My College Travels

College was good to me. My parents were even better with how supportive they were of me. College is interesting. At the beginning everyone tells you it’s going to be the experience of your life. You just nod and agree with them. It’s all very true, but you don’t know what that experience is going to be. I could have never imagined all the things I’ve done five years ago when I was a freshman.

Summer 2001 – It’s the summer before moving to Michigan State and I go to Paris for 10 days with a group from high school. Sadly I didn’t really have any friends on the trip, there wasn’t anyone I really knew. Seeing Paris was great. It got me into traveling, and I realized I loved to fly and people watch in airports. Of course we did the traditional tourist thing with a guide. It was great to see everything, but without a guide is the way to go.

December 2002 – My first college trip, I head to Park City, UT with the MSU Snowboard Club. I was a sophomore at the time and didn’t really know anyone on the trip. However, I did go with my girlfriend at the time and spent most of the time with her. Wow! I was astonished at snowboarding out west. My legs were shot. Little Mont Ripley back at home didn’t prepare me for it. And speaking unprepared… despite the long family road trips and the eight hour drive from school to home I wasn’t prepared for the 30 hour bus ride full of 55 college students. Quite the trip. I got to meet a few pros, watch some amazing riding, and make some new friends. The highlight of the trip was riding next to Shaun White, and being in the lift line right behind him. I regret being too shy to say something. But it was pretty cool to watch him ride. It’s one of those things I would have never predicted in college. And it’s one reason why college students should go on trips like these.

December 2003 – Snowboard Club trip number 2. This time we head to Breckenridge, CO. I pretty much went alone on this trip. I knew a few people from the previous year, but not great friends. By the end of the week a few of them would be great friends. Breckenridge blew me away and then more so by Vail. I managed to befriend a German girl who was on the trip and have a big crush on her by weeks end. She made me one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. She was a great friend to hang out with and check out the town. It was a great trip with lots of scrabble.

December 2003 – After being back home for a week during Christmas I fly out to San Francisco, CA to see my friend Heidi for new years. It was my first time doing the whole airport thing alone. And I made it through just fine. Even during a hectic storm at O’Hare and having to change flights on the way back. I checked out a bit of San Fran, some of Sacramento, but spent most of my time in Fairfield, where Heidi was based in the Air Force.

Summer 2004 – The best six weeks of my life. Me and 20 other students head to Europe for a six week study abroad photography program. I made best friends, people I’ll talk to the rest of my life. I saw London, Stonehenge, Bath, Liverpool, Bradford, Edinburgh, Isle of Arran, and Prague. My professor D’Arcy would also become one of my best friends. The whole experience was amazing in every sense of it. If I say anything more than that I’ll be typing for hours.

January 2005 – Round III. I head to Steamboat, CO this time with the MSU Snowboard Club. I can’t believe I’m doing this again. That’s what I was thinking. But I wouldn’t miss it for anything. It became that week of the year to always look forward to. It was the best snowboarding I’ve ever had. We had perfect weather. It was warm spring riding one day. And the next two feet of fresh pow pow. In the snowboard park I learned how to assassinate a rail this time around. I could do a few things before, but this time I took it a lot further. Great friends. Great stories. Good stuff.

Spring 2005 – For a weekend the editorial staff from the yearbook flew to Nashville, TN to visit our publisher. As the largest yearbook in the nation we were quire proud to see all the inner workings of how it’s put together. It was a fun quick getaway. Not sure how much of a trip I can call it for only being two nights. But that’s the beauty of flying. I got to see a new place in just a weekend.

January 2006 – Yup, that time of year again. Round IV. The snowboard club heads back out to Breckenridge. It was a great week. Near perfect conditions, especially at Vail and Keystone. I started to get a little more casual about my riding. But my buddy Mike was always there and we pushed each other. Breckenridge… I hope to see you soon! This time around I saw a little more of the town itself, went out more, more social, and got more of an inside look with my old friend Ben who’s a local there now. Now I have seen Nebraska from one side to the other on four round trips. Those bus rides prepared me for all the driving that’s about to come.

March 2006 – Me and three college buddies hop in my little car for spring break and head to NYC. I crashed in Brooklyn for the week with my friend Devon, who I’ve known since my freshman year. It was a straight shot and we arrived in NYC at 7:30am and saw the sun continue to rise over the skyline. Driving in downtown NYC was a good experience for this trip wherever it takes me. I’m came close to a couple fender benders but came out clean and a much better driver than before. Great week! I can’t thank Devon and his mom enough for having me. It meant a lot. What a city! Wow. Growing up in a town of 1,200 people is a big change. A change that breaks the scale. It was overwhelming, but I look forward to going back sometime.

So there it is… my college travels. I think that’s everything, but the list is pretty big. I’ve been fortunate to see it all. Yup… college was good to me… and that’s just the traveling part of it. I’ve graduated only 4 months ago and I already want to do it all over again. -xo