Returning from Blog Hibernation

Nearing the end of my first semester of college I am feeling a wide range of emotions. It has been a crazy 4 months and a completely beneficial experience. I have met so many people, people who have been a great support system, and who are some of the most interesting characters on this planet. Without these people I probably wouldn't have survived my first semester of college, literally.

I am dedicating this blog to all of the amazing people and new memories that I've made at University of Tampa. Truth be told I had my doubts when I first came to this school. I was so far away from home and I didn't no one single person. It was scary. I wasn't too sure if I would end up staying because this was something so new to me. But eventually I got into the swing of things (it took over a month) and now here I am today being as brutally honest as I possibly can be. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE FOR ME. I really cannot stop saying this. Without your constant support I wouldn't be feeling the way I am today. Instead of feeling timid and scared I finally found the niche that I belong in.

I decided to make this photo collage that sums up my first semester. Enjoy!

Paranormal Entity

Holy c. It's been a crazy ten days. And it's almost the weekend. That means one thing, party! Halloween weekend is the second biggest weekend in Tampa behind Gasparilla (a sort of mardi gras where everyone dresses up like pirates in ybor city). I wasn't sure what I wanted to be so I picked out three costumes but it's not likely I'll be able to go out three nights in a row... we'll see.

Lax Bro

Indian

                                                                            

Lifeguard

 CALENDAR FOR HALLOWEEN WEEKEND
Friday 10/28: Frat Party
Saturday 10/29: Temptation Halloween Party
Sunday 10/30: TBA
Monday 10/31: Dream big. You have 8 a.m. class on Tuesday. Don't even think about going out.


Halloween shenanigans aside I have been keeping busy with homework, running, playing the violin, and hanging out with friends. Two months in, I've almost finished adjusting. There is still some room to improve but I'm getting there. I always tell myself when I'm having a bad day that: "Although times might be tough have a positive outlook. Things will get better but it's up to you to make them better". I'm no Buddha but I can pull a quote or two out of my hat. 

Lists save lives. By lives I mean mine. Being organized hasn't been my strongest trait but I'm continuing to surprise myself day by day because after I make a list of things to do, they end up getting done. Who would've thunk?  Here's a list of things I've done (not a to-do) these past ten days that I've thoroughly enjoyed:

1. Saw Paranormal Activity 3. Got ID'd. It was AWESOME. Do I look 16? Apparently so.
2. Birthday Dinner for three of my friends @ Chili's. Let's just say I might have gained fifteen pounds.
3. Experienced Florida weather. Wore a Northface. Yes it was cold.
4. Failed my room inspection because one of my roommates had too many clothes on the floor. Joke? At least i didn't make the mess.
5. Went to Target and bought lots of food. Plus another 15 lbs.
6. Participated in the Austin Hall Amazing Race. Got 6th place. At least my team tried and we weren't dressed up like power rangers.
7. Discovered UTampaBoyProblems on Twitter. I can relate.
8. Stayed up super late to work on homework. It sucked but at least I got it done.
9. Went to Kobe Steakhouse & Hibachi Grill. Food was bomb and reminded me of Ichiban.
10. Found out that Plant Hall is truly haunted while playing in an orchestra concert. Spooky.

Yawn. Writing this post has made me sleepy. I'm going to retire for the night. Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween weekend!

Gus

Team Real Food

What a week/weekend this has been! The week started off alright but then took a turn for the worse. Monday night I came down with a mysterious flu like illness. One that forced me to be bed ridden all of Tuesday. By bed ridden I mean I was too sick to get out of bed even to to check my Facebook. You know you're sick when you can't check your Facebook. Normally I would have been happy to get out of classes but this was the week leading up to family weekend. I knew something had to be done before both of my parents got here. So I resorted to what any normal college student would do. I enlisted the help of: 

 

And last but not least lots of good old fashioned sleep. This combination really did help and surprisingly I was 90% better when my Mom got here on Thursday. Drugs and medicine aside, the thing that really helped me was the support from my friends. I appreciated their to willingness to help me out by giving me the necessities I needed (as shown above). Without their support I don't think I would have recovered as fast as I did.

Back to family weekend. What a whirlwind of activities. The four days I had with my Mom and Dad went by in a flash. One of the highlights was running the Spartan 5k marathon on Saturday. Although I didn't do as well as I could have done (not a lot of sleep can do that to you) I still did decently. Props to both of my parents though for running it. They are both active and always pursuing new endeavors to up their physicality.

Another highlight was that I wasn't subjected to cafeteria food. It really isn't that bad but I was getting sick of it. When my parents called me asking me what I wanted to do when they came I made sure to avoid all of the school sponsored eating activities."Taste of Tampa" in the cafeteria? C'mon you're not fooling anyone. I have had almost two months of eating the same food. It was time for a change.

This change was a short lived one. After four days it came to an abrupt halt. Just when I was beginning to enjoy it. As I sit here writing this blog I wonder how well I will do transitioning back into eating cafeteria food.

Resorting to the internet to vent my frustration was the only option.

Three more weeks until I'm back on #teamrealfood. Three weeks better come soon.

HEY 4TH FLOOR

 

This is a public service announcement for the 4th floor of Austin Hall.

Comfort

Oh the comfort that skype brings. Familiar faces in a somewhat unfamiliar place is all I really need.

POA

Even though we've gone on different paths, we always manage to find our way back to each other that first week of august. Miss yew guyz. Can't wait for La Semana 2012.

Insomnia

Enough said.

What's your favorite scary movie?

Wow logging on I noticed how long I've been gone. This post is mostly dedicated to my wonderful and loving parents who sent me wonderful letters urging me to update them on my life. Well I really haven't been doing anything but homework. These past 5 days I locked myself in the library and studied/did homework. Yup I've become a homework hermit. Never thought I'd say it but the picture below illustrates this wonderful trait that I've picked up.

"3 hours a day keeps the procrastination fairy away."

And in other news.... the other night I had the pleasure of watching Scream 4 with some of my friends. Afterwards they couldn't stop asking me what my favorite scary movie was.

My answer.

This then brought up the whole issue of a scooter. How in the heck could a scooter be related to a wes craven movie? The answer, it really isn't. BUT it begs the question of me ever getting one. I want a scooter so bad. If I had one I would no longer have to take cabs to ybor. I wouldn't have such a slow journey down to the caf from austin hall. And I would look pretty cool scootering to my classes.

Dear Mom & Dad, I want a razor scooter. Please please please please I wanna be as cool as all of my friends.

Sincerely, your son Gus

Quote of the Day

An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.                   

                             -Buddha

Too much schoolwork equals less time to update my blog. I apologize and promise there will be a new post in the next couple of days. I hope this quote will suffice.

Beautiful Mess

It's Sunday. My room is in a state of chaos. The weather this afternoon was chaos as well. Walking from the caf to my room I was drenched from the monsoon (torrential rain) that was executing its fury outside. Upon returning I hurriedly changed and walked across the hall to say hello to some friends. In the process of being so hurried I left my key in my room. OF COURSE I'm locked out on a day where my roommates and suite-mates are gone. Just my luck.

What a mess you are Tampa. A beautiful mess that I now call home.

Quote of the Day

You will never find time for anything.  If you want time you must make it.  

                    -Charles Buxton

Woke up at 10:00 this morning. Did my homework, laundry, went on a run, and to the pool. I find it best to make the most of the day. Sometimes time by yourself is better than time with anyone else.

Adjustment

    "A city full of people and my favorite is that waitress" -Atmosphere

Waking up this morning I had the weirdest realization. Where was I? And how did I get here? I wondered this aloud trying to be as quiet as possible in fear of waking up my roommates. Being 1,500 miles from home wasn't too much of a surprise but it can be a little weird for adjustment purposes. For 18 years I had a set way of doing things. A routine of sorts. Back home I knew where almost everything was. I was familiar with the area. Scratch that. I knew the area like the back of my hand. Minneapolis is a beautiful and very underrated city. Thinking about it I miss it. More than I did before I left.

Most of all I miss Sunday breakfasts with my family at the CC Club. A local dive bar which you wouldn't suspect has the some of the best breakfast in all of Minneapolis. One of the waitresses there, actually I think she's the only one there, greets us, and without even having to tell her what we want she already knows. My dad is always ecstatic when she recites what I want word for word: "a chicken tenders basket with waffle fries". It might not sound like normal breakfast but who needs normal? The CC Club is far from normal. The bar front might fool you, maybe even turn you away at 10 a.m. but to me it's one of my favorite places. The grungy atmosphere adds authenticity to an establishment that's been around for years.