Just Another Day in Paradise

I was never really a huge country music fan when I was growing up. When I was a little kid and my dad still drove his little black Ford F-150 we would listen to 93Q and sing along to George Strait and Alan Jackson, but we outgrew those days pretty quickly and soon I was listening to Ryan Seacrest's American Top 40 every Sunday morning and my love of country was hidden deep down, only to be awoken when I left for college.

I already said "howdy" as my greeting to most people, why not listen to the music that I remember first? There's a cassette tape recording of me as a five year old singing "I like it, I love it, I want some more of it," and I did want some more of it. I already had the motto that every Texan should own a pair of cowboy boots, and it wasn't long before I thought that every Texan should know how to line dance.

There's just something about country music that suits the summer. Whether it's driving, going to the beach, sitting by the lake, doing fireworks on the Fourth of July, going camping, sitting by the fire singing songs late at night, or staying up and sleeping in, there's a part of country music in the spirit of summer, and it makes me love doing things.

I spent the weekend at the lake a few days ago, and the only music that I thought was suitable to play off the dock was my rodeo playlist. Talking about my "ass in the water, toes in the sand", "barefoot bluejean nights", and girls in bikinis just seemed right. It really was "just another day in paradise".

I'm home now, but I'm still filled with summer spirit. I'm antsy to get up and go do crazy things, drive all day and see how far I can get, cook new foods, never sleep, have the time of my life. That's what summer is about, I reckon.

Get to it, y'all.

A Change in Scenery

Being home is different this time. For the first time in my life, I'm coming back for the summer. It's like I'm taking a vacation to my own house. Rules are different, friends are different, restaurants are different-- but it's still just as hot!

It's odd at the moment because a lot of my friends are seniors in high school and aren't out quite yet, and I'm realizing just how much more limited I am in my selection of people to socialize with now than I was in Waco. I've made the most out of the past few days, but already, on day four, I'm bored. I never realized that even though I complain about class and always want to take naps when I'm up at school, all that work is a necessary filler to what are otherwise dreadfully long days that when unoccupied by some sort of activity become almost depressing.

 I don't mind not sleeping much at night, because my schedule gives it to me in short breaks. Activity, nap, lunch, activity, nap, activity, activity, dinner, activity, activity, bedtime. Usually during school I don't sleep until 1 or 2 a.m. Last night I went to bed at 10. It felt good, but at the same time, it felt so wrong- like I was wasting time that I could be using for something much more satisfying.

I have a solid circle of friends that I do most of my day-to-day things with, both at school and in Houston. But I also have a lot of other contacts that are huge parts of my life by being people I can see every now and then, have fresh conversations with, do new things with, and laugh about different things with. I value each and every one of those people, and they aren't nearly as numerous back home as they are in Waco. Sometimes I find myself missing those fresh faces more than people I've known for a long time, because in the back of my mind I know that when I see my closest friends nothing will have changed, but the others will bring some element of surprise.

I just got back home, and I've already fallen into a groove that I cannot wait to break out of. Sometimes all I ask for is a Change in Scenery.

We're not baby Bears anymore...

Well, this is it. As the last few days of freshman year slowly roll around, about as fast as I get out of bed for my finals, I can't help but feel like an incredibly substantial part of my life is about to pass right before my eyes. But is it really just passing by if I made the most of it?

I may or may not have been a loser in high school. Certainly I wasn't very social outside of the band and the honors kids. But that was kind of the thing with public school: I'd been around the same people for thirteen years of my life- there wasn't any need to try and make new friends. When I came to university, I blossomed. I have no idea how and I have no idea why, but I realized my passion was something I never pursued in grade school: meeting new people. I absolutely love it, and if I go long enough without associating with some new friend circle, I crave it. As far as networking goes, I wouldn't say that it's a bad habit to have.

Before this year I wasn't sure it was possible to be on the top of the academic pyramid and the social ladder at the same time, but apparently more things change from high school to college than the strictness of the dress code. Nobody makes fun of you for being on the Dean's list or receiving scholarships, that would be ridiculous. Those things are great for the future, and merit congratulations. Instead of being called a nerd, somebody who strives for perfection is praised by library lurkers and alcohol admirers alike.

I'm not saying that I'm some hot-shot McGee who has a full ride scholarship and gets invited to every single sorority formal on campus. I'm just saying that for the first time, I don't know what I'm going to do with myself this summer. I never used to want school to start, but right now school is fantastic and I love it, and I think that transformation is pretty cool. I know that I've learned a lot, both in class and out, and I can honestly say that this has been the most important year of my life so far. Here's to next year.

P.s. I'm finishing a small book this summer about the do's and don'ts of freshman year, but I hit a roadblock a few weeks before finals started. I could use some encouragement in that aspect of my life right now!