Month: June 2015
The Retreat That Changed My Life
Three times a year, Texas State students who attend Our Lady of Wisdom University Parish put on a retreat, Bobcat Awakening (BA for short), for other students. I was lucky enough to attend BA #43 in the spring of 2015.
I went into the weekend not knowing much about what to expect. I have a couple of friends who attended previous BAs, but I never really talked to them about what actually happened while they were on it.
It had been a while since I had been on a retreat, so I was a little nervous about going. After almost backing out last minute, I decided that attending BA #43 would be in my best interest, considering I had already turned down the opportunity to attend a previous BA and let me tell you, I am so thankful that I decided to go.
There are many things that make BA unique, but there are three things in particular that stand out to me the most.
1. The People
For starters, through the retreat I met a lot of amazing people, many of whom have become some of my best friends. Not only that, but I am now involved in the BA community, and now have the opportunity to staff future BA retreats to give back. All of the staff members I encountered on my BA were so welcoming and you could tell they really cared about the retreat goers.
2. The Activities
I don’t want to give too much away in case you decide you want to attend BA, but the various activities planned throughout the weekend were great. Each one was set up in a way that allowed you to get to know the other retreat goers, as well as learn things about yourself. I walked away from that weekend with a better sense of who I am and the direction I want to go with my life.
3. The Faith
Although the retreat is put on by students from the Catholic Student Center, the retreat is not just for Catholic students – it is open to any student. When I attended BA, I wasn’t super strong in my faith. While on the retreat, I developed a passion to learn more and pursue my faith. Since the retreat is run by college students for college students, it was really helpful to see the staffers, who dedicated their time to plan and prepare for the retreat, act as mentors, and encourage the retreat goers along the way.
Looking back at where I was in my faith before the retreat, and where I am now, I am beyond thankful that I had the opportunity to attend. I learned so much about myself and what it means to be Catholic, and for that I am forever grateful.
Five Things I Am Looking Forward To On The “1989” World Tour
If you didn’t already know, I am an avid Taylor Swift fan. I have been lucky enough to see her a couple of times in concert, but I think it’s safe to say I am most excited about her most recent tour, The 1989 World Tour.
First let me address the non-Swiftie population who might think seeing Miss Swift multiple times in concert is dumb. Every time I’ve seen Ms. Swift perform, I am mind-blown. She doesn’t just stand on stage and strum a guitar while singing. She puts on a theatrical production. If I had to take a guess, she changes outfits at least every other song. No tour is ever the same in regards to her performance.
Now that that is settled, here are the top five things I am looking forward to the most on The 1989 World Tour.
1. The Costumes
On Miss. Swift’s tours, she has some of the most extravagant costumes I have ever seen. Like I said earlier, she changes multiple times during the concert. Let’s take a second to appreciate her outfit from The Red Tour when she performed “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” which has been one of my favorite costumes.
2. Special Guests
Occasionally while on tour, Ms. Swift brings special guests to perform with her. When I saw her in Houston on the Speak Now World Tour, Nelly made an appearance and the two sang “Just A Dream” together.
3. Hearing Her Live
While some people disagree with my next statement, I believe Ms. Swift sounds incredible live. When she is performing live, you can really see and feel the emotion behind the song. I think it is super cool because she writes all of her own songs and when she performs them, you can feel the emotion behind the song.
4. The Fans
I’m not going to lie, Ms. Swift has some crazy fans, myself included. They go all out in costumes with lights and signs trying to get noticed by Taylor, her mom, or one of her staff members, which leads me to the last thing I am looking forward to. (I convinced my mom to dress up with me for The Red Tour.)
5. Loft 89
You might be thinking, “What the heck is Loft 89?” Well, let me tell you. Every tour Taylor Swift has done, she has had an “after party” after the show, for which fans that are selected. It started with the” T-Party” on TheSpeak Now Tour and “Club Red” on The Red Tour. Basically, lucky fans are selected during the concert and get to go backstage after the show and hang out with Taylor. HOW COOL IS THAT?! I personally have not been chosen for one of these yet, but here’s to hoping that I get my turn on The 1989 World Tour.
See you on tour, Taylor!
Five Things I Learned My Junior Year
Going into my junior year of college, I didn’t expect it to be as life changing as it was. This spring semester I learned a lot more than just what my professors were teaching me in class. During those months, I learned a lot about myself and the direction I want to go in life. Before I start, I want to thank the people I have met during college who have challenged me along the way and helped me develop into the person I am today.
1. It doesn’t matter how long you have been friends with someone to consider them your “best friend.”
You could know someone for 10 years, but when things get tough and you need a shoulder to cry on, they might not be there for you. It’s all about who’s there for you and who isn’t. The friendships you make in college might be some of the strongest friendships you have – I know mine are.
2. Don’t worry about what others think of your plans in life.
Recently a lot of people have been asking me about my plans for after graduation and if I have any interviews lined up. It can be stressful when people are constantly waiting for your next move in life. At the end of the day, do what you want to do because that is what will make you truly happy.
3. Don’t waste time on the things that don’t make you happy.
I can’t stress this enough. This applies to any situation in life. Life is short so we shouldn’t spend it doing something just because everyone else is doing it, or because you’re afraid of what others might think of you.
4. Working hard really does pay off.
One class I took this semester challenged me more than any class I have ever taken. I never missed, studied at least a week in advance and participated in any extra credit opportunities that were given. This was one of the only classes I’ve actually done all of the assigned reading for (sorry Mom). In the end, I managed to make the grade I needed on the final. I realized that all of my hard work throughout the semester really paid off.
5. Goodbyes aren’t forever.
I have had multiple close friends graduate, either this past December or this May. They are all going off into different directions in life. Some are getting full-time jobs, some are going to graduate school and others are becoming missionaries – which I think is awesome! Regardless of where they go in life, I know the “goodbyes” we shared won’t be forever.
Why I’m Thankful for High School Yearbook
Even though I graduated high school three years ago, there are things I learned in my yearbook class that have helped me to this day.
When I was 10th grade, I joined my school’s yearbook organization. At the time I went to a small private school that had about 300 students from pre-k to 12th grade. I transferred schools for my junior year. My mom convinced me to join yearbook at my new school since I had already been involved with it. My new school had about 2,400 students in ninth to 12th grade, so it was a big change.
At first I was a little apprehensive about joining an organization at a new school, right away, but looking back I’m thankful I did. For starters, the yearbook advisor we had was one of the coolest teachers I’ve ever had in my entire life. She was more than just our yearbook advisor — she was like a second mom to a lot of us.
During my time in yearbook, I learned a lot of lessons that have prepared me for life and my future career, like working on a deadline and my passion for journalism. For those of you who weren’t in yearbook, it can be a stressful, but very rewarding, class. At the beginning of the school year, we were assigned pages we were responsible for. We were required to get all of the content for the page, including pictures, captions, stories and sometimes coming up with a theme. Once we began working on our pages, we had a certain amount of time before we had to submit them to be edited and, eventually, printed.
One of the biggest things I learned during my time in yearbook was my passion for working in the field of journalism. My yearbook advisor suggested public relations as a degree choice for me multiple times, but I never really took it into consideration. Here I am, three years later, about to graduate with a degree in public relations.
By the end of my two years in yearbook, we had become more than just a class. We were like a family. I am forever grateful for the things I learned during my time in yearbook.
To visit my page on The Odyssey Online, click here.