Because my mom told me so...

We're three weeks into the Fall 2013 semester, which means we, the dedicated and diligent Student-Athletes of Kohawk Tennis, can no longer pretend we are at summer camp for the socially deprived. The amount of "catching up" with friends the past couple weeks has given me yet another, though useless reason to love social media. Instead of having to sit through disconnected stories about how my friends from Iowa worked at Hyvee in their respective hometowns, I am able to cut them off mid-story and remind them that 1) I already know and 2) always plastic bags, duh.

In actuality getting back to campus with a year under my belt was certainly a different feeling than 12 months prior. I am certainly more confident in who I am, who my friends are, and the direction I want my life to go. All supplements of attending Coe College. I started my 2013-2014 campaign as a College Adjustment Peer (CAP). I was assigned a CAP group (14-16 first-years) and led them through the long, jam-packed orientation week. I am their mentor, their "go-to-guy". Well, that's how I market myself, anyway. I'm reconsidering the title simply because there have been a couple instances in which I excitedly wave to one of the first-years in my group (CAPlets, as they are called), and am forced to watch them shrink in embarrassment and increase their walking speed to their next destination. From these encounters, I'm forced to pick myself off, dust off the shame, and continue on with my day. Jk they all love me. Definitely the highlight of Orientation week from the CAP leaders standpoint, was watching my little first-years compete their hearts out at Dragon Boat races. Though we lost on a technicality I have maybe never been more proud of a group of kids in my life. I felt like their proud Papa and we bonded. Add single drama tear for emphasis.

After some divine "working the system" tactics a.k.a., showing up to a class I wanted to take but wasn't signed up for and telling the professor that I was now taking her class, I was so ready to get back in the classroom, as it is my favorite place to compete. Tennis court a close second, of course. Well, maybe third. I really do enjoy some recreationally competitive volleyball. Nonetheless, I felt prepared and excited about classes and perhaps more excited about getting into a routine. I quickly found out just how badly I need a routine. At the time I had a temporary work schedule, very few academic responsibilities, no official practice times, and whole heck of a lot of time on my hands. I could feel myself becoming more bitter about the Iowa humidity, a certain elevator, no Cocoa Cocoa Puffs, and being away from my friends and family. Homesickness was real for me September 1st, the day of the Rocky Mountain Showdown, the day literally all of my best friends from back home were together making choices only to be categorized as "college", and watching the CU vs. CSU football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Not my strongest moment.

This brings me to why I am writing this post in the first place, and why I hope to continue to write for the blog more consistently throughout the year. In my time of need, my beautiful amazing perfect unconditional loving mother was there on the other line of the phone. In this instance, she picked me up, dusted me off, and got me feeling ok again. Mama knows best, Mama loves best, am I right? Her simple request for me to write for the blog again this year has inspired me. If she can effortlessly be there for me no matter what, I can write a blog post with comma splices, incomplete sentences, grammar issues, and a whole lot of nonsense.

Here's to 2013-2014. Love you, Mom.