone. Yes, it’s annoying at times when someone is different than you, but in reality, you are different to them too. I don’t know what the future holds for the two of us, but in the time between now and the end of the year, I hope to get know who he really is. At the end of the year my roommate and I will have had our share of the “best and worst of times,” and I really can’t wait to experience them!

So some guidelines for rooming your first year:

1.      Go random, it’s worth it for the experience

2.      Respect their belongings

3.      Go to bed at a decent hour

4.      Cut OFF your alarm!

5.      They have feelings and opinions, so respect them

6.       No matter how different they are at first, give them a chance

 

 

 

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“Getting Involved”

September-October 2012

 

Every year UNC has Fall Fest. Fall Fest is a time when every club UNC has to offer comes out on South Road to recruit new members. The upperclassmen on my hall even explained if you don’t want to do any clubs it is always a good time to get free stuff. After hearing it was something that every freshman should do, I couldn’t wait to attend! However, when August 19^th rolled around, so did a treacherous storm. A storm that not only flooded the roads, but a storm that canceled Fall Fest. Everyone was devastated because it had only been canceled one other time that the University had held it. How was I supposed to get involved??

Of course they had a back-up plan and had a mini-fall fest in the Pit, but not near the excitement was in the air since everyone was still angry at the fact that they canceled the real Fall Fest. During the mini-fall fest I was able to get a ton of free food and cups that the different clubs were giving out. However, since the mini-fall fest had to be scheduled at a different time most of the clubs couldn’t be there at the same time. This made it so hard for people like me because I had no idea what clubs was out there.  So it was pretty much up to me if I wanted to get involved, and I encourage you if your “Fall Fest” is rained out, you still need to get involved in some way or another.

I guess you can say I got involved like most freshman. I gave out my email to almost all of the clubs, took their flyers, and told them I would see them at the first meeting. When finally I realized I was holding a stack of about 10 club information cards I realized it was time to end my time at the mini-fall fest.

Even though that sounds absurd, taking as many papers as possible is the best bet. If you don’t know what is out there you will never have the opportunity to experience something life changing. However, I am kind of glad Fall Fest was canceled because I would have been bombarded with emails for that first week.

The first month of college was a time for me to try everything, and when I say everything, I mean trying things that I would have never dreamed of doing. My adventures have consisted of intramurals, church groups, major based clubs, and trying out for a variety of teams.

When I decided I was going to come to Carolina I was determined to play every sport possible that the intramural office offered. The process however is much more complicated than I thought. I knew I wanted to play flag football my first semester, so I started recruiting the first day I was on campus. After convincing about a dozen guys to join my team I was ready to create our squad online. The intramural office makes you create an online account on a website called Imleagues. The most surprising thing about it was that it made you take a test in order to play flag football. I had never taken a test to play a sport, but in order to play intramural flag football you have to.  The website also allows you to create a team name, and that was definitely my favorite part.

When “First-Year Swag” hit the field on that warm summer night in September, they didn’t know what hit them. (Nothing hit them lol) Let’s just say our first game didn’t go as planned and we ended up losing on a mercy rule. However, FYS is getting better and by senior year we will be competing for the intramural championship. Although we might have to consider a name change because we will be sporting the “Four-Year Swag!”

Intramural sports are a great way to get involved with friends and the University. They allow you to have fun and creative, win or lose.

If you have any religious background, my advice would be to get involved with a church or campus ministry. By growing up a Baptist, I knew I wanted to keep my spiritual faith going. I also knew there would be plenty of organizations in college, but I wanted to find the perfect one. I have soon realized that there are a ton of Christian organizations that I enjoy, but am finding that when I just attend one I get much more out of the service. My time here at UNC has consisted of me attending Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Cornerstone, and Reach UNC. By attending these different organizations I hope that I will be able to find the one that will benefit me most.

I have also attended different churches on campus. I believe that it is very important to have a balanced life and by having a balanced life means have a spiritual relationship. My experiences with churches on the campus have been very different. The first week I attended a very contemporary church called, “The Summit, the second week I went to the Baptist church on campus, which was slightly contemporary, and the third week I went to the Methodist church that was very traditional. I am not saying that one is better than the other, but I believe in order to have a spiritual relationship on college, you have to find the church that works for you. I have found that “The Summit” is the best fit for me. I enjoy the service better because of the contemporary music they play, and the preacher usually speaks directly to the college students in the audience. The more I attend “The Summit” the more I realize that I was meant to find this church, and God is leading me down a path that I can’t control. It is truly awesome to let God work in your life because you never know what he can do.

When trying to figure out what you want to major in, it’s a good idea to get involved with a club that catches your interest. I decided to join the marketing club because I think that is what I want to major in. The club is also used to find out if that is what you actually want to do. Colleges have major-based clubs to allow students with the same interests work together on projects. One of the perks of being in the marketing club is that we have our meeting inside of the Kenan Flagler Business School. The first time I walked into the building I was in awe. The B-school is located in its own area of campus, and as soon as I walked in to door of McColl, I was in love. On my way to our meeting room, I found a room that looked like a mini New York stock exchange. By seeing the resources that the business school had I knew this is where I wanted to be. I will definitely use that as motivation. Even if you don’t know what you want to major in, it’s a great idea to try out a major based club that sparks some kind of interest.

I don’t remember if I told you, but I have always been an athlete. Ever since I was born I was throwing some kind of ball. During high school I participated in football, basketball, and tennis. Sports have always been my life, and figured I would keep that tradition going in college. However, I never thought I would try out for the cheerleading team. I know I seem repetitive when I say college is full of opportunity, but I still have a hard time believing that I tried out for cheerleading. I am probably the farthest thing from a cheerleader, but I gave it a try.

At convocation, all of the cheerleaders were handing out flyers about cheerleading try outs. I grabbed one of the papers just to be nice and slipped it in my pocket. I really don’t remember thinking anything about it until I made it back to my dorm. The paper said, “No experience required…. benefits include FREE Nike Gear, FREE Tickets to sporting events.. and a few more things I can’t recall. After reading the paper about five times, I told myself, “why not?” Let’s make this long story very short and say that I tried. It was actually very fun, but challenging. The only negative behind it was that the time commitment was far too much that I could handle. The coach told me that I would start out at JV, and if I could improve I would eventually be able to cheer at the varsity level. After contemplating if I should do it or not, I decided it was in my best interest to focus more on school work. However, I am glad that I tried because it is something that I will forever remember. I was also sacred that my dad was going to disown me, so it was a good decision to not partake in cheerleading.

Alright, after trying out for cheerleading I had to redeem myself, and try out for JV Basketball. I knew that I wouldn’t make the team, but the major incentive for trying out was playing basketball in the Dean E. Smith Center. Wait, what? Austin Helms, gets to play in the Dean E. Smith Center? The same kid that has dreamed of playing in this gym since he was five years old. Sorry for that, but it just didn’t seem real that I would have the chance to play in a gym that legends have played in. I can still remember shooting in the backyard, and pretending that I made the final shot in a Duke vs. UNC game. I know I wasn’t actually playing for UNC, but I was playing in the gym that they played in, and that was probably the closest I would ever get to any kind of college basketball.

On October 3^rd, 2012 I took the floor. I took the floor in shock and with so much excitement that I didn’t know what to do. I just kept looking around just to make sure that I was not having a dream. This moment in my life was so surreal. I guess it seemed so amazing because I was always used to watching the games on T.V. and never thought I would have the chance to play on the court. But, then, I saw a white head pop into the gym. A white head, that belonged to the one, the only, Roy Williams. Now I was not only playing basketball in a gym that I had always dreamed about, but I was playing in front of one of the NCAA’s best basketball coaches. After staring at him for quite some time I realized it was time for me to actually play, and not stare at Coach Williams.

 The tryout went relatively well, but I know the JV basketball team was above my level. I just went to tryouts for the opportunity to play in the Smith Center. Also, I would like to inform you that I scored multiple baskets in the Dean Dome, and will be bragging about that until I die.  I know this may seem silly, but few people get to experience the thrill of playing in the Smith Center. Let’s just say my Facebook status that night got close to 50 likes, “That moment when Coach Williams watches you play, and you realize you're running sprints in a gym where legends have played. #priceless #goheels #wontforget.”

In the two months I have been on campus I have also become a Carolina fanatic. Before I was a student I was a diehard basketball fan, but I am now a fan in every sport UNC has to offer. I attend all of the sporting events, and don’t miss a football game. (I usually don’t miss the games that give you points to get basketball tickets) The coolest experience I have had with the sports here is painting up for football games. My parents even texted me during one of the games and informed me I got some camera time. But, what can I say, when you show enough spirit to throw on blue paint you better get on T.V. While in college learn the fight song, and some of the cheers, they really make the games a blast!

When you get to college, don’t forget to get involved. In some way or another, college will light your world on fire. You will find something that will spark your interest. I know that my experiences are rare, but if you really want to try it all, you most certainly can. Go and get it, the only person who is stopping you, is that beautiful person in the mirror!!

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Welcome to College:

The Irony of Rain

September 2012

On Tuesday September 18, 2012, I woke up. I woke up from the fact that I thought that college work wasn’t going to be that bad, and I could just get by. I figured the day would come I just didn’t know when, and it just happened to be raining on that day.

            This day was different in a couple of ways. It was the first time that I had to meet a professor about my work, and it was the first day that I had to walk through the pouring rain. When I mean pouring rain, I mean it was raining so hard that my umbrella was blowing in all different directions. Like I stated before, I have two classes on Tuesday, so the thought of walking in the rain doesn’t seem to terrible, but trust me, the monsoon rain was not a pleasant experience.

            After returning from my first class soaking wet I thought the day couldn’t get any worse. Well, of course I was wrong. Remember the wake-up call I had been waiting for, well it was coming in a matter of thirty minutes. The meeting with my English professor, not only woke me up from the thought of getting by, but made me realize that if I really want something I have to go get it.

            I really haven’t explained what my goals are so, here we go. My number one goal right now is to be accepted into the Kenan-Flaglar Business School here at UNC. The business school at Carolina is currently number six in the nation. The admission is very competitive, and only the students with an exceptional academic record and extracurricular activities get into the business school. The average GPA of acceptance is approx. 3.5.  When I first heard the GPA of 3.5, I thought that would be easy. However, I have quickly learned that a 3.5 in college is not the same as a 3.5 in high school. There are no weighted classes, and the classes are much more difficult on the college level.

            When I am accepted into The Kenan-Flaglar Business School I want to major in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. (you notice how I said when, not if, you have to believe if you want to achieve) One day I hope to own my own marketing company that creates commercials for goods that promote the “go green” initiative. My goals are very large, but I believe that with small goals I can achieve the big goals I have for myself.

            Alright now that you know my goals I would like for you to write yours down now on a separate page. My goal for you is to forever keep these goals with you and to post them on your wall in your dorm room and to read them every day. I have learned that doing this really does make a difference.

            When I arrived in Dr. Rivard’s office on Tuesday I was a bit nervous on what here comments were going to be on my paper. I thought that I had gave it effort, but I just had that feeling that she was going to “tear it up.” I set down in her small office on the fourth floor of the Greenlaw Building to be devastated. She began to explain to me that my detail was exceptional, but I had not followed the prompt. She said that in order to receive a decent grade on the paper I needed to make sure the points followed the prompt clearly. Since I thought that I put a decent amount of effort into the paper; the only thing that came out was, “Do you think it would be best to start over?” She replied without hesitation, “Yes.” Wait… what? NOOOOO! All I could think was I really didn’t mean start over. However, I could tell by the look in her eye that starting over was the best possible solution. The n she said, “Times up, any more questions?” I grabbed my book bag and walked out the door, and was hit with the pressure of stress and falling raindrops.

            I will be the first to tell you that redoing a five page paper on memory in one day is not exciting.  Oh and did I mention that starting over meant finding new scholarly sources, which are a pain to find. The walk back to my dorm was probably the most important walks I have had since I have been here. It symbolized everything that college is about. When it’s raining and you feel hopeless, you keep walking because your future depends on it. I do have to say realizing that in the pouring rain has some positives to it. It gave me the encouragement to finish my paper in two hours, and taught me that college isn’t going to be easy. Never forget that when something negative comes into your life, always make it positive, no matter how wet you get!

           

 

Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

The First Step: Getting Adjusted

August 2012

I hear a sound in the distance and it’s something I’ve never heard before, it’s not my mom’s voice, or the sound of slamming doors……MY ALARM CLOCK!!! My alarm clock is going crazy at 8am; I think it even shook the paint off the walls. I would like to say that a gentle touch from my mother is much more pleasant, “but this is college”, I tell myself. If you really want your alarm clock to be effective, place it on a shelf or bookshelf that is far away. By placing it in non-snoozing distance it makes you very angry, but you wake up.

Since my first class didn’t start until 9:30am I was able to get breakfast. Eating breakfast is a must do on the first day. Even if you are not a breakfast person, it is healthy to eat because with a busy schedule you never know when you will be able to grab another bite. I would also suggest doing a daily quiet time. Even if you are not religious, a quiet time is a great time to get organized for the day. Quiet times allow you to be stress free for a set amount of time. My personal preference is reading out of “Uncommon Life” by Tony Dungy. The book gives me guidance and hope for my day. Give it a try; it may just be the motivation you were looking for.

After breakfast it was finally time for my first college class.  A real college class, not an AP class or an online community college class. A college class in which I would be in a room, with a real life professor, that has more knowledge on a subject than I have ever dreamed about.

The walk to Gardner Hall at UNC was a short, but long awaited walk. I was stressed, excited, and nervous all at the same time. The class was a first year seminar called ECON 56: Entrepreneurship: Asia and the West or that is what I understood. My colleagues and I entered the classroom to be surprised by a gigantic wave of heat. It was if the professor was trying to loose water weight. The room was at least 85 degrees, and keep in mind this was in August. I observed the room to find all four of the window air conditioners off. WHAT!! The sweat had already been formulating from the walk, and now I have to sit in this flaming hot classroom. But wait, the story gets better. The class begins by the professor stating that the class title is no longer Entrepreneurship: Asia and the West, but just Asia and the West. He informed the class that if you were taking the class for entrepreneurship then you shouldn’t take the class. For real!! I was so angry, and put that on top of the sweat beading down my face. Even though I wanted to leave the class right away I decided to stick it out and see what the course would include. The professor went on to explain that the class only had two grades, one was a 20 page paper and the other was a final. Yeah, he was right, not the class for this entrepreneur. I ended up dropping the class and getting my Lifetime Fitness, which is a PE class that every student must take to graduate.

Since my Astronomy lab was not scheduled until the next week I was free for the day. The idea of being finished with class only after an hour of instruction is hard to wrap one’s mind around.  I knew college life would be different than high school, but I could have never imagined life like this. The college life is the complete opposite of high school. There are no bells ringing aloud, there is not a daily schedule, the food in college is 100 times better, and above all you are on your own. I have only been in college for a week I am beginning to realize how much freedom you actually have. And don’t worry I am enjoying every second of it.

 

Learning to manage your time is probably one of the most important tools you must acquire to be successful in college. As I begin my semester, in which I am taking 17 hours, I know that this is a skill I will have to become a master of.  It is also something that high school doesn’t prepare you for. High schools don’t do this on purpose, but they actually can’t adequately prepare you for the time management skills you will need entering college. College offers students multiple opportunities every second of the day.  For example, should I go to the gym, or should I go study? Or what about the student government club at 1:30? The first few days seem so crazy. Clubs and organizations hand out pamphlets filled with meetings and wonderful activities for a student to get involved with. On top of that you are meeting tons of people, which is another topic in itself, but we will discuss meeting people later. Time management can only be controlled by one person and that person is you. As I have quickly figured out, this is not high school. If you want to become successful, you have to do it yourself. Mom and dad are no longer there to give you the extra boost. So study first, and play later. It takes a load of stress off, which makes your extracurricular activities more enjoyable.

My first Friday on campus was probably something that I will never forget about my college experience. The fun started on Friday morning at 12am. I live in the dorm Joyner, which is one of the Living Learning Communities here at UNC. Once a month at 12am every male participates in Topless Friday. Topless Friday is just what it sounds like, but I had no idea how fun it would be. To be honest I was imagining it was just ten weird guys running around with their shirts off, but I was in for a huge surprise. A HUGE surprise. As Thursday night was coming to a close I was contemplating if I should even do it or not, but I decided to anyways. Finally, it was time to meet everyone in third floor Joyner for the experience that would forever be enriched into my memory. As thirty of us piled into the elevator I stood in awe at the number of people that were partaking in this event, and then….. the door opened. Girls lined the hallway, 100 more guys stood waiting for the new members to join. Everyone was cheering us on as if we were finishing a race, high fiving and cheering is all I remember because then there were bag pipes. My RA began to play the bag pipes. He is a fantastic bag pipe player and his bag pipes rang off the sound of greatness. People kept entering the hall until it was jam packed with college students. The clock hit 11:55 and everyone was instructed to be quiet because it was time for the Pre-Topless Speech. I really don’t remember what the speech was about, but it was given by a man in a kilt and it sounded like the speech from the movie 300. The speech gave the hall even more excitement and I know people could hear us from that ugly school in Durham (sorry if you’re a Dukie). It was that loud in there. After the speech we all watched the clock until it hit 12am. It was go time, time to partake in my first ever Topless Friday. I believe 200 guys were packed into that tiny hallway and we all ripped our shirts off in celebration of Friday! We ran out of the third floor and quickly ran through the other floors that were in need of a Friday chant, “Frriiiiday” we slowly and quietly repeated. Since I live in a relatively small dorm the chants didn’t last that long, but there was a twist to this Topless Friday. We were all going to run to the Old Well to keep enjoying the last few minutes of Topless.

The Old Well is one of the most significant monuments in Chapel Hill. It is where students can get a quick sip of water, but most importantly it is the water fountain that is supposed to give you an extra bit of luck. Every year students, freshman through seniors, drink from the Old Well on the first day of class and before their exams. It is a tradition that has and will forever be a part of the history of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Now back to the exciting part. All of the guys and some girls, whom were wearing sports bras, had made it to the Old Well. We all gathered around the Well and sang the Alma mater. Wow, what a tradition to be a part of. Topless Friday seemed like a joke to me at first, but it is now a must do every month. So if you are by some chance driving down Raleigh St. in Chapel Hill on a Friday at midnight, don’t be surprised if you see a couple hundred screaming and shirtless college students.

The lesson behind this is that I want you as the reader to get involved with tradition. I know that you may never get to encounter a Topless Friday, but there are traditions at every university. Opportunities feel college campuses, so go and find them.

If I was to define college in one word it would be opportunity. One of the most opportunistic traits of college is meeting people. I have actually found that this is the most enjoyable thing so far. During this first week I have been able to meet so many people. I have met so many people that it is hard to even remember the names of half the people. Trust me this will happen to you. All of the names run together, but reaching out a hand to meet someone could be a game changer. By introducing yourself to someone it allows you meet new friends and make connections with classmates that would have never been made otherwise. Before I stated that I was nervous about the whole college thing and I wasn’t sure if I would make the right friends. However in just under a week I realized that now was not the time to be shy. I needed to reach out and meet new people. By meeting people, in which I don’t mean just saying hello my name is, but actually hang out with that person. By getting to know people you are able to become a better people person, and if you know anything about being successful in this life, you must be able to work and interact with people. I also got to meet up with the people I met at orientation and they have turned out to have the same interests as me and we have hung out a bunch.  During my time here in Chapel Hill, which is coming up on two weeks, I have created friendships that may last a lifetime, I don’t know. But what I do know is that I stepped out of my comfort zone and interacted with people that I didn’t know. I took the first step and now I will let God guide me to the right group of friends that are right for me. Step out of your comfort zone, for most it is a really tough thing to do, but in the end it is worth it. I found that it is easy to meet people by either going to the gym or attending convocation. Most of the people I have met have come from playing basketball in the gyms here on campus. I also met a couple of people at Freshman Convocation. Convocation is just a ceremony that welcomes you to college and gets you motivated for your first semester. I really enjoyed my time at convocation because I met a girl that I eat dinner with about every day. Like I said before college has more opportunities than anyone ever could tell you, so it is up to you to meet people and find those opportunities.

I believe I have got a bit off topic, so I will get back to the school work asset. What did I tell you, time management is a big deal at college. My first semester consists of Introduction to Africa, English, Decision Models for Economics, Astronomy, Lifetime Fitness, and Introduction to Ethics (which I am not taking through UNC). I am taking a total of 17 hours, 14 of which are here at UNC and the other three are through a community college back home. I have a loaded schedule Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, which include four classes and a light schedule Tuesday, and Thursday, in which I have two classes on Tuesday and one class on Thursdays. I am not sure if this is the best way to schedule your classes, but it is the way I went about doing things. My reason for loading up on M, W, F is because I was already used to having classes like that during high school and I wanted to maintain a healthy work habit. I didn’t want to have too much free time that it allowed me to slack off. So if you are one of those people that are highly motivated I would suggest pulling a pretty heavy load your first semester. Even if one of the classes you are taking is through a community college. However, colleges and universities explain that it is alright to take the minimum full-time requirement of 12 hours, but that is not the path I took. If you have no idea what community college classes entail I will try to give you a brief overview. Community college classes are college level classes that are offered online and a student can be “dual enrolled” at two colleges. In my case and for most people, the community college you will attend will be through an online program such as Blackboard. By having the class online, you get to set your own schedule just as long as you meet the due date requirements. Another plus with taking a community college class is that the grade you get in the class does not affect your overall GPA. It just counts as a credit. I decided to take Introduction to Ethics because of the stories I had heard from the current students at UNC about how tough philosophy based classes are here. Community college classes are much easier than that of an upper-level university like Chapel Hill. However, I would not take a class that pertains to your selected major. Some universities will not give credit for an upper-level major course, but always check with the admissions office at the university and they will inform you about what and what will not transfer.  As of right now the 17 hour schedule has not been too hectic and is very easy to manage. I just thought it would be a good idea to get ahead now rather than trying to catch up my junior and senior year. In order to graduate on time you must take 15+ hours every semester.

I mentioned that to be a successful college student you must be able to manage your time. Over the past two weeks I have actually become quite good at managing my time. I am finding time to study, to eat in the dining halls, and most importantly to have fun. One way to manage your time is to do your homework first and if possible get ahead of the class. Never, ever wait to the last minute to turn in an assignment. On the first day of class I was given a syllabus for each of my classes. The syllabus lists all of the assignments for the semester, so you should never be surprised by a midterm. I have found that Sunday’s are a great time to do homework and to do my readings for the week. It is a good idea to do your readings before your class starts because if you go into a lecture without having read the text; the lecture will sound like a foreign language. If you don’t know already you will have to read, read, and read some more in college to be successful. Another positive aspect of working ahead is that you have more time to explore and attend extracurricular activities. After finishing my work on Monday August 27^th my eyes were opened as I heard one of the most inspirational testimonies.

Firstly I need to tell you how I ended up at UNC. Before deciding on attending The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill I was planning on walking on to the Pfeiffer University tennis team. It was a small division 2 school in Mesinheimer, NC.  Throughout my high school career I had fallen in love with the game of tennis and was dead set on playing college tennis. So during my junior year I began emailing coaches and scheduling visits. I attended four universities in North Carolina and Pfeiffer was the school that stood out the most to me. I was offered a chance to walk-on to Pfeiffer in November and verbally committed in January. Now you may ask, how did I end up in Chapel Hill? Well I applied early to UNC and I received a letter in January telling me that I had been deferred, which meant wait-listed. I was shocked, but relieved because I thought then that I was destined to be a Pfeiffer Falcon. Within a week of receiving the wait-list letter from UNC I decided to verbally commit to Pfeiffer. It wasn’t for another 2 months would my world be flipped around.

On March 30^th, 2012 my dad called me asking why we were receiving mail about housing at UNC. I told him I had no clue and that I didn’t get in so it didn’t matter. He didn’t like that answer because he had always wanted me to go to UNC. He supports me in everything I do, but he also liked the cost of UNC over Pfeiffer, and he might just be the biggest Tarheel fan I know. Since I was dead set on going to Pfeiffer I never thought about looking on my UNC applicant account to see if I had been accepted through the wait-list. So just to make my dad happy, I checked it. If I was to thank one person for getting me to the place I am today it would have to be my dad. He was the attentive one that found it odd that we were receiving mail from Carolina and persuaded me to check online. As I read the words “congratulations” I felt shocked, excited, and stressed all at the same time. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared at the screen in disbelief. I mean I knew I was smart enough to be accepted, but not getting in the first time really deflated my spirit. However, I now realize that I am truly blessed with the opportunity to be a Tarheel, and my dad is happier. The reason behind sharing that story with you is that I didn’t realize how special this opportunity was until August 27^th at FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).

One of the biggest attributes of going to school at Carolina is that it has produced remarkable people. By attending FCA I was able to meet one of Carolina’s finest. Hubert Davis was the guest speaker for FCA. If you don’t know who Hubert Davis is I will refresh your memory. He played basketball for the Tarheels in the 90’s, later went on to play for a couple of teams in the NBA, worked with ESPN for seven years during March Madness, and is currently the assistant basketball coach at UNC. Coach Davis came to FCA to share his testimony with the group. His testimony was so powerful I actually had to go tell him after the meeting was over. The main idea of his testimony was that when you experience situations in your life that your timing is not God’s timing. He explained that before being offered the job at UNC he had a huge summer plan. His family was going to go on a mission trip to Africa, and they were going to spend some time at their beach house. However, none of these things happened. He told us that Coach Roy Williams, the UNC basketball coach, called him one day and told him to come by his office. Coach Davis told us, “I had no idea what he was about to ask me.” He said he walked into Coach Williams’s office and Roy asked him a question that would forever change his life. He asked, “Hubert, can you do me a favor?” Hubert said he told coach he would do anything for him, and then Coach Williams asked him to be a coach at UNC. Hubert told us that he was speechless. He said that he couldn’t even answer Coach Williams. Hubert went on to explain how the opportunity to be an assistant basketball coach at UNC was something that he couldn’t turn down.  The only thing that was holding him back was the plans he had with his family. If he took the job, the plans would be gone. No mission trip, no beach trip with his family, and no more ESPN. Coach Davis felt like he had to let go of his plans and let God do the rest. As I sat there I felt like I had been in his place before. No, I wasn’t being offered a chance to coach basketball at UNC, but I was offered a second chance at UNC. I now realize that it was God’s will for me to be here. With that being said, I am going to try my hardest to make the most of every minute of it. Do you remember when I said that becoming a college student hadn’t hit yet, well Hubert Davis made it hit. 

Never forget the opportunity that college gives you, but make sure to manage your time wisely. The first weeks of college will seem overwhelming, but with time you will come to realize that these are the best moments of your life. Also, when your life isn’t going like you planned it out to be, don’t worry because God has control of your destiny.

 

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: “Move in Day!!”

July 2012-August 2012

I stated before that I was going to write this book on the basis of journal entries, but it has taken me a couple of days to settle down. The college life already seems to be overwhelming. However, it’s only been a couple of days so I will get back on it.

My move in went as good as it possibly could have gone. For one, I decided to move-in early, which I can say is the thing to do. Moving in early gives you a plethora of options. It allows you to find your classes in a stress free environment, you can set your room up the way you like it, and the crowds are much smaller. My planned move-in date was Friday, but I decided to move in Thursday night. I contacted the office of my dorm and they informed me that the office was open till 12, so this was perfect.

I arrived in Chapel Hill at 10pm, and to my surprise no one else was moving in late like I was. I didn’t have anyone bumping into me as I dragged my massive loads of luggage to my room. My dad and I could also take our time moving in because we didn’t have to worry about the parking limit. If I would have moved in at the regular time, we only would have been allowed 40 minutes to unload my room supplies. The unloading was a very swift process. I would also like to say that my dorm easily holds all of my stuff.

After all of my belongings were in my room I was ready to move. My roommate had already moved in earlier in the day, so I didn’t have to worry about messing with his side of the room. He was also there for an extra hand that I desperately needed. My roommate had lofted his bed, so I decided to try the idea because it gives you so much extra space. However, after sleeping in the high loft for 2 nights I decided to remove the loft. Even though I don’t have as much space as I did; I sleep way better now.  My advice would be to do whatever makes you comfortable. It is your side of the room, do with it what you please. Remember you have to live in this small compact room for at least a year, you better get used to it!

The first night at college seemed like an eternity because I was very worried about the thought of falling off of the loft and I was still running on adrenaline from moving in. Finally, my eyes decided to shut for a split second, and my roommate’s 8am alarm clock went off!!! What?! We hadn’t even started school yet and his alarm was going off!! And then…. a second one. I thought I was listing to a symphony full of out of tune trumpets. I took a deep sigh of relief as the alarm clock was turned off. However, this is going to be a very long semester. It is not that I don’t mind getting up early, but when I can sleep in, I like to sleep. This might be a good thing; at least he is not throwing up every night, well not yet. I told you that I would be speaking of my roommate often, and this is just the beginning.

Since I was up so early I had some time to run my little errands. If I didn’t mention before, it is a great idea to make a list of things you need to do before you move in. This helps because when you get here, time will fly by. I have only been here for 2 days and I can’t even remember the people I met at dinner. For example, I had to go get my computer hooked into the wireless connection and they also gave me connection access through my IPod. I had to pick up my books at the bookstore, talk to the financial aid people, and I attempted to find all my classes. If you get stuck with an early riser like I did, knock out some of the little things that will be easily forgotten.

So the best advice to take with the whole moving in process is to move-in early. Call the university and ask if they will allow you to do so. Trust me, you won’t have near the stress that the thousands of other kids will encounter on the big day.

As I approach my third night at one of the best universities in the nation, I am still in awe at the thought of going to college. I have all my books and am ready to go, but the thought of going to college hasn’t hit yet. I have always heard that time will fly by, but I had no idea. It’s like I am in a car that never stops, and if you blink for a second, you could miss something that could change your life.

 

 

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: “The Longest Summer of My Life”

June 2012-July 2012

 

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever make it to college, not because I don’t believe in myself, but because the wait seems unbearable. Since graduation it seems as if time has stood still. My days just seem to be longer than normal, is this Mother Nature speaking to me? This summer has been by far the longest of my life.

My mother gave me advice a week after graduation that really helped me through this summer. She told me, “Relax this summer, really Austin. RELAX!  You have received a generous amount of money through graduation gifts and you don’t need to be spending your last summer home working.” That advice was pretty easy to follow since I was my own boss and really didn’t have to quit a job. My jobs consisted of detailing cars for my very own business, “Austin’s Amazin’ Car Wash,” and I also own two vending machines that are located in two businesses in my community. I only have a few weeks left until move in day and the “relaxing” has really paid off. If you sit back and think about your life it has consisted of 12 straight years of school and summer vacation. It is time to relax because you are about to be thrown into the real world where people who relax get left behind. So I am giving you permission to relax just this one summer.

While you’re sitting by the pool or the ocean have a nice read.  I was a very successful high school student, but I have always hated to read. So my number one goal this summer was to learn to like it. I knew that the inevitable was coming so I better start reading now. I guarantee the college or university your attending has a summer reading program and that is a great head start for your college career. I hope this book will one day be on a summer reading program, but if not, thanks for reading! The book I had to read was “The Shallows” by Nichols Carr. The book explained how the internet and technology is forever changing our lives. The book really opened my eyes to how I use technology. It is also a good idea to read books that relate to your anticipated career field. Since I already told you that I own my own businesses, it made it easy for me to read books about entrepreneurship. However, I know some people have no idea on what field they would like to enter, so it is always good to pick a book on success. For example, Go Big, a book written by the creators of Dude Perfect, encourages its readers to “Go Big” in anything they pursue. That means to have a go getter attitude and if you really want to do something, don’t just think about it, act on it. The book is such an inspiring story about a couple of Texas A&M college students who Go Big! If I had the chance to redo high school I would have defiantly started reading more. I now know reading expands your knowledge in ways that can’t be touched by any sort of technology.

By reading books that explain how to become successful it is impossible to follow every step the books give you. However, one thing I have learned from the books I have read is that if you have goals, you should write them down. By writing goals down, you remind yourself everyday what your goal is. When outside influences get in the way ones goal can be shattered. So one day I set out to write my goals down, but I didn’t just want the goals to appear on a small piece of paper. I wanted a poster that could be written on and checked off when my goals were accomplished. After an hour or two of typing and brainstorming, my goals and I headed to Staples. I know the guy working the copying station knew I was crazy, but I had my goals and nothing was going to stop me. All of my goals, laminated and crisp are hanging on my wall, just waiting to be checked off. Write down your goals, if they truly are your goals, you are the only person who is stopping them from happening.

How awesome would it have been if you could have seen a video of your parents when they were your age? Well maybe you have a video, but I sure don’t and I wish I did. So I decided to make a video of myself as a graduated high school student. In the video I spoke of my dreams, my goals, and my current life as it is. I videoed my house, my room and the car that I drove in hope that one day I could look back on it and show my kids how life used to be. I also did this to make sure I keep my goals and dreams intact. If you don’t on a video camera, write a letter to yourself, take pictures of your house, do something that will capture your memories.

One of the important parts of this summer has been buying all of the supplies that I will need for dorm life. Yes, I am a boy, but everybody needs supplies.  I will be the first to tell you that this is not a one day adventure; this is an adventure for the entire summer. When I began shopping for the necessities I didn’t realize how much stuff I would actually need. I had to buy everything from Band-Aids to underwear. My mother believes that you should buy everything you think you will need and then some. I have piled my dorm room supplies in a spare bedroom in my house and wonder sometimes if all of this will ever fit in my dorm room, and my mother has reassured me that we will make it fit. So the moral of the story is, buy stuff you think you won’t need because you probably will need it.

The most important part of the first year college experience is meeting up with your roommate. I am one of the brave souls that has chosen to do the random roommate track. I was able to find him on Carolina’s Roommate Finder website. This website is a great tool to finding upcoming freshman that share the same interests as you. After a month of searching I found my roommate and was able to build a strong relationship with him over Facebook, but it wasn’t until the summer we had time to catch up and meet in person. I believe this is the most important part of the whole process because you will be spending at least one year of your life with this person. By getting to know them before the actual experience you are able to build a friendship that could last a lifetime. I have hung out with my roommate on multiple occasions and I have a great feeling about it. However, I am pretty sure you will hear some stories about him in the near future.

When upcoming college students think of college orientation they usually think of a ton of boring meetings. Well I am here to tell you that there are a ton of meetings, but what you do with the meetings is up to you. If you think back to around ninth grade chances are you had to go through the same process. First, you had to learn the expectations of your high school with all of the rules and regulations. Then, you had to learn how to sign up for classes which at the time probably seemed very confusing. While you sat through the meetings I am betting you thought about taking a nap or began to count the ceiling tiles.  I know the meetings may seem as a blur, but they did occur. So with that in mind enjoy every minute, of everything, of your college experience because college will go by even faster. After hearing all of the rumors about orientation, it was finally my time to go. I was still in shock that I was about to be attending college, but was bursting with excitement as soon as I hit the campus. Since my parents were not attending the grand event with me I was all on my own, which I believe benefited me more. Trust me; it is much more enjoyable if you are alone. By being alone you are able to meet loads of new people. The best orientation advice is to branch out because all of the other students are in the same boat you are. Yes, you are nervous, but so is everyone else. It was a necessity that I meet people at orientation because there were only two other kids from my high school attending UNC and I was not very close with those two individuals.  While at orientation the staff introduced clubs, which I believe, is a must-do while in college. It doesn’t matter if you would like to join one or ten, go for it because clubs and organizations are a great way to get involved. It is not a bad idea to make a list of all of the clubs you are interested in, so you don’t forget them in the fall when you start school. The most stressful time at orientation for most students is registration. However, I was able to keep my cool and didn’t worry too much if I didn’t get a class I wanted.  One of the girls I met at orientation was so freaked out that she didn’t get any of the classes she wanted. It was really a site to see.  Be cool and relax because if you can’t take it your first semester I am sure the university or college will be happy to take your money another semester. I would also suggest that you take a class that sounds interesting; you never know what kind of spark a class can give you. I signed up for Introduction to Africa, not because I want to major in African Studies, but because I figured it would be very interesting and I knew most of the athletes took those classes, so it couldn’t be too hard.

The hardest part about going to college is saying your good-byes. This summer has been full of anticipation and excitement, but what I didn’t realize was that I have to leave people behind. My family and friends are not going with me; they are going their different ways as I am. Firstly, I would advise if you have a girlfriend or boyfriend and they are not going off to college or are attending a different school, you should really explore your options. College has a lot to offer and with that comes a lot of people that you will come in contact with. I decided to end my relationship with my girlfriend because I will be moving almost three hours away and I decided it would be in our best interest to end the relationship. Also, if your girlfriend/boyfriend is still I high school you need to realize that they may worry about you too much and they won’t get the most out of their high school experience. However, I believe that true love exists, and if it is meant to be, it is meant to be, but I want to experience college without holding onto something back home. I know that this may seem hard and everyone doesn’t live the life that I live, but this is how I will be going about things. If you’re not in a relationship, let me just tell you that you are in luck. I would imagine that it would’ve been a much easier transition to college without having to deal with the break-up.  The next phase should be telling good-bye to your friends from high school. Like I said before there are only two other kids from my high school going to UNC-Chapel Hill. I am leaving friends that I have lived, fought, and cried with for 12 straight years. So reach out to your closest friends and let them know how much they mean to you. I decided to go out to eat with a couple of my buddies to have one last good time before our whole lives will change. I don’t think I realize it yet, but my life is going to be transformed into something that I can’t imagine. By being a part of a loving family, I knew that telling them good-bye would be very tough. My advice would be to go and see all of your family members that mean something to you. For me, I had two grandmothers that mean the world to me, so I had to go see them and tell them I loved them. They both told me, “To be a good boy, and to call home.” I think that is something that I will have to do when the home sick stage hits. My aunts, uncles, and cousins also gave me their wishes this past week. Then, it was time to tell my mother, father, and sister that I loved them. My mom is having a tough time, but my dad is ready for me to leave, or so he says. Let them know that you’re going to do fine and that you’ll be home every once and a blue moon. Well, I don’t know about that one, just say you’ll always be able to talk on the phone. I know many of you can’t wait to get out of your parents’ house, but you’re going to miss your family and the house that you’ve grown up in. When I left out today I took one last look around the house to make sure I didn’t leave anything, and to remember the memories that my house gave me. As my parents and I drive down I-40, all I can think of is that I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. This is my time to become a man, to become the person that I will forever be. Heading to the hill, this ride has just begun!