What I've Learned

There is no place like home. I was so glad to click the heels of my make believe ruby slippers and repeat this saying. This past summer I stayed on campus for an internship. This meant I had to move from Milton Daniel to Montcrief for the summer. What a difference in attitude towards the physical facilities and behavior of the residents. It was such a relief to move back to Milton Daniel in August. But even better was the lure of the single room on the third floor. Last year found me studying most days in one of the many study lounges as my roommate and I had way different sleeping/studying hours. I chose a room that has a great study pod right out in front. I thought I was all set. I wouldn't have to make sure I had everything that I needed to study with me when I left my room; my door was right there. What I have found out is that I don't have to leave my room anymore to study! I no longer worry that the light from my desk lamp will disturb a roommate. The downside to studying in my room is that I have less interaction with fellow residents. One thing I was looking forward to by living on the third floor this year was upper class honor students all being together. With the opening of Worth Hills and the decision to decrease the number of Community Regents this year, more of the students on the third floor are freshmen. Many upper class students did not continue on in Milton Daniel this year. I still feel I have made the right decision as I enjoy being a Community Regent, and I really like being closer to my classes and the Bluu for meals.

No matter how far away I am, I don't think my Mom will ever change. An innocent inquiry,”Would you like Dad to bring cupcakes for your birthday when he comes?” Of course I said yes, some for band and some for the dorm. What I meant was I wanted enough cupcakes for my tuba section, all 12 of us. She didn't quite send enough for the entire band, but almost! With the weather delay from the Texas game, my dorm birthday celebration was postponed to Sunday. I still had LOTS of cupcakes, chocolate, carrot, and spice flavors. And how lucky I was, fellow residents baked cupcakes for my celebration too! I set cupcakes out for any and all who wanted after we ate our fill; many Milton Daniel residents had happy tummies from home baked yumminess! She does bake from scratch! I am finally training her, that although I print a lot, I don't need a ream of paper every time my mom or dad come to visit me. Same with laundry detergent and deodorant!

Even now, my Mom can save the day. I love the Horned Frog Marching Band. I love football games. I don't love 11:00am football games that come with 6:50am report times! At least I set everything I need for game day out the night before. I've learned to check to make sure my alarm clock is set to ring early on Saturday game day mornings. I thought I set my alarm clock, but clearly I didn't the morning of September 7. As I was blissfully dreaming away, my phone started ringing early that Saturday morning. What? My Mom is calling! Whoops! Another reason I'm grateful to live in Milton Daniel and glad that I set everything out. She was amazed at how quickly I was at the stadium after her call. And I am grateful that she loves band and is willing to come to the early morning rehearsal with the other band moms and dads.

Dad visits are great too. My car decided to disappear from the parking lot when he was here. I guess I didn't get it moved to the right parking lot like I thought I had. When I was supposed to meet him, I went out, walked the entire lot and couldn't find my car, “Car 54, where are you?” He came to me instead. He drove me to the police station. They told me where they tow the cars for game day, he drove me through what I thought was the lot they told me; NO CAR! Oh no, now what? He had me get a map out, wrong lot. It was in the lot they told me to go to. Then off we went. Then it decides to have a flat tire; he found a place to get it fixed for me. Yea. Happy me and happy car again. He also is great at explaining physics and math to me when I'm stuck too. All in all, he's a great help to me.

Father Charlie and TCU Catholic Community are very important to me, and I wanted to be a part of the Board, but working on a large committee does not suit me. When I arrived at TCU a year ago, I attended mass at the beginning of the year and an announcement was made looking for someone to help with audio-visual every Sunday. What luck, this is what I did at church at home! I became part of the TCU Catholic Community. Last Spring, announcements were made for board openings. I applied and was accepted. However, several others were accepted for the committee too. Trying to accommodate everyone's schedule and interests was impossible and frustrating to me. I decided there were other ways I can help, and this was not one of them.

This semester I am taking 12.5 credit hours. Last Spring I took 18 hours. One would think that this semester would be easier, wouldn't you? Not true! This fall I have found that my classes require much more time and work than I put in last year. Previously, the content taught in my physics and math classes consisted of information that I knew at least something about. This year, everything is new and unknown. I am spending much, much more time with these classes trying to master all of this new information.

I didn't realize how much I missed practicing my tuba every day until this semester. I wanted to audition for a drum corp for this summer, so I started practicing every day. I find that it is relaxing to hunker down in a practice room and work on scales and etudes. Sometimes I will bring homework with me and spend hours in the practice room, taking breaks from homework to practice. It is a very pleasant way to unwind. I now practice my tuba because I want to, not because my Mom is telling me I have to. Sometimes I wonder how good of a tuba player I could have been if practicing was this much fun years ago?