Introduce myself? Okay, uh hi, my name is Samantha Prince, but my friends and family just call me Sam. A little about me? Hmm, well I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida which is pretty much in the center of Florida. I was born on Saturday, May 22nd, 1999 in the afternoon. I am an only child but when I was three I met my best friend Abby. Being so young, it was almost like she was my sister, so it made being an only child a little bit better. She is by far my ride or die. I have a dog named Red, he is a red bone coon hound. I have a cat too and they get along really well. Where did I get my education? I went to a private Christian school until 5th grade. After that, I went to a charter school from 6th to senior year of high school. I got my appendix taken out around 7th grade which was painful but a cool story. There were only one hundred students in my graduating class, so everyone was super close. All the girls dated all the same guys which is really weird when you think about it. There were a lot of arguments because of this, the girls would get mad when their friend dated their ex, but I didn’t really care about any of that. In high school, my main focus was cheerleading for my school’s sports and getting into College. I am going to go to college at Florida State University and eventually become a nurse anesthetist. My favorite things to do? Well I really enjoy going to the beach and exploring new things. My favorite beach is New Smyrna; it’s so pretty. As a matter of fact, I traveled to the Dominican Republic just last summer with my parents and Abby. We went ziplining and it was a lot of fun. We got lost on the way there and had some good laughs. Where do I see myself in the next 5 years? Well as I said before, I am attending Florida State University in Tallahassee and I absolutely love it. It was my top choice of schools to attend mainly because of the nursing program. Finding out that I got into Florida State was one of my favorite days. Yeah, I can tell you about it! I got home from school and I immediately saw my dog, Red, wagging his tail, he’s so cute. It was only 2 and acceptance letters came out at 5. My parents finally got home and later in the evening we all sat around my computer and reloaded the page and heard the war chant right away, signaling that I got it. I had to cheer at a basketball game that night and I was probably the peppiest girl out there. Afterwards, my parents took me and my best friend Abby out to dinner and we had a great time! Oh! So, in the next 5 years to come! I plan on applying to the nursing program next spring, fingers crossed I get in. Then after getting my BSN, which is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, I plan on going back to Orlando for a bit, work at the hospital nearby and spend time with family. I plan on being a nurse anesthetist and a requirement for that job is a year experience as an RN in an acute care setting. After getting my degree for a nurse anesthetist, that is what I want to do for a long time and that is my plan for the next five years.
Non-Conventional Families are very common in today’s society. Andrea Munoz is very familiar with the concept, as she was born into non-married parents, with two completely different cultures. Her mother is Colombian, while father is white, exposing her to both cultures while growing up. Although not having her parents married did not really matter or affect her while young, her parents splitting up was much easier and faster because of it. Even after the separation, she was still a happy child and had no complaints, that is until the news that they had to move towns was introduced to her. Hurt, confused, angry- these were some of Andrea’s feelings as her mother told her they would be moving from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale. Her mother was starting a new job, but also was moving to solidify her relationship with her boyfriend. Andrea felt angry because she felt dragged along to this new relationship, which ended up surprising her in the end. Having a father not be there for a daughter can be very hard to deal with it, but her step father ended up stepping in and becoming the father that she needed and wanted. While she never got to be close with her father after their break up, she remained extremely close to her father’s parents- her paternal grandparents, which is one of the most important and special relationships she has. Her grandparents living in Miami became less of a problem the more she grew up because she could see them whenever, and kept up their relationship even while living in Ft. Lauderdale. Once she remembers being angry about her step-father today, she regrets it. She has a great relationship with him and the only word to describe him is “Awesome”, because he not only makes her mom happy but also cares for Andrea and her sister and makes her dreams possible. She got to travel, make memories, and experience life because of her stepfather, which really connected them. Their favorite place to visit is Colorado. Traveling became one of her hobbies, which sparked a love for reading and writing. She had no direct reason to want to pursue a teacher career, other than her passion for Education. She was sure that she wanted to get into an English Education major once she got into Florida State University, but plans do not always work out. The love she had for literature quickly lost its importance to her because it became much more of a chore or obligation, rather than something she truly enjoyed. Andrea is exploring her options and leaning towards a Psychology major. Once she graduates, she plans on either staying in North Florida because of how much she has fallen in love with it over the past year or moving to her favorite place, Colorado. Andrea’s life story just goes to show that everything happens for a reason, even when we are blinded by feelings of the “right now”. Her mother and step-father are actually getting married soon, so it really proved that their love was worth the move and adjustments. While she gets to be present in seeing them finally get married, they will be taking a cruise somewhere together to spend some quality family time together. Having the perfect family does not exist, and what may be “perfect” for you, may be something entirely different for someone else.
Charles Herbert Saul was born on December 18 in Plantation Florida. Much like me he has been florida grown and has never been far from the beach and palm trees. Him and his family loved going to the keys for vacation Charles was a very energetic child who loved to play sports. Ever since he was little he was absorbed in sports. Charles loved all sports and played most of them with his friends. However, he really like football. He started with flag football and worked his way up to tackle football in the sixth grade. Also while he was young he loved to ski down the slopes of Utah. School for charles was not a problem. He coasted through it with little to no problems. He started elementary school at silver ridge and later went on to go to middle school at indian ridge middle school. After making it through middle school he made his way to Archbishop Mccarthy High school. There are many experiences that one expects to have during their time in high school. One of those experiences is a high school party. For Charles that chance came very early in his high school years. Actually it happened in his freshman year of high school. What is even more crazy about that is that he actual had the party at his own house. When the parents of Charles decided to leave their home in his hands for a couple of unsupervised days, there was only one thing that could happen. And that one thing is a party. Most people in high school would not think of a freshmen throwing a banger. But that is exactly what he did. This was definitely a crazy party. If you have ever seen the movie project X it was something along the lines of that. Kids from all classes and schools showed up to get lit at Charles party of freshmen year of high school. Even upperclassmen and kids from other schools had decided to show up and have a good time. Charles friend blew up his address sending it to everyone they knew and little did they know that almost everyone would actually show up. One of the craziest things that people could remember is Charles deciding to jump off his roof into the pool below. Although this party was insane and an amazing highlight of his high school social life he did get caught in the end. Even though he didn't get away with it he came away a smarter man and a smarter parteyer. Also he never had this large of a party at his own place ever again. So one can say that he has learned from his past mistakes and gotten stronger from it. Although he stopped with the large parties it does not mean it was the end for the fun times at his place. Over the course of the next couple of years he still had small get togethers at his place that he made sure that they did not get out of hand like his first party. Now he continues to enjoy the good times with many new friends at the best universities in Florida.
Alexis Kelly, better known as Lexi, was born in a suburb of Chicago on June 1, 1999. Being the youngest with two older brothers, Lexi considered herself as somewhat of a “tomboy” growing up. With her Dad being a huge sports fan and almost making it to the Chicago Bears football team, Lexi was constantly surrounded by sports from an early age. Even though she considers herself bad at sports, her whole families interest in sports was spread to her. She stated how she really just enjoys team sports, which is why she participated in many different sports from an early age. Lexi went from sports to theater nearing her end of elementary school. Even though she was very humble about her short theater career, she stated how she was the lead in multiple shows so she must have been talented. She eventually quit and stated how she had no issue being on stage but when she had to perform solos it was a different story. One of her last shows she performed in, Honk, a musical adaptation of the story the Ugly Duckling, Lexi was cast as one of the leads Ida. She was secretly happy that the boy who was cast as Ida’s husband Drake, was the boy she had a crush on. Lexi got very shy and uncomfortable during solos, and in this show, she had three. Before, Lexi and the boy she had a crush on were about to go on stage, the boy kept telling her “you got this,” “you’re going to do great.” The positive affirmation from him was just enough to give her the confidence she needed to perform. The beginning of the show went perfectly. After a few scenes had passed, it was time for Lexi’s first solo. As the solo begins she starts off singing perfectly, but then during the middle she completely blanked one of the lyrics and took around ten seconds to recuperate. When she went off stage she kept replaying the scene of her mistake in her mind. Her characters husband Drake quickly approaches her off stage and begins to help her get out of that negative mindset. He told her to forget about the mistake because thinking about it will only make it worse. “You got this, don’t let this one mistake overwhelm you and cause you to make more mistakes. Just think positively.” His words greatly impacted Lexi and by the time her next solo was up, she was ready. The new-found confidence he helped her achieve showed in her performance and the audience responded with enormous applause. When it was finally time for the last solo, Lexi was more than ready. It went very similar to the second one but with almost more applause. Sitting in the spotlight, it was a very humbling experience as Lexi thought about the situation. This moment would forever be ingrained in her mind. Even though she did not continue theater after Honk, whenever life got her down, she thought of that moment and it gave her strength.
David Silverberg was born August 6, 1999 in St. Pete Florida. Ever since he could remember he was on the water: fishing, spear fishing, and tubing. Today was no different, as he woke up early this morning to grab his boat to start of scallop season well. David explained his activity on the ocean stemmed from his Dad’s love of going out on the boat. The day started normally as he drove out of bay heading towards the spot him and his dad went to. To pass the time his dad brought up that crazy memory when David was just a kid and he fell off the boat going 30 miles an hour, David winced at the memory remembering skidding on the water and the pain that resulted. They continued to drive out farther and farther into the water, until they passed the spot David would never forget. The last time he had gone scalloping he encountered a massive stingray swimming around this spot; the stingray was around 200 hundred pounds. The stingray was passive and David nor the ray had any problems; until a reef shark on the hunt came into the picture. The shark at first was eating the eels and the fish in the area, until David tried to escape back to the boat. The shark noticed his fluttering fins and gave them a chomp; biting an entire chunk of plastic off. David brought up the memory and him and his dad laughed at the crazy experience as they continued to drive. Before they arrived at their new location for scalloping, David’s dad began to ask him about his experience at Florida State. David explained that he was having a great time: he was living with his best friend, going out every week, and enjoying the rigor of his classes. David compared and contrasted his experience to his dads, who had attended Florida State University as well. They noticed that time had changed the school, but there were certain aspects of Tallahassee that would never change. They finally reached their spot and began to dive in the water with just their mask, fins, and a bag to hold the scallops in. Looking through the sea grass they found scallop after scallop. In the end they caught a lot of fresh, delicious scallops that they were ready to feast on. On the way back, his father asked him if he missed playing baseball, as it was the first year he hadn’t played since kindergarten. Of course, he missed it as his team was dominate and he got to travel all around to play his favorite sport. Memories of winning tournaments in New York and Puerto Rico came flowing back. He had always wanted to make it to the MLB to play for his favorite baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays; as he thought of wearing the Ray’s uniform thoughts of the sting ray and shark came back once again. Coincidentally they were passing through the same spot it had happened once again. It seemed like a fitting way to end the day on the water.
As he filled out the application to Florida State University, his hands trembled a bit while entering the last bit of information regarding his life- was he nervous or excited? Controversy stormed his emotions and thinking. Finally, senior year had approached and Ellis new he would have to make a decision fast: either leave his hometown surrounded by the culture and city life the child within him loved or escape his comfort zone into the realms of an unfamiliar state. His body felt the strength and power of the country which suffered great wars, battled intensity, yet exists with pride, exquisiteness, and potential. Bosnia. He recalled his unforgettable thirteenth birthday as his mind debated whether or not attending Florida State University would fit his satisfaction. He needed the strength Bosnia possessed and executed during battle to carry him through this life changing decision. Ellis wanted, needed, an escape from the red neck mainstream and southern tone he lived in. Although surrounded by both the serene and pleasant suburb, just a car ride away from the classy and extravagant city, Ellis did not want to be imprisoned with the mundane routine- he desired a change that would inspire his adventurous taste. His feet felt the hills and rubble beneath them. His eyes gazed upon the beauty in the mountains and across the sea. The thirteen-year-old buried within his heart evoked the feelings while adventuring through Bosnia. Present day him pondered how the country could withstand such challenge, remain a country with bruises, wounds, and battle scars, yet still exude exploration, curiosity, home, and charm. He wanted this future. He wanted to leave behind the high-end country club neighborhood he grew up in with the beautiful white gate that opened just for him as greeting each time he entered the community. But the scars would be the brotherhood he created among the athletes in his school while playing both football and soccer. This was his life. Just as Bosnia conveyed the memories of war within their city and countryside, he wanted to attend Florida State University while carrying the history and past of his life in Georgia. Although Ellis loves the city more than anything else, the metropolitan ambiance which inspires him and gives adrenaline to the mundane, he decided to leave all this behind while pursuing the next chapter of his life, a career of independence, experience, ups and downs: college. But not just any college, Florida State University. And so, as he clicked the submit button for his application, fear escaped him. As the spring semester approached, he stepped foot on to campus for the first time. His steps through campus felt as if they were full of limitless possibility and beauty, yet there is a stain which exudes pride and strength among all the trees and hills. Ellis could see, he could feel the pain which he left behind in his home town, just as both Bosnia and its people had endured through wartime- this changed him. While the buildings stood tall, proud, and culturally beautiful, they carried battle and hardship in the stone and bricks they were built on. His mind reminisced the difficulty civilians fought with as he walked among the hills and roads of the countryside. This sensation rushed back to him as he walked into what he now calls home. And so, he was given the strength and power Bosnia had as they represented their scars with pride; he carried his previous life onto Florida State University, his new home.
Christin Carr was born in Miami, Florida on August 13, 1999. Ever since Christian can remember he’s been traveling, something he still enjoys to this day. While sitting in class with only a month left of his sophomore year of high school, Christian realized that summer was rapidly approaching and that he had nothing planned for his three-month vacation. He quickly began thinking of options, however, nothing exciting came to mind. Later that day, Christian went to lunch with one of his best friends, Christian told him about his summer vacation dilemma and his friend immediately responded with an idea that Christian should join him at a beginner’s surf camp in Costa Rica. Christian loved the idea, and before you know it, the two friends were on a plane to Costa Rica. Christian was nervous for the first day of surfing, after all he had never touched a surf board, he didn’t know what to expect. The first day had finally come and the counselors woke the students up at the crack of dawn, the beach was filled with surfers just moments after. Christian grabbed a board and headed straight for the ocean where he was met by an instructor. The first day felt impossible, Christian couldn’t stand up on the board, his body began to ache from the many times he fell. His first day woes didn’t discourage him, he woke up at sun rise every day in order to practice the craft of surfing. By the end of the first week, Christian was getting the hang of it, and it was about time, the heavy and constant crashing waves were taking a toll on his endurance. At the end of the two weeks, Christian was sad to leave what he referred to as “paradise”, however, he was grateful to learn a new craft and a hobby that he still enjoys to this day. When Christian returned back to Miami from surf camp, he began to miss waking up every day in paradise, grabbing a surf board and running straight for the waves. As a result, his love for surfing led to him getting a job at a local surf shop in Miami. Christian loved his new job, it allowed him to keep in touch with the surfing world, be constantly close to the beach, and receive discounts on the best surfing appeal. While working at the surf shop, Christian became focused on saving his money, he wasn’t sure what he was saving it for, but his sixteenth birthday was rapidly approaching and he wanted to buy himself a generous present. All of a sudden it hit him, “a car!” he proclaimed. Christian discussed the idea with his parents who agreed to pay for half of the car as long as it was under a certain price. Once Christian had enough money for the car he wanted, he quit his job and bought a car so he could spend more time surfing as opposed to selling surf boards. He described buying his car as the best purchase he’s ever made because it allowed him twice as much freedom, and twice as much time surfing.
On October twenty second 1998, Maxx Schoenblatt was born. He and his family resided in the beautiful sunny town of Miami and have continued to live there ever since. Miami is the place where Maxx would play with his big brother, or go dirt biking, or just hangout with his four best friends. He spent most of his time outside on his bike, or skateboard. It is the place he learned and grew and the place where he got knocked down and learned to get back up. When Maxx was little, around five years old, his parents got a divorce and his father lost his job all in a very short time span. He didn’t get to see his dad every day because most of the time he resided at his mom’s, but every Sunday he and his dad loaded up their dirt bikes into the truck and brought it to the track. His dad had helped him train and he had actually medaled a few times in competitions. Although, sometimes his confidence led him to a fall or two. One Sunday Maxx and his father went to the track and Maxx set off on his bike. Going as fast as his bike could carry him, he flew off the biggest ramp. His heart racing and adrenaline pumping, he flew through the air. Just as fast as he went up, he came right back down. The bike hit the ground, bounced up and landed right on Maxx’s leg. He didn’t break anything, but his pride was definitely bruised. His dad was upset, but they were pretty close so he didn’t get too mad. His father managed restaurants for work and had worked at quite a few in his lifetime, but the business he was managing at this time went under and they shut down. It was a hard time for their family with all of these big changes, but they managed to overcome their troubles and smile through it. Later on his dad met a woman and fell in love, and they gave Maxx a little brother. It was strange for him because now he had two homes with two families with two different ways of living. One thing that was new was the fact that his dad and his stepmom and little brother were vegan and vegetarian. He went back and forth from a vegan household and a meat eating household. The one major constant in Maxx’s life was his tight group of friends. He had four guys that he considered his best friends and they shared everything with each other. They spent all their time together, even spring break when their plans to go do something crazy or fun would fall through they would still hangout even if they had nothing to do. Him and his friends love to skate together and just chill. When college was coming closer they worried that they may not be as close as they were, but Maxx says that they are just as close as they’ve ever been and they still hang out when they’re home or whenever they can and their bond is just as strong.
Nick Granberry, to his close friends “cranberry”, grew up in Melbourne, FL. Having been in catholic private school from pre-kindergarten to the eighth grade he decided he had enough and went to a public high school. He lived the life similar to a beach bum in that he loved to surf, fish and practically anything to do with the water or near the beach. Nick also has an older brother who is the complete opposite of him who currently attends the University of Florida. Nick enjoys eating anything good, listens to all types of music and still stays close to his religious roots. He also was raised by a mother who played tennis and Nick was at one time was one of the top 25 tennis players for his age in Florida. Sadly, he quit playing his junior year of high school because he wanted to take a different path. At the age of seventeen he became a life guard at his local beach. While on duty as a life guard there was one time when, one stormy day, the beach was closed but he was still working just to make sure no one was on the beach putting themselves in danger. He received a call that someone was spotted on the beach and this is when he gets into action. Him and a few others get on their off-road vehicles and headed down the beach to where the people where supposedly spotted. Once they arrived Nick spotted a man in his late thirties laying on the ground having a heart attack. Springing into action Nick had started to preform CPR on the man while the other lifeguards called for medical assistance and assessed the area. Nick at this moment knew that someone’s life was in his hands and that this was no joke. After a while he was able to keep the man alive and the paramedics were able to take over. However, there was another person out at sea while this was all happening and with the huge six-foot waves, the life guards were unable to find the other person before he went under. This person sadly died and Nick was a part of the crew that had to search for his body. This was done by forming a line and swimming to the bottom of the ocean trying to find the missing person. After a while the body eventually washed ashore and was confirmed dead. This is an experience Nick will never forget in how serious his job really meant, and as a young seventeen-year-old he was glad he was able to successfully carry out his duty as a lifeguard. In high school, he also started weight lifting and has taken on a few other jobs in search of his passion. In high school, he was interested in becoming a dentist, but, decided that that job wouldn’t be as interesting after a while. Nick has also worked for a real estate company located in his home town and this is something that sparks interest with him currently. His father who he admires dearly for his hard work and determination also works in the field of finance by traveling the world as an international banker. What Nick likes to do now is lift weights, go out, hang out with friends and also be a part of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Nick also plans to study finance and real estate similarly but not the same as his father here at Florida State University, he already has experience working in the real estate market and plans to further progress up the ladder. In hopes of becoming a real estate agent.
Kyle was born in Orlando, Florida. He has two younger sisters and a younger brother, and a sweet dog named Kota. He loves playing and going on walks with Kota. Kyle has always understood that he comes from a family that is fairly well off, but has never let that stop him from working hard. Kyle has had many different interests throughout his life, the one thing to remain constant is his love for cars and motorcycles. He loves everything about them. Driving them, working on them, and even cleaning them. He sees himself making a career out of his love for automobiles and can not wait to further explore this passion of his. In 2017 Kyle received his acceptance letter to Florida State University. Although he has never thought of himself as much of the studious type, he was excited to continue you his education at Florida State. He was especially excited to leave home and gain some independence. Growing up in Orlando, he knew the one college he definitely did not want to go to University of Central Florida. Not because of any other reason than that it was just simply to close to home. He wanted to travel and gain life experience in college and knows the best way to do this would be to go to a school a little farther from home. He gained much of this life experience when he and his buddies traveled to Europe recently. They went to six different countries including Amsterdam and Switzerland. As soon as he got off the plane he couldn’t wait to explore. They traveled, met new people, tried new food, and even stopped a mugging. Walking down the dark and quiet streets of Zurich, Switzerland, his hunger grew almost painful. It had been hours since Kyle and his friends last last ate. The thought of a McDonald’s cheeseburger was stuck in their minds and caused their mouths to water. The closest restaurant was still a couple miles away but Kyle was determined to satisfy his hunger. As he made the turn on to the next street in the corner of his eye he saw a struggle between a man and woman. The man ripped the leather purse from the woman and she fell to the ground. The thief then turned around to escape. As he saw my friends and I moving towards him, he bolted towards the other direction. Kyle took off to chase after him. He turned around the corner and headed to the train station. Staying close behind him, Kyle shouted “drop the bag” but the assailant would not comply. He hopped over the turnstyles and onto a train and I followed closely. Bumping into people and shoving people out of his way, he made is way to the back exit of the train and got off on the first stop. Kyle sprinted to the exit and got off exactly where he did. However, the thief was nowhere to be found. Kyle felt defeated and as if he failed the women whom he was trying to help. Kyle’s head dropped in disappointment, but a few yards from next to a pillar laid the women's purse. He picked it up and relished in his victory against this robber. We returned to the site of the robbery and found the woman who the purse belonged to. They all felt satisfied handing it to her, and she was grateful for what the boys had done for her, especially kyle. She thanked him for his bravery and was even nice enough to buy them the burgers from McDonald’s that the group had been craving. Kyle and his buddies walked home that night, with a warm satisfying feeling. Was that the McDouble with cheese that caused this sensation? Possibly, but most likely it was the fulfilling feeling of doing the right thing, and helping someone in need.
Thomas Edward Martin the 3rd Was Born May 23rd 1998, his Dad shares the same name as him, his parents looking to keep him active put him in all kinds of sports such as football, baseball and more. One way to describe Thomas would be outgoing and involved. He would dabble in many sports growing up. However, the only sport he continued to play was soccer. Soccer has always had a big influence on his life meeting many friends and keeping him active almost every day. He played soccer since he can ever remember and estimates it to be when he started at about 5 years old. Soccer would be where he met some of his best friends in almost every city or school he lived in. He attended three different high schools as well as moving To East lake after his sophomore year of school and stayed there until he graduated from East Lake high school. When I asked Thomas about a cool event in his life that left an impression on him he immediately thought of the time his friends and himself got the whole senior and high school class at his school together to have a party in the middle of his golf course. The story goes as this: His friends (In reference to his neighborhood) would always say I bet there’s a hole on this golf course that no one can see from the main road. After some investigated they were right and discovered the now infamous hole four. They immediately began planning a big scheme they wanted to assemble a big group of friends and have a party and hang out on the course they eventually found the perfect opportunity. After a big home football win vs their rival school Thomas and his friends spread the word to come by his neighborhood and show up at hole 4. By the end of the night there were several hundred high schoolers partying and having a good time in the middle of a golf course. Most certainly an unforgettable scene especially if you organized the whole thing. This unconventional party would go down as one of the most memorable moments for Thomas and his friends during their high school experience. Nowadays he enjoys playing video games; His favorite video game to play is Fortnite Battle Royale he plays most of the time on his gaming laptop. He got his laptop as a gift from his uncle for graduating high school the laptop is also what he uses for classes and his education at Florida State University. He decided to attend this university because it was his dream school. He always admired the school growing up and knew it was home for him. Thomas is currently 19 years old and is now a sophomore in college and plans to continue his education all four years and get a degree in business marketing. His favorite sports teams are the Tampa Bay Rays, Lightning, Buccaneers, and Liverpool in the Premier League.
When Mitchell was about to begin his high school years he had no idea it would turn out totally different than expected. He began his high school career at a school named Terra for engineering. Although Mitchell thought this school would be a good fit because of his aspirations to be an engineer it turned out to be the opposite of what he had wanted. Mitchell didn't fit in with the kids at Terra because they were all so focused on engineering and really weren't fun at all. Mitchell had a group of friends that were his best friends from elementary school to high school. These friends did not attend Terra though. A few of Mitchell’s best friends attended a school named Palmetto bay, and another one of his friends went to a very preppy high school in town. Of course, they would hangout after school, but Mitchell still had to attend the dreaded Terra every day. All of the kids being boring and nerdy were the least of Mitchells problems at Terra. The work was extremely hard and the teachers were very strict and unclear. Mitchell even had one teacher that would grade his assignments incorrectly and gave extremely hard homework that not even his parents could help him with. Mitchell’s aspirations to become an engineer were completely gone. Considering his new hatred for doing math in high school he needed to change what he wanted to do in life. By the time the end of sophomore year rolled around Mitchell was over it. It was time to ditch engineering and move to a different school. Mitchell wasn’t the only one sick of his school either. His friend that went to that private preppy school was sick of his situation too. Mitchell convinced his friend that they should both move schools to Palmetto bay with him. All the stars were beginning to align. The boys were back in town. Junior year would be totally different for Mitchell. He was at a whole new school with no crazy teachers or engineering classes and would be hanging out with his best friends all day long instead of just after school. Palmetto Bay was a much different scene then Terra. Terra was a school full of smart nerdy kids and strict teachers. Palmetto Bay was different though. Palmetto bay was a much more diverse public high school where Mitchell felt like he had more freedom. Most of his junior year Mitchell hung out with his childhood friends. This would change senior year though. At Palmetto Bay, everyone was really cliquey and only socialized with a certain group of people. This all changed senior year. Everyone started hanging out with different people and socializing more. People started going to parties and meeting new friends they had never known before. Mitchell’s group of friends did this as well. When graduation came around Mitchell and most his childhood friends decided they were going to attend Florida State university. Mitchell’s house was the place to go to for all his friends to hangout. He decided to have a graduation party for his friends going to FSU. Little did Mitchell know that night basically all of his high school would be at his house partying. The party was great, and was a nice end to Mitchell’s high school story.
Laney Degroat was born November 22, 1998 in Vero Beach, Florida. Vero Beach is a small town on the east coast of Florida. Laney lives 3 minutes from the beach and has always loved spending countless hours basking in the sun. She has one older sister and one younger sister. When they were little both of her sisters would side against her, but her animals were always there for her. She has a dog, cat, and turtle. In middle school and high school, Laney participated in competitive cheerleading. Her love for this sport was shown as she smiled wide and had sparkles in her eyes. This same affection was shown when she was talking about her work as a CNA. She decided to become a CNA in high school. She took two years of Health Science classes and one semester of a Certified Nurse Assistant course before she could take the CNA test. Laney took the written portion of the test first. She was nervous to click submit, so she had the proctor do it for her. A huge green pass was written on the screen. Laney squealed and got excited, but it was not over yet. She still had to take the skills portion. This part of the test was going to be more difficult. Before every portion of the test she would have to remember to wash her hands, and even though she knew to do this, she was scared that she would be so nervous that she would forget. Thankfully, she remembered and was able to also pass the skills section. The proctor handed Laney her score, and she started crying as soon as she found out that she passed. All her hard work had finally paid off. However, this was only the beginning. Her next real challenge would be facing her first day as a CNA. When she arrived at the nursing home, she was greeted by her teacher. She instructed Laney to take the vitals of the patients. Laney was expecting this, but what she was not expecting was for her teacher to tell her to go check to see if one of the patients was dead. This took Laney for a whim and made for a very weird memory of her first day as a CNA. Her next adventure as a CNA took place at the hospital. She figured this setting would be a little a bit more her speed, but instead she encountered two contact isolation patients and a patient in restraints. This made it very difficult for her to take their vitals. However, after figuring out how to properly address them, Laney conquered the rest of the day with ease. She felt very proud of herself and all that she had accomplished. Laney knew her work as a CNA would help her fulfil her dreams of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. She had always hoped to attend Florida State University. On December 8, 2017, three days after getting her CNA license, she would finally find out if that hope would become a reality. She called her older sister on the phone, who attended FSU, and logged onto the portal. The FSU chant song started blaring from the computer. She was going to be a Seminole! Her sister’s tears of happiness could be vividly heard through the phone. At Florida State, Laney would be majoring in nursing. This was an easy choice for her and had been something she had wanted to do for her whole life. However, it would not come without any challenges. She is struggling in Chemistry but is fighting for success. After getting her registered nursing license, Laney wants to move to California or Colorado. Out west, she will be able to experience and understand life in a whole new way. She will meet new friends, but also bring some old ones with her. Laney has met a lot of new people at Florida State University. She lives in Wildwood Hall with her random roommate, who she really likes. Laney and her friends plan to take some of the same classes so that they can all work together.
It was Halloween night at around 11:00 p.m. when my perspective on life changed forever. A few of my friends and I were on the way to a party walking on the gap between the sidewalk and the road. We were laughing while strolling down the road when everything went black. The first thing I remember after I woke up was a sharp and lasting pain in my right leg. My heart started racing and i didn’t remember anything. A sense of confusion overwhelmed me because I strangely didn’t know what happened. The next thing I remember was hearing the nurse check my vitals and notify the doctor that I was awake. When the doctor arrived I pelted him with questions. “What happened to me?”, I asked. “How did I get here?” He then informed me that I was hit by a car and am most likely suffering from ligament damage in my knee. He told me that my injury was serious but not life threatening. Immediately, I felt relieved. A chill ran through my body. The idea of being hit by a car was extremely frightening to me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened or how much more I could have been injured. I also couldn't stop thinking about my family and how devastated they would be. Memories of my family raced through my head as a laid alone in a hospital bed. It was a very chilling and humbling experience to say the least. I am very lucky that my life so far has prepared me to be independent so that I could handle this situation on my own. It allowed me to stay calm at a time of tragedy. I am used to transitioning to new environment which I believe allowed me to better handle the situation. I was going to Riviera Preparatory school in Miami when I decided I wanted to make a chance. I moved to Paris for sixth months where I lived with my cousins and continued my education. I studied at Sorbonne University so that I didn’t fall behind in school. Fast forward through a relaxing summer and I began my career as a student at Florida State University. This part of my life taught me a lot about myself. It helped me create a perspective on life and what type of person I want to be. I also learned a lot through the constant transition. Adapting from high school to living in Paris was one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced. While exiting, the lifestyles are completely different. I was also suffering from Retrograde Amnesia. This occurs when your brain subconsciously forgets traumatic events to prevent future stress. This natural reaction actually helped me throughout the process because it allowed me to move on and stop thinking about what could have happened. By the next morning, my parents had arrived which made me feel a lot better. They met with my doctors as the talked about next steps. I immediately got a CT scan that revealed my torn ACL, MCL, and Meniscus. Though my recovery will undoubtedly be challenging, I thank my lucky stars every day that I walked out of the hospital with my life.
This guy has worked hard his whole life and knows his limits. He is constantly challenging himself with physical and mental stress. Muay thai is a sport where the body and mind have to be in sync in order for you to survive. Literally. There are no fights won without taking punches. This does not discourage my man right here though. He knows he's in for a treatment of punching, kicking, and everything in between. The different strikes used here are all taught to him during his XX years of experience. The guy is a veteran. His finnish genes have him looking like a Euro-fighting star. With a spirit animal of Conor Mcgregor this guy is hard to take down. Weighing in at a sharp 170lbs he is a force that could be even deadly if met meet face to face with. He has a lot to fight for in life including his family. Competitive families produce competitive offspring and this guy is no exception to that. Locked in against his sister, Dalton lives within another FSU UF rivalry. I’d say that if this doesn’t describe their relationship than you’re honestly pretty hopeless (in terms of college rivalries) and are going to need a taste of some FSU football to get acquainted. While Dalton may think he can't keep up with his sister in terms of merit, he is able to hold his own within the muay thai universe. That alone is impressive. In case you are unfamiliar with those in the muay thai world, the inhabitants within Thailand, the birthplace of this art, are known for performing grueling acts of pain such as cutting down banana trees by kicking them repeatedly. FSU is currently the place he calls home and you can find him in his element at the muay thai gym here in Tally. Other places that he can be found on campus are (in case you were searching for this guy for some reason) would either be the cafeteria or the gym. He has let few obstacles in life get in the way of his college experience. Currently, he is on his way to a degree that he can use to do his dream job. This job happens to be a sports commentator like the ones you see on ESPN. Dalton let me in on a little secret to how he wants to go about his success. The way to reach his goal is by comboing a degree with sports knowledge. Surely there are a lot of knowledgeable people in the sports community, but how do they find the ones to put on tv? ESPN is a service that is trying to stay afloat through streams of income from sponsors and ads. In order for ESPN to be the most popular sports show, it has to be the most interesting as well as the most entertaining. With Dalton’s bright mind and hard work in sports I’m sure he can work his way up the ESPN food chain and into the spotlight.
As businesses and ideas grow bigger, the world grows smaller, and each individual person’s childhood grows more complicated and adventurous than that of our parents and grandparents. Our generation grows with more mixed experiences and opportunities than any before it and it has shaped us into a more flexible group. No better example than Gabriela Malicki. Gabriela (Gaby) Malicki was born in Maryland, to Mr. and Mrs. Malicki, with her little sister following a few years later. Her mother is described as type A, but very loving, and her father is described as nonchalant and gentle. At the age of seven, due to her father’s job, Gaby and her family moved down to Orlando, Florida. Her parents divorced not long after, but both eventually remarried, giving Gaby and her sister step-siblings. Growing up, Gaby had as good of a relationship with her sister as much as she could. They bonded over watching Disney channel against their father’s wishes and behind his back. The simple act of sneaking around their father to watch what would later be considered silly kid’s shows, had created a bond between the sisters. A secret they could share with each other, something only they knew. This was a precursor to Gaby’s rebellious attitude that manifested in later years. In middle school and high school, Gaby described herself as a prankster and free-spirited, while often time surrounding herself with good friends. Gaby was never one to let the idea of fear get in her way, especially exemplified by her passion for singing. From a young age, all she wanted to do was sing, a passion that was developed into an impressive talent by the encouragement of her family. She explored her love of music without fear, as that was all she ever saw herself doing. She worked hard to be a good musician and to be In 2013, Gaby Started Timber Creek High School in Orlando, where her musical talent had an opportunity to flourish. She looks back on her high school experience as normal, with mostly good experiences and people whom she will remember forever. She graduated in 2017 and set out, ready to start her life. She began her colligate education at Florida State University in 2017, where she knew she would be able to find herself and prefect her talent. She is currently a Vocal Performance Major, as she hopes to turn her passion into her career. Laura has also expressed her interest in tattoos, having one designed by her friend, on her arm. She has spoken out against the traditional idea of romantic relationships, promoting instead the idea of putting one’s self first. Gabriela is truly representative of the idea of a fearless, flexible generation.
Hi my names Chase Kobylarz, I was born and raised in Jacksonville Florida. I have one younger brother who looks nothing like me. Both my parents attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando. I was never really into sports growing up however I did have one passion that still has me captivated today. In fourth grade I learned to play the guitar and from that point on I was hooked. My younger brother also learned how to play the drums. Going into middle school I decided I wanted to follow music and enrolled in a school of the arts for middle school. The next instrument I learned to play was the clarinet in 6th grade, which has become my favorite and main choice of instruments. After the clarinet I picked up the saxophone in 7th. All in the 8th grade, I learned how to play piano, bass guitar, and acted as a conductor in a band. I was performing in some shows but not to the height of the concerts I would be performing in during high school. Entering high school I easily made the choice of attending another school of the arts mainly focusing on music. This high school was very prestigious within music education. I began traveling the country performing in different music halls within a Wind Concert band (band primarily of wind and percussion instruments). I performed in the Chicago Midwest Clinic where thousands of prestigious performers and music educators gather. I also performed in Canergie Hall in New York which is the first performance hall ever built in the United States. I now attend the Florida State University studying music education following my heart of music. Out of all my performances and concerts there will always be one that will stand out as my favorite. It was a stormy evening and pouring outside like no other. I hid my clarinet under my shirt as I ran into the auditorium to keep it dry. I was performing a duet with a pianist and myself on clarinet. Our performance was going great and the audience was thoroughly enjoying our piece when something completely unexpected happened; out of nowhere all the power in the building cut out. The pianist couldn't read the music, panicked, and stopped playing and I couldn't see my music sheet either but that didn’t stop me. I had memorized my entire piece and kept playing through the darkness. I couldn't see the crowd and the crowd couldn't see me. The second I finished playing the crowd, still in the dark, went insane. It was the best feeling in the world and words could not describe my feelings. After the concert everyone was coming up to me telling me how amazing what I did was. I have performed in larger concert halls than this one but hands down this will always be my favorite performance of my life. As can be seen music was, is, and will always be my passion.
My name is Laura Gonzalez and I was born in Columbia as an only child. However, I don't remember my early time there as my family moved to the United States, settling in Houston, Texas when I was just six months old. In fact, although I have some scattered, scarce recollections; most of my childhood was spent in Miami, Florida where my family moved when I was three years old. I loved princesses and playing dress up, my favorite show being Dora the Explorer (the original, six year old Dora, the one that had to ask her mom to go out... not the altered, older version of the character). In fifth grade we moved again, all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. Although I liked the change of weather, I was appalled to discover a change in my life that completely blindsided me. I found out my parents had been divorced for years! I guess I never noticed anything, even though their living in separate rooms always seemed rather odd to me. I stayed busy with my dancing and soccer, and especially liked sitting in the teen section of Barnes and Noble for hours; exploring and having new, exciting adventures with every turn of a page. Mom and Dad both remarried, each having a son with their new spouse. I've got some step siblings, but I only like my two older step sisters on my Dad's side. My Mom's step kids suck, they're super controlling and I hate them. The summer before my junior year, we moved again to Tampa, Florida. I guess I didn't mind too much considering my boyfriend lives in West Palm. Looking back on my teen years, my parents definitely had different views on their ideas of efficient parenting. My dad was the cool parent for sure, always cracking jokes and allowing me freedom and responsibility. My mom however, was the polar opposite. I swear it was like she thought I would be abducted by some kidnapper at any moment of the day. I had to give my phone up every single night, and had a strict curfew of eight pm... meaning eight was late, and 7:55 was on time. So yeah, that kinda pissed me off and I acted out in my own ways. It was never anything really bad though, except maybe the select few times where mom had to pick me up from a party and I wasn't exactly... coherent. There was one time though, that if my parents ever found it out, I would definitely not be here today. It was over the summer, and I was driving down to Miami to meet my boyfriend and his family for vacation. My dad allowed me to go, under the condition that I take his work car... his big, white, rape van. I was so annoyed that he was making me drive this huge car nine hours to Miami, but I reluctantly agreed and went anyways. My excitement for the trip was cut short however, when I got pulled over by three cops for speeding like 60 miles over the speed limit. I was so scared I couldn't move, and when the cops gave me a warning citation instead of a massive speeding ticket and an one way ticket to jail; I knew that I could never tell mom or dad. But even though I had some reckless times, I also excelled a lot throughout school. I was an honor student and made my parents especially proud when I received my acceptance to Florida State University prior to my high school graduation. I guess you could say I've had an interesting life, and I'm ready to continue on, excited for what's in store.
As a young child growing up, your home life is all you know. She grew up surrounded by friends and family, in a town where your neighbors were your friends. You never seek to step out of those boundaries because what more could the world have to offer than all the happiness that already exists in your own life. But, things change and lives go on. Ana Omura had a childhood not too much different from mine or any other of my friends growing up. There is, however, one stark difference to be noted: she grew up in Brazil. She came from a large town that was embedded in the rich nature and culture of Brazil. Ana had to say goodbye to her grandparents, father, and step-sister that would be staying behind in Brazil. Her mother remarried an American man, who moved the family to Winter Haven, Florida when Ana was thirteen years old. Many teens would’ve rebelled against this move, but Ana was actually pleased to start her eighth grade year at small private middle school in the United States. Her stepfather actually legally adopted her brother, so her family unit would always be strong. Their parents’ divorce hit a little harder for her older brother, but the two have since accepted it and are happy with the family dynamic they have evolved into. With all of the fears that came along with their new life, the language barrier was the least of her concerns, as she was already fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. She didn’t care about her slight accent, as she was already speaking English and excelling in her classes. The school had her attend church services, where she made friends that would become ones to last a lifetime. She went on to high school in Winter Haven, and lived just like any other teenager. While the miles from her home were far and wide, she always remained close by visiting Brazil to see her father twice a year who lives in Rio with his wife and her younger step-sister. This has allowed her the opportunity to thrive in her new home while still maintaining contact with her Brazilian roots. The integration of her schooling here went by smoothly, with her friends following along with her throughout high school and now college. After her acceptance to Florida State University, Ana knew right away that she wanted to major in Biology and Chemistry to pursue her dream of becoming a plastic surgeon in osteopathic medicine. Ana was accompanied by the solace of several of her hometown friends and is even living with her best friend in their own apartment. The hard work and long schooling is not a hindrance, but rather fuel for her goals.In the face of an international move, Ana was able to quickly overcome any obstacles and focus on her future. She hopes to move on to California to continue to pursue her dreams as a plastic surgeon, and will be sure to let nothing get in the way of her big dreams.
Introduce myself? Okay, uh hi, my name is Samantha Prince, but my friends and family just call me Sam.
ReplyDeleteA little about me? Hmm, well I was born and raised in Orlando, Florida which is pretty much in the center of Florida. I was born on Saturday, May 22nd, 1999 in the afternoon. I am an only child but when I was three I met my best friend Abby. Being so young, it was almost like she was my sister, so it made being an only child a little bit better. She is by far my ride or die. I have a dog named Red, he is a red bone coon hound. I have a cat too and they get along really well.
Where did I get my education? I went to a private Christian school until 5th grade. After that, I went to a charter school from 6th to senior year of high school. I got my appendix taken out around 7th grade which was painful but a cool story. There were only one hundred students in my graduating class, so everyone was super close. All the girls dated all the same guys which is really weird when you think about it. There were a lot of arguments because of this, the girls would get mad when their friend dated their ex, but I didn’t really care about any of that. In high school, my main focus was cheerleading for my school’s sports and getting into College. I am going to go to college at Florida State University and eventually become a nurse anesthetist.
My favorite things to do? Well I really enjoy going to the beach and exploring new things. My favorite beach is New Smyrna; it’s so pretty. As a matter of fact, I traveled to the Dominican Republic just last summer with my parents and Abby. We went ziplining and it was a lot of fun. We got lost on the way there and had some good laughs.
Where do I see myself in the next 5 years? Well as I said before, I am attending Florida State University in Tallahassee and I absolutely love it. It was my top choice of schools to attend mainly because of the nursing program. Finding out that I got into Florida State was one of my favorite days.
Yeah, I can tell you about it! I got home from school and I immediately saw my dog, Red, wagging his tail, he’s so cute. It was only 2 and acceptance letters came out at 5. My parents finally got home and later in the evening we all sat around my computer and reloaded the page and heard the war chant right away, signaling that I got it. I had to cheer at a basketball game that night and I was probably the peppiest girl out there. Afterwards, my parents took me and my best friend Abby out to dinner and we had a great time!
Oh! So, in the next 5 years to come! I plan on applying to the nursing program next spring, fingers crossed I get in. Then after getting my BSN, which is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, I plan on going back to Orlando for a bit, work at the hospital nearby and spend time with family. I plan on being a nurse anesthetist and a requirement for that job is a year experience as an RN in an acute care setting. After getting my degree for a nurse anesthetist, that is what I want to do for a long time and that is my plan for the next five years.
Non-Conventional Families are very common in today’s society. Andrea Munoz is very familiar with the concept, as she was born into non-married parents, with two completely different cultures. Her mother is Colombian, while father is white, exposing her to both cultures while growing up. Although not having her parents married did not really matter or affect her while young, her parents splitting up was much easier and faster because of it. Even after the separation, she was still a happy child and had no complaints, that is until the news that they had to move towns was introduced to her. Hurt, confused, angry- these were some of Andrea’s feelings as her mother told her they would be moving from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale. Her mother was starting a new job, but also was moving to solidify her relationship with her boyfriend. Andrea felt angry because she felt dragged along to this new relationship, which ended up surprising her in the end. Having a father not be there for a daughter can be very hard to deal with it, but her step father ended up stepping in and becoming the father that she needed and wanted. While she never got to be close with her father after their break up, she remained extremely close to her father’s parents- her paternal grandparents, which is one of the most important and special relationships she has. Her grandparents living in Miami became less of a problem the more she grew up because she could see them whenever, and kept up their relationship even while living in Ft. Lauderdale. Once she remembers being angry about her step-father today, she regrets it. She has a great relationship with him and the only word to describe him is “Awesome”, because he not only makes her mom happy but also cares for Andrea and her sister and makes her dreams possible. She got to travel, make memories, and experience life because of her stepfather, which really connected them. Their favorite place to visit is Colorado. Traveling became one of her hobbies, which sparked a love for reading and writing. She had no direct reason to want to pursue a teacher career, other than her passion for Education. She was sure that she wanted to get into an English Education major once she got into Florida State University, but plans do not always work out. The love she had for literature quickly lost its importance to her because it became much more of a chore or obligation, rather than something she truly enjoyed. Andrea is exploring her options and leaning towards a Psychology major. Once she graduates, she plans on either staying in North Florida because of how much she has fallen in love with it over the past year or moving to her favorite place, Colorado. Andrea’s life story just goes to show that everything happens for a reason, even when we are blinded by feelings of the “right now”. Her mother and step-father are actually getting married soon, so it really proved that their love was worth the move and adjustments. While she gets to be present in seeing them finally get married, they will be taking a cruise somewhere together to spend some quality family time together. Having the perfect family does not exist, and what may be “perfect” for you, may be something entirely different for someone else.
ReplyDeleteCharles Herbert Saul was born on December 18 in Plantation Florida. Much like me he has been florida grown and has never been far from the beach and palm trees. Him and his family loved going to the keys for vacation Charles was a very energetic child who loved to play sports. Ever since he was little he was absorbed in sports. Charles loved all sports and played most of them with his friends. However, he really like football. He started with flag football and worked his way up to tackle football in the sixth grade. Also while he was young he loved to ski down the slopes of Utah.
ReplyDeleteSchool for charles was not a problem. He coasted through it with little to no problems. He started elementary school at silver ridge and later went on to go to middle school at indian ridge middle school. After making it through middle school he made his way to Archbishop Mccarthy High school. There are many experiences that one expects to have during their time in high school. One of those experiences is a high school party. For Charles that chance came very early in his high school years. Actually it happened in his freshman year of high school. What is even more crazy about that is that he actual had the party at his own house.
When the parents of Charles decided to leave their home in his hands for a couple of unsupervised days, there was only one thing that could happen. And that one thing is a party. Most people in high school would not think of a freshmen throwing a banger. But that is exactly what he did. This was definitely a crazy party. If you have ever seen the movie project X it was something along the lines of that. Kids from all classes and schools showed up to get lit at Charles party of freshmen year of high school. Even upperclassmen and kids from other schools had decided to show up and have a good time. Charles friend blew up his address sending it to everyone they knew and little did they know that almost everyone would actually show up. One of the craziest things that people could remember is Charles deciding to jump off his roof into the pool below.
Although this party was insane and an amazing highlight of his high school social life he did get caught in the end. Even though he didn't get away with it he came away a smarter man and a smarter parteyer. Also he never had this large of a party at his own place ever again. So one can say that he has learned from his past mistakes and gotten stronger from it. Although he stopped with the large parties it does not mean it was the end for the fun times at his place. Over the course of the next couple of years he still had small get togethers at his place that he made sure that they did not get out of hand like his first party. Now he continues to enjoy the good times with many new friends at the best universities in Florida.
Alexis Kelly, better known as Lexi, was born in a suburb of Chicago on June 1, 1999. Being the youngest with two older brothers, Lexi considered herself as somewhat of a “tomboy” growing up. With her Dad being a huge sports fan and almost making it to the Chicago Bears football team, Lexi was constantly surrounded by sports from an early age. Even though she considers herself bad at sports, her whole families interest in sports was spread to her. She stated how she really just enjoys team sports, which is why she participated in many different sports from an early age. Lexi went from sports to theater nearing her end of elementary school. Even though she was very humble about her short theater career, she stated how she was the lead in multiple shows so she must have been talented. She eventually quit and stated how she had no issue being on stage but when she had to perform solos it was a different story. One of her last shows she performed in, Honk, a musical adaptation of the story the Ugly Duckling, Lexi was cast as one of the leads Ida. She was secretly happy that the boy who was cast as Ida’s husband Drake, was the boy she had a crush on. Lexi got very shy and uncomfortable during solos, and in this show, she had three. Before, Lexi and the boy she had a crush on were about to go on stage, the boy kept telling her “you got this,” “you’re going to do great.” The positive affirmation from him was just enough to give her the confidence she needed to perform. The beginning of the show went perfectly. After a few scenes had passed, it was time for Lexi’s first solo. As the solo begins she starts off singing perfectly, but then during the middle she completely blanked one of the lyrics and took around ten seconds to recuperate. When she went off stage she kept replaying the scene of her mistake in her mind. Her characters husband Drake quickly approaches her off stage and begins to help her get out of that negative mindset. He told her to forget about the mistake because thinking about it will only make it worse. “You got this, don’t let this one mistake overwhelm you and cause you to make more mistakes. Just think positively.” His words greatly impacted Lexi and by the time her next solo was up, she was ready. The new-found confidence he helped her achieve showed in her performance and the audience responded with enormous applause. When it was finally time for the last solo, Lexi was more than ready. It went very similar to the second one but with almost more applause. Sitting in the spotlight, it was a very humbling experience as Lexi thought about the situation. This moment would forever be ingrained in her mind. Even though she did not continue theater after Honk, whenever life got her down, she thought of that moment and it gave her strength.
ReplyDeleteDavid Silverberg was born August 6, 1999 in St. Pete Florida. Ever since he could remember he was on the water: fishing, spear fishing, and tubing. Today was no different, as he woke up early this morning to grab his boat to start of scallop season well. David explained his activity on the ocean stemmed from his Dad’s love of going out on the boat. The day started normally as he drove out of bay heading towards the spot him and his dad went to. To pass the time his dad brought up that crazy memory when David was just a kid and he fell off the boat going 30 miles an hour, David winced at the memory remembering skidding on the water and the pain that resulted. They continued to drive out farther and farther into the water, until they passed the spot David would never forget. The last time he had gone scalloping he encountered a massive stingray swimming around this spot; the stingray was around 200 hundred pounds. The stingray was passive and David nor the ray had any problems; until a reef shark on the hunt came into the picture. The shark at first was eating the eels and the fish in the area, until David tried to escape back to the boat. The shark noticed his fluttering fins and gave them a chomp; biting an entire chunk of plastic off. David brought up the memory and him and his dad laughed at the crazy experience as they continued to drive. Before they arrived at their new location for scalloping, David’s dad began to ask him about his experience at Florida State. David explained that he was having a great time: he was living with his best friend, going out every week, and enjoying the rigor of his classes. David compared and contrasted his experience to his dads, who had attended Florida State University as well. They noticed that time had changed the school, but there were certain aspects of Tallahassee that would never change. They finally reached their spot and began to dive in the water with just their mask, fins, and a bag to hold the scallops in. Looking through the sea grass they found scallop after scallop. In the end they caught a lot of fresh, delicious scallops that they were ready to feast on. On the way back, his father asked him if he missed playing baseball, as it was the first year he hadn’t played since kindergarten. Of course, he missed it as his team was dominate and he got to travel all around to play his favorite sport. Memories of winning tournaments in New York and Puerto Rico came flowing back. He had always wanted to make it to the MLB to play for his favorite baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays; as he thought of wearing the Ray’s uniform thoughts of the sting ray and shark came back once again. Coincidentally they were passing through the same spot it had happened once again. It seemed like a fitting way to end the day on the water.
ReplyDeleteAs he filled out the application to Florida State University, his hands trembled a bit while entering the last bit of information regarding his life- was he nervous or excited? Controversy stormed his emotions and thinking. Finally, senior year had approached and Ellis new he would have to make a decision fast: either leave his hometown surrounded by the culture and city life the child within him loved or escape his comfort zone into the realms of an unfamiliar state. His body felt the strength and power of the country which suffered great wars, battled intensity, yet exists with pride, exquisiteness, and potential. Bosnia. He recalled his unforgettable thirteenth birthday as his mind debated whether or not attending Florida State University would fit his satisfaction. He needed the strength Bosnia possessed and executed during battle to carry him through this life changing decision. Ellis wanted, needed, an escape from the red neck mainstream and southern tone he lived in. Although surrounded by both the serene and pleasant suburb, just a car ride away from the classy and extravagant city, Ellis did not want to be imprisoned with the mundane routine- he desired a change that would inspire his adventurous taste. His feet felt the hills and rubble beneath them. His eyes gazed upon the beauty in the mountains and across the sea. The thirteen-year-old buried within his heart evoked the feelings while adventuring through Bosnia. Present day him pondered how the country could withstand such challenge, remain a country with bruises, wounds, and battle scars, yet still exude exploration, curiosity, home, and charm. He wanted this future. He wanted to leave behind the high-end country club neighborhood he grew up in with the beautiful white gate that opened just for him as greeting each time he entered the community. But the scars would be the brotherhood he created among the athletes in his school while playing both football and soccer. This was his life. Just as Bosnia conveyed the memories of war within their city and countryside, he wanted to attend Florida State University while carrying the history and past of his life in Georgia. Although Ellis loves the city more than anything else, the metropolitan ambiance which inspires him and gives adrenaline to the mundane, he decided to leave all this behind while pursuing the next chapter of his life, a career of independence, experience, ups and downs: college. But not just any college, Florida State University. And so, as he clicked the submit button for his application, fear escaped him. As the spring semester approached, he stepped foot on to campus for the first time. His steps through campus felt as if they were full of limitless possibility and beauty, yet there is a stain which exudes pride and strength among all the trees and hills. Ellis could see, he could feel the pain which he left behind in his home town, just as both Bosnia and its people had endured through wartime- this changed him. While the buildings stood tall, proud, and culturally beautiful, they carried battle and hardship in the stone and bricks they were built on. His mind reminisced the difficulty civilians fought with as he walked among the hills and roads of the countryside. This sensation rushed back to him as he walked into what he now calls home. And so, he was given the strength and power Bosnia had as they represented their scars with pride; he carried his previous life onto Florida State University, his new home.
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ReplyDeleteChristin Carr was born in Miami, Florida on August 13, 1999. Ever since Christian can remember he’s been traveling, something he still enjoys to this day. While sitting in class with only a month left of his sophomore year of high school, Christian realized that summer was rapidly approaching and that he had nothing planned for his three-month vacation. He quickly began thinking of options, however, nothing exciting came to mind. Later that day, Christian went to lunch with one of his best friends, Christian told him about his summer vacation dilemma and his friend immediately responded with an idea that Christian should join him at a beginner’s surf camp in Costa Rica. Christian loved the idea, and before you know it, the two friends were on a plane to Costa Rica. Christian was nervous for the first day of surfing, after all he had never touched a surf board, he didn’t know what to expect. The first day had finally come and the counselors woke the students up at the crack of dawn, the beach was filled with surfers just moments after. Christian grabbed a board and headed straight for the ocean where he was met by an instructor. The first day felt impossible, Christian couldn’t stand up on the board, his body began to ache from the many times he fell. His first day woes didn’t discourage him, he woke up at sun rise every day in order to practice the craft of surfing. By the end of the first week, Christian was getting the hang of it, and it was about time, the heavy and constant crashing waves were taking a toll on his endurance. At the end of the two weeks, Christian was sad to leave what he referred to as “paradise”, however, he was grateful to learn a new craft and a hobby that he still enjoys to this day. When Christian returned back to Miami from surf camp, he began to miss waking up every day in paradise, grabbing a surf board and running straight for the waves. As a result, his love for surfing led to him getting a job at a local surf shop in Miami. Christian loved his new job, it allowed him to keep in touch with the surfing world, be constantly close to the beach, and receive discounts on the best surfing appeal. While working at the surf shop, Christian became focused on saving his money, he wasn’t sure what he was saving it for, but his sixteenth birthday was rapidly approaching and he wanted to buy himself a generous present. All of a sudden it hit him, “a car!” he proclaimed. Christian discussed the idea with his parents who agreed to pay for half of the car as long as it was under a certain price. Once Christian had enough money for the car he wanted, he quit his job and bought a car so he could spend more time surfing as opposed to selling surf boards. He described buying his car as the best purchase he’s ever made because it allowed him twice as much freedom, and twice as much time surfing.
ReplyDeleteOn October twenty second 1998, Maxx Schoenblatt was born. He and his family resided in the beautiful sunny town of Miami and have continued to live there ever since. Miami is the place where Maxx would play with his big brother, or go dirt biking, or just hangout with his four best friends. He spent most of his time outside on his bike, or skateboard. It is the place he learned and grew and the place where he got knocked down and learned to get back up. When Maxx was little, around five years old, his parents got a divorce and his father lost his job all in a very short time span. He didn’t get to see his dad every day because most of the time he resided at his mom’s, but every Sunday he and his dad loaded up their dirt bikes into the truck and brought it to the track. His dad had helped him train and he had actually medaled a few times in competitions. Although, sometimes his confidence led him to a fall or two. One Sunday Maxx and his father went to the track and Maxx set off on his bike. Going as fast as his bike could carry him, he flew off the biggest ramp. His heart racing and adrenaline pumping, he flew through the air. Just as fast as he went up, he came right back down. The bike hit the ground, bounced up and landed right on Maxx’s leg. He didn’t break anything, but his pride was definitely bruised. His dad was upset, but they were pretty close so he didn’t get too mad. His father managed restaurants for work and had worked at quite a few in his lifetime, but the business he was managing at this time went under and they shut down. It was a hard time for their family with all of these big changes, but they managed to overcome their troubles and smile through it. Later on his dad met a woman and fell in love, and they gave Maxx a little brother. It was strange for him because now he had two homes with two families with two different ways of living. One thing that was new was the fact that his dad and his stepmom and little brother were vegan and vegetarian. He went back and forth from a vegan household and a meat eating household. The one major constant in Maxx’s life was his tight group of friends. He had four guys that he considered his best friends and they shared everything with each other. They spent all their time together, even spring break when their plans to go do something crazy or fun would fall through they would still hangout even if they had nothing to do. Him and his friends love to skate together and just chill. When college was coming closer they worried that they may not be as close as they were, but Maxx says that they are just as close as they’ve ever been and they still hang out when they’re home or whenever they can and their bond is just as strong.
ReplyDeleteNick Granberry, to his close friends “cranberry”, grew up in Melbourne, FL.
ReplyDeleteHaving been in catholic private school from pre-kindergarten to the eighth grade he decided he had enough and went to a public high school. He lived the life similar to a beach bum in that he loved to surf, fish and practically anything to do with the water or near the beach. Nick also has an older brother who is the complete opposite of him who currently attends the University of Florida. Nick enjoys eating anything good, listens to all types of music and still stays close to his religious roots. He also was raised by a mother who played tennis and Nick was at one time was one of the top 25 tennis players for his age in Florida. Sadly, he quit playing his junior year of high school because he wanted to take a different path. At the age of seventeen he became a life guard at his local beach. While on duty as a life guard there was one time when, one stormy day, the beach was closed but he was still working just to make sure no one was on the beach putting themselves in danger. He received a call that someone was spotted on the beach and this is when he gets into action. Him and a few others get on their off-road vehicles and headed down the beach to where the people where supposedly spotted. Once they arrived Nick spotted a man in his late thirties laying on the ground having a heart attack. Springing into action Nick had started to preform CPR on the man while the other lifeguards called for medical assistance and assessed the area. Nick at this moment knew that someone’s life was in his hands and that this was no joke. After a while he was able to keep the man alive and the paramedics were able to take over. However, there was another person out at sea while this was all happening and with the huge six-foot waves, the life guards were unable to find the other person before he went under. This person sadly died and Nick was a part of the crew that had to search for his body. This was done by forming a line and swimming to the bottom of the ocean trying to find the missing person. After a while the body eventually washed ashore and was confirmed dead. This is an experience Nick will never forget in how serious his job really meant, and as a young seventeen-year-old he was glad he was able to successfully carry out his duty as a lifeguard. In high school, he also started weight lifting and has taken on a few other jobs in search of his passion. In high school, he was interested in becoming a dentist, but, decided that that job wouldn’t be as interesting after a while. Nick has also worked for a real estate company located in his home town and this is something that sparks interest with him currently. His father who he admires dearly for his hard work and determination also works in the field of finance by traveling the world as an international banker. What Nick likes to do now is lift weights, go out, hang out with friends and also be a part of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Nick also plans to study finance and real estate similarly but not the same as his father here at Florida State University, he already has experience working in the real estate market and plans to further progress up the ladder. In hopes of becoming a real estate agent.
Kyle was born in Orlando, Florida. He has two younger sisters and a younger brother, and a sweet dog named Kota. He loves playing and going on walks with Kota. Kyle has always understood that he comes from a family that is fairly well off, but has never let that stop him from working hard. Kyle has had many different interests throughout his life, the one thing to remain constant is his love for cars and motorcycles. He loves everything about them. Driving them, working on them, and even cleaning them. He sees himself making a career out of his love for automobiles and can not wait to further explore this passion of his. In 2017 Kyle received his acceptance letter to Florida State University. Although he has never thought of himself as much of the studious type, he was excited to continue you his education at Florida State. He was especially excited to leave home and gain some independence. Growing up in Orlando, he knew the one college he definitely did not want to go to University of Central Florida. Not because of any other reason than that it was just simply to close to home. He wanted to travel and gain life experience in college and knows the best way to do this would be to go to a school a little farther from home. He gained much of this life experience when he and his buddies traveled to Europe recently. They went to six different countries including Amsterdam and Switzerland. As soon as he got off the plane he couldn’t wait to explore. They traveled, met new people, tried new food, and even stopped a mugging.
ReplyDeleteWalking down the dark and quiet streets of Zurich, Switzerland, his hunger grew almost painful. It had been hours since Kyle and his friends last last ate. The thought of a McDonald’s cheeseburger was stuck in their minds and caused their mouths to water. The closest restaurant was still a couple miles away but Kyle was determined to satisfy his hunger. As he made the turn on to the next street in the corner of his eye he saw a struggle between a man and woman. The man ripped the leather purse from the woman and she fell to the ground. The thief then turned around to escape. As he saw my friends and I moving towards him, he bolted towards the other direction. Kyle took off to chase after him. He turned around the corner and headed to the train station. Staying close behind him, Kyle shouted “drop the bag” but the assailant would not comply. He hopped over the turnstyles and onto a train and I followed closely. Bumping into people and shoving people out of his way, he made is way to the back exit of the train and got off on the first stop. Kyle sprinted to the exit and got off exactly where he did. However, the thief was nowhere to be found. Kyle felt defeated and as if he failed the women whom he was trying to help. Kyle’s head dropped in disappointment, but a few yards from next to a pillar laid the women's purse. He picked it up and relished in his victory against this robber. We returned to the site of the robbery and found the woman who the purse belonged to. They all felt satisfied handing it to her, and she was grateful for what the boys had done for her, especially kyle. She thanked him for his bravery and was even nice enough to buy them the burgers from McDonald’s that the group had been craving. Kyle and his buddies walked home that night, with a warm satisfying feeling. Was that the McDouble with cheese that caused this sensation? Possibly, but most likely it was the fulfilling feeling of doing the right thing, and helping someone in need.
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ReplyDeleteThomas Edward Martin the 3rd Was Born May 23rd 1998, his Dad shares the same name as him, his parents looking to keep him active put him in all kinds of sports such as football, baseball and more. One way to describe Thomas would be outgoing and involved. He would dabble in many sports growing up. However, the only sport he continued to play was soccer. Soccer has always had a big influence on his life meeting many friends and keeping him active almost every day. He played soccer since he can ever remember and estimates it to be when he started at about 5 years old. Soccer would be where he met some of his best friends in almost every city or school he lived in. He attended three different high schools as well as moving To East lake after his sophomore year of school and stayed there until he graduated from East Lake high school. When I asked Thomas about a cool event in his life that left an impression on him he immediately thought of the time his friends and himself got the whole senior and high school class at his school together to have a party in the middle of his golf course. The story goes as this: His friends (In reference to his neighborhood) would always say I bet there’s a hole on this golf course that no one can see from the main road. After some investigated they were right and discovered the now infamous hole four. They immediately began planning a big scheme they wanted to assemble a big group of friends and have a party and hang out on the course they eventually found the perfect opportunity. After a big home football win vs their rival school Thomas and his friends spread the word to come by his neighborhood and show up at hole 4. By the end of the night there were several hundred high schoolers partying and having a good time in the middle of a golf course. Most certainly an unforgettable scene especially if you organized the whole thing. This unconventional party would go down as one of the most memorable moments for Thomas and his friends during their high school experience. Nowadays he enjoys playing video games; His favorite video game to play is Fortnite Battle Royale he plays most of the time on his gaming laptop. He got his laptop as a gift from his uncle for graduating high school the laptop is also what he uses for classes and his education at Florida State University. He decided to attend this university because it was his dream school. He always admired the school growing up and knew it was home for him. Thomas is currently 19 years old and is now a sophomore in college and plans to continue his education all four years and get a degree in business marketing. His favorite sports teams are the Tampa Bay Rays, Lightning, Buccaneers, and Liverpool in the Premier League.
ReplyDeleteWhen Mitchell was about to begin his high school years he had no idea it would turn out totally different than expected. He began his high school career at a school named Terra for engineering. Although Mitchell thought this school would be a good fit because of his aspirations to be an engineer it turned out to be the opposite of what he had wanted. Mitchell didn't fit in with the kids at Terra because they were all so focused on engineering and really weren't fun at all. Mitchell had a group of friends that were his best friends from elementary school to high school. These friends did not attend Terra though. A few of Mitchell’s best friends attended a school named Palmetto bay, and another one of his friends went to a very preppy high school in town. Of course, they would hangout after school, but Mitchell still had to attend the dreaded Terra every day. All of the kids being boring and nerdy were the least of Mitchells problems at Terra. The work was extremely hard and the teachers were very strict and unclear. Mitchell even had one teacher that would grade his assignments incorrectly and gave extremely hard homework that not even his parents could help him with. Mitchell’s aspirations to become an engineer were completely gone. Considering his new hatred for doing math in high school he needed to change what he wanted to do in life. By the time the end of sophomore year rolled around Mitchell was over it. It was time to ditch engineering and move to a different school. Mitchell wasn’t the only one sick of his school either. His friend that went to that private preppy school was sick of his situation too. Mitchell convinced his friend that they should both move schools to Palmetto bay with him. All the stars were beginning to align. The boys were back in town.
ReplyDeleteJunior year would be totally different for Mitchell. He was at a whole new school with no crazy teachers or engineering classes and would be hanging out with his best friends all day long instead of just after school. Palmetto Bay was a much different scene then Terra. Terra was a school full of smart nerdy kids and strict teachers. Palmetto Bay was different though. Palmetto bay was a much more diverse public high school where Mitchell felt like he had more freedom. Most of his junior year Mitchell hung out with his childhood friends. This would change senior year though.
At Palmetto Bay, everyone was really cliquey and only socialized with a certain group of people. This all changed senior year. Everyone started hanging out with different people and socializing more. People started going to parties and meeting new friends they had never known before. Mitchell’s group of friends did this as well.
When graduation came around Mitchell and most his childhood friends decided they were going to attend Florida State university. Mitchell’s house was the place to go to for all his friends to hangout. He decided to have a graduation party for his friends going to FSU. Little did Mitchell know that night basically all of his high school would be at his house partying. The party was great, and was a nice end to Mitchell’s high school story.
Laney Degroat was born November 22, 1998 in Vero Beach, Florida. Vero Beach is a small town on the east coast of Florida. Laney lives 3 minutes from the beach and has always loved spending countless hours basking in the sun. She has one older sister and one younger sister. When they were little both of her sisters would side against her, but her animals were always there for her. She has a dog, cat, and turtle. In middle school and high school, Laney participated in competitive cheerleading. Her love for this sport was shown as she smiled wide and had sparkles in her eyes. This same affection was shown when she was talking about her work as a CNA. She decided to become a CNA in high school. She took two years of Health Science classes and one semester of a Certified Nurse Assistant course before she could take the CNA test. Laney took the written portion of the test first. She was nervous to click submit, so she had the proctor do it for her. A huge green pass was written on the screen. Laney squealed and got excited, but it was not over yet. She still had to take the skills portion. This part of the test was going to be more difficult. Before every portion of the test she would have to remember to wash her hands, and even though she knew to do this, she was scared that she would be so nervous that she would forget. Thankfully, she remembered and was able to also pass the skills section. The proctor handed Laney her score, and she started crying as soon as she found out that she passed. All her hard work had finally paid off. However, this was only the beginning. Her next real challenge would be facing her first day as a CNA. When she arrived at the nursing home, she was greeted by her teacher. She instructed Laney to take the vitals of the patients. Laney was expecting this, but what she was not expecting was for her teacher to tell her to go check to see if one of the patients was dead. This took Laney for a whim and made for a very weird memory of her first day as a CNA. Her next adventure as a CNA took place at the hospital. She figured this setting would be a little a bit more her speed, but instead she encountered two contact isolation patients and a patient in restraints. This made it very difficult for her to take their vitals. However, after figuring out how to properly address them, Laney conquered the rest of the day with ease. She felt very proud of herself and all that she had accomplished. Laney knew her work as a CNA would help her fulfil her dreams of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. She had always hoped to attend Florida State University. On December 8, 2017, three days after getting her CNA license, she would finally find out if that hope would become a reality. She called her older sister on the phone, who attended FSU, and logged onto the portal. The FSU chant song started blaring from the computer. She was going to be a Seminole! Her sister’s tears of happiness could be vividly heard through the phone. At Florida State, Laney would be majoring in nursing. This was an easy choice for her and had been something she had wanted to do for her whole life. However, it would not come without any challenges. She is struggling in Chemistry but is fighting for success. After getting her registered nursing license, Laney wants to move to California or Colorado. Out west, she will be able to experience and understand life in a whole new way. She will meet new friends, but also bring some old ones with her. Laney has met a lot of new people at Florida State University. She lives in Wildwood Hall with her random roommate, who she really likes. Laney and her friends plan to take some of the same classes so that they can all work together.
ReplyDeleteIt was Halloween night at around 11:00 p.m. when my perspective on life changed forever.
ReplyDeleteA few of my friends and I were on the way to a party walking on the gap between the sidewalk and the road. We were laughing while strolling down the road when everything went black. The first thing I remember after I woke up was a sharp and lasting pain in my right leg. My heart started racing and i didn’t remember anything. A sense of confusion overwhelmed me because I strangely didn’t know what happened. The next thing I remember was hearing the nurse check my vitals and notify the doctor that I was awake.
When the doctor arrived I pelted him with questions. “What happened to me?”, I asked. “How did I get here?” He then informed me that I was hit by a car and am most likely suffering from ligament damage in my knee. He told me that my injury was serious but not life threatening. Immediately, I felt relieved.
A chill ran through my body. The idea of being hit by a car was extremely frightening to me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened or how much more I could have been injured.
I also couldn't stop thinking about my family and how devastated they would be. Memories of my family raced through my head as a laid alone in a hospital bed. It was a very chilling and humbling experience to say the least.
I am very lucky that my life so far has prepared me to be independent so that I could handle this situation on my own. It allowed me to stay calm at a time of tragedy. I am used to transitioning to new environment which I believe allowed me to better handle the situation. I was going to Riviera Preparatory school in Miami when I decided I wanted to make a chance. I moved to Paris for sixth months where I lived with my cousins and continued my education. I studied at Sorbonne University so that I didn’t fall behind in school.
Fast forward through a relaxing summer and I began my career as a student at Florida State University.
This part of my life taught me a lot about myself. It helped me create a perspective on life and what type of person I want to be. I also learned a lot through the constant transition. Adapting from high school to living in Paris was one of the biggest challenges I have ever faced. While exiting, the lifestyles are completely different.
I was also suffering from Retrograde Amnesia. This occurs when your brain subconsciously forgets traumatic events to prevent future stress. This natural reaction actually helped me throughout the process because it allowed me to move on and stop thinking about what could have happened. By the next morning, my parents had arrived which made me feel a lot better. They met with my doctors as the talked about next steps. I immediately got a CT scan that revealed my torn ACL, MCL, and Meniscus. Though my recovery will undoubtedly be challenging, I thank my lucky stars every day that I walked out of the hospital with my life.
This guy has worked hard his whole life and knows his limits. He is constantly challenging himself with physical and mental stress. Muay thai is a sport where the body and mind have to be in sync in order for you to survive. Literally. There are no fights won without taking punches. This does not discourage my man right here though. He knows he's in for a treatment of punching, kicking, and everything in between. The different strikes used here are all taught to him during his XX years of experience. The guy is a veteran. His finnish genes have him looking like a Euro-fighting star. With a spirit animal of Conor Mcgregor this guy is hard to take down. Weighing in at a sharp 170lbs he is a force that could be even deadly if met meet face to face with. He has a lot to fight for in life including his family. Competitive families produce competitive offspring and this guy is no exception to that. Locked in against his sister, Dalton lives within another FSU UF rivalry. I’d say that if this doesn’t describe their relationship than you’re honestly pretty hopeless (in terms of college rivalries) and are going to need a taste of some FSU football to get acquainted. While Dalton may think he can't keep up with his sister in terms of merit, he is able to hold his own within the muay thai universe. That alone is impressive. In case you are unfamiliar with those in the muay thai world, the inhabitants within Thailand, the birthplace of this art, are known for performing grueling acts of pain such as cutting down banana trees by kicking them repeatedly. FSU is currently the place he calls home and you can find him in his element at the muay thai gym here in Tally. Other places that he can be found on campus are (in case you were searching for this guy for some reason) would either be the cafeteria or the gym. He has let few obstacles in life get in the way of his college experience. Currently, he is on his way to a degree that he can use to do his dream job. This job happens to be a sports commentator like the ones you see on ESPN. Dalton let me in on a little secret to how he wants to go about his success. The way to reach his goal is by comboing a degree with sports knowledge. Surely there are a lot of knowledgeable people in the sports community, but how do they find the ones to put on tv? ESPN is a service that is trying to stay afloat through streams of income from sponsors and ads. In order for ESPN to be the most popular sports show, it has to be the most interesting as well as the most entertaining. With Dalton’s bright mind and hard work in sports I’m sure he can work his way up the ESPN food chain and into the spotlight.
ReplyDeleteAs businesses and ideas grow bigger, the world grows smaller, and each individual person’s childhood grows more complicated and adventurous than that of our parents and grandparents. Our generation grows with more mixed experiences and opportunities than any before it and it has shaped us into a more flexible group. No better example than Gabriela Malicki. Gabriela (Gaby) Malicki was born in Maryland, to Mr. and Mrs. Malicki, with her little sister following a few years later. Her mother is described as type A, but very loving, and her father is described as nonchalant and gentle. At the age of seven, due to her father’s job, Gaby and her family moved down to Orlando, Florida. Her parents divorced not long after, but both eventually remarried, giving Gaby and her sister step-siblings. Growing up, Gaby had as good of a relationship with her sister as much as she could. They bonded over watching Disney channel against their father’s wishes and behind his back. The simple act of sneaking around their father to watch what would later be considered silly kid’s shows, had created a bond between the sisters. A secret they could share with each other, something only they knew. This was a precursor to Gaby’s rebellious attitude that manifested in later years. In middle school and high school, Gaby described herself as a prankster and free-spirited, while often time surrounding herself with good friends. Gaby was never one to let the idea of fear get in her way, especially exemplified by her passion for singing. From a young age, all she wanted to do was sing, a passion that was developed into an impressive talent by the encouragement of her family. She explored her love of music without fear, as that was all she ever saw herself doing. She worked hard to be a good musician and to be In 2013, Gaby Started Timber Creek High School in Orlando, where her musical talent had an opportunity to flourish. She looks back on her high school experience as normal, with mostly good experiences and people whom she will remember forever. She graduated in 2017 and set out, ready to start her life. She began her colligate education at Florida State University in 2017, where she knew she would be able to find herself and prefect her talent. She is currently a Vocal Performance Major, as she hopes to turn her passion into her career. Laura has also expressed her interest in tattoos, having one designed by her friend, on her arm. She has spoken out against the traditional idea of romantic relationships, promoting instead the idea of putting one’s self first. Gabriela is truly representative of the idea of a fearless, flexible generation.
ReplyDeleteHi my names Chase Kobylarz, I was born and raised in Jacksonville Florida. I have one younger brother who looks nothing like me. Both my parents attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando. I was never really into sports growing up however I did have one passion that still has me captivated today. In fourth grade I learned to play the guitar and from that point on I was hooked. My younger brother also learned how to play the drums. Going into middle school I decided I wanted to follow music and enrolled in a school of the arts for middle school. The next instrument I learned to play was the clarinet in 6th grade, which has become my favorite and main choice of instruments. After the clarinet I picked up the saxophone in 7th. All in the 8th grade, I learned how to play piano, bass guitar, and acted as a conductor in a band. I was performing in some shows but not to the height of the concerts I would be performing in during high school. Entering high school I easily made the choice of attending another school of the arts mainly focusing on music. This high school was very prestigious within music education. I began traveling the country performing in different music halls within a Wind Concert band (band primarily of wind and percussion instruments). I performed in the Chicago Midwest Clinic where thousands of prestigious performers and music educators gather. I also performed in Canergie Hall in New York which is the first performance hall ever built in the United States. I now attend the Florida State University studying music education following my heart of music. Out of all my performances and concerts there will always be one that will stand out as my favorite. It was a stormy evening and pouring outside like no other. I hid my clarinet under my shirt as I ran into the auditorium to keep it dry. I was performing a duet with a pianist and myself on clarinet. Our performance was going great and the audience was thoroughly enjoying our piece when something completely unexpected happened; out of nowhere all the power in the building cut out. The pianist couldn't read the music, panicked, and stopped playing and I couldn't see my music sheet either but that didn’t stop me. I had memorized my entire piece and kept playing through the darkness. I couldn't see the crowd and the crowd couldn't see me. The second I finished playing the crowd, still in the dark, went insane. It was the best feeling in the world and words could not describe my feelings. After the concert everyone was coming up to me telling me how amazing what I did was. I have performed in larger concert halls than this one but hands down this will always be my favorite performance of my life. As can be seen music was, is, and will always be my passion.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Laura Gonzalez and I was born in Columbia as an only child. However, I don't remember my early time there as my family moved to the United States, settling in Houston, Texas when I was just six months old. In fact, although I have some scattered, scarce recollections; most of my childhood was spent in Miami, Florida where my family moved when I was three years old. I loved princesses and playing dress up, my favorite show being Dora the Explorer (the original, six year old Dora, the one that had to ask her mom to go out... not the altered, older version of the character). In fifth grade we moved again, all the way to Atlanta, Georgia. Although I liked the change of weather, I was appalled to discover a change in my life that completely blindsided me. I found out my parents had been divorced for years! I guess I never noticed anything, even though their living in separate rooms always seemed rather odd to me. I stayed busy with my dancing and soccer, and especially liked sitting in the teen section of Barnes and Noble for hours; exploring and having new, exciting adventures with every turn of a page. Mom and Dad both remarried, each having a son with their new spouse. I've got some step siblings, but I only like my two older step sisters on my Dad's side. My Mom's step kids suck, they're super controlling and I hate them. The summer before my junior year, we moved again to Tampa, Florida. I guess I didn't mind too much considering my boyfriend lives in West Palm. Looking back on my teen years, my parents definitely had different views on their ideas of efficient parenting. My dad was the cool parent for sure, always cracking jokes and allowing me freedom and responsibility. My mom however, was the polar opposite. I swear it was like she thought I would be abducted by some kidnapper at any moment of the day. I had to give my phone up every single night, and had a strict curfew of eight pm... meaning eight was late, and 7:55 was on time. So yeah, that kinda pissed me off and I acted out in my own ways. It was never anything really bad though, except maybe the select few times where mom had to pick me up from a party and I wasn't exactly... coherent. There was one time though, that if my parents ever found it out, I would definitely not be here today. It was over the summer, and I was driving down to Miami to meet my boyfriend and his family for vacation. My dad allowed me to go, under the condition that I take his work car... his big, white, rape van. I was so annoyed that he was making me drive this huge car nine hours to Miami, but I reluctantly agreed and went anyways. My excitement for the trip was cut short however, when I got pulled over by three cops for speeding like 60 miles over the speed limit. I was so scared I couldn't move, and when the cops gave me a warning citation instead of a massive speeding ticket and an one way ticket to jail; I knew that I could never tell mom or dad. But even though I had some reckless times, I also excelled a lot throughout school. I was an honor student and made my parents especially proud when I received my acceptance to Florida State University prior to my high school graduation. I guess you could say I've had an interesting life, and I'm ready to continue on, excited for what's in store.
ReplyDeleteAs a young child growing up, your home life is all you know. She grew up surrounded by friends and family, in a town where your neighbors were your friends. You never seek to step out of those boundaries because what more could the world have to offer than all the happiness that already exists in your own life. But, things change and lives go on. Ana Omura had a childhood not too much different from mine or any other of my friends growing up. There is, however, one stark difference to be noted: she grew up in Brazil. She came from a large town that was embedded in the rich nature and culture of Brazil. Ana had to say goodbye to her grandparents, father, and step-sister that would be staying behind in Brazil. Her mother remarried an American man, who moved the family to Winter Haven, Florida when Ana was thirteen years old. Many teens would’ve rebelled against this move, but Ana was actually pleased to start her eighth grade year at small private middle school in the United States. Her stepfather actually legally adopted her brother, so her family unit would always be strong. Their parents’ divorce hit a little harder for her older brother, but the two have since accepted it and are happy with the family dynamic they have evolved into. With all of the fears that came along with their new life, the language barrier was the least of her concerns, as she was already fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. She didn’t care about her slight accent, as she was already speaking English and excelling in her classes. The school had her attend church services, where she made friends that would become ones to last a lifetime. She went on to high school in Winter Haven, and lived just like any other teenager. While the miles from her home were far and wide, she always remained close by visiting Brazil to see her father twice a year who lives in Rio with his wife and her younger step-sister. This has allowed her the opportunity to thrive in her new home while still maintaining contact with her Brazilian roots. The integration of her schooling here went by smoothly, with her friends following along with her throughout high school and now college. After her acceptance to Florida State University, Ana knew right away that she wanted to major in Biology and Chemistry to pursue her dream of becoming a plastic surgeon in osteopathic medicine. Ana was accompanied by the solace of several of her hometown friends and is even living with her best friend in their own apartment. The hard work and long schooling is not a hindrance, but rather fuel for her goals.In the face of an international move, Ana was able to quickly overcome any obstacles and focus on her future. She hopes to move on to California to continue to pursue her dreams as a plastic surgeon, and will be sure to let nothing get in the way of her big dreams.
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