First tailgating experience

I'm taking a wild guess here, but people that are from the Midwest might think a person from California has done everything exciting, at least in the time span of 22 years. At that age your still going to college or just graduated and found a job. Regardless of that, we have so many more attractions and things to do.

Although I got the title, Assistant Sport Editor for the Mount Mercy Times, I must confess that I have never been to any type of college or professional football and basketball game. Kind of embarrassed but I thought I bring that up.

Today was the closet I got a a football game, but instead I got to experience my first tailgate in Iowa City, Iowa. Home of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes.

It's funny to say because the people I went tailgating was with nine California guys and one Minnesotan.

The night before I only got an hour of sleep due to disturbance in my household in lower campus (for those of you who don't know what that is) it is a on campus apartment style room). I was one of the people driving and with the lack of sleep, I thought I was going to fall asleep begin the wheel, but thank goodness I didn't.

We left at 5:30 a.m. Midwestern time ad arrive at Iowa City around 6:15. We were one of the first parties to show up at the tailgating site. it was about in the mid 50's outside and it was cold enough to keep our beverages cold. But as soon as we got there, we got things started right away.

As the morning turned into day, we had already grilled a lot of meat and tossed a football around and played some beverage games while listening to a Snoop Dogg Pandora station through my car stereo.

We left around 11:45 a.m. And didn't go to the game, which was the Minnesota Golphers vs. Iowa Hawkeyes.

On the way back. The four people I drove fell asleep on me in the car and I was the only one awake thinking, "I better not fall asleep behind the wheel."

All in all, my first time tailgating was exciting, being able to hang out wih friends and get out and explore the state of Iowa a little more. Now I'm hoping I can go to a Oregon and tailgate there an actually go to a game (Goooooooo Ducks!)

Thanks to everyone that went and made my first experience of tailgating a one to remember.

-Jun

Frustration

We all get frustrated at times, whether it is from losing in a video game or if a player on your fantasy football team didn't perform good enough.

Recently, I been frustrated with the game of baseball.

The Sunday before school started back up, my buddy called me and asked me if I wanted to play in a baseball game (not to mention it was a championship game of a tournament). I haven't done anything baseball related for a month but I agreed to play.

I ended up going 2 for 3 with a RBI single and a walk-off homerun. That was probably the best game I have ever played. Having that game before school started back up, I gained a lot of confidence that it is going to be a good year.

When practiced started back up, I was really excited to get things going.

Then everything started to going down hill. Once I started to not so something right at practice, at first I let the thought of "don't mess up again" not get to me. But a couple of days ago, I just started to over think everything and I just felt really frustrated with myself.

As my frustration gets to me more and more each day at practice, at times I want to just quit all together. But I remember talking to my high school coach one day and he told me "Don't do it Junie...you'll regret it...notable a year from now, maybe not 5 years, but at some point you will."

When he told me that, I told myself that I didn't work hard and come this far to just quit.

So even though Ill probably get frustrated during practice, I'm going to take it one day at a time and not worry about the future. Like someone tod me before, "Tomorrow is a new day."

-Jun

Bitter or sweet?

So as I start my fifth year of college, I don't really know how to feel about it being my last year in college (knock on wood)...

After ending my fourth year of college at Mount Mercy University, I couldn't have asked for a better time in my first time living out of state, and of all places...Iowa.

I'm not going to lie, at first, I thought I was going to hate going to school and living out here in Cedar Rapids. I mean, come on, its Iowa. It's about 2,000 miles away from Torrance. I can't just go home to visit my mom, my sisters, my dog or eat my mom's delicious home-cooked meals.

I remember that when I arrived here in Cedar Rapids, I met a couple of soon-to-be teammates at the time that were born and raised from Iowa, but I also met a bunch of people from California that were out here for baseball as well. At times, I felt home sick, but hanging out with them made it feel like I was at home away from home.

Things that happen in the school year of 2011-2012, I would never forget or change it for the world; I made some of people that I now call family, had a good baseball season though it didn't end how we liked it to and the memories every single day living in a dorm room that was literally like a 6 by 6 prison cell.

But now, going into week 4 of my "senior" year, I just want to graduate and get the hell of out college, but at the same time I want to be in college for a little bit longer. Talking to my teammates and also my friends from high school, I ask them about how life is like after graduating. Most of their responses are:

"The real world sucks. I come home and I shower, do laundry and do the dishes at night and I think to myself 'I have to do this all over again tomorrow' Its not like I can skip class or anything because I can get fired."
"I dont like it."
"It blows! I want to go back to college for one more year!"

But they also tell me that they don't miss the fact that they don't have to do homework every night or reading 100 per night.

I started to get mixed emotions about turning in my intent to graduate. But why should I worry about the future when it's not even here yet. I was always told to "Live in the moment."

So until the time comes, I'll try to make it a great college experience, even if I'm at a university as small as Mount Mercy. But I know that bittersweet feeling of graduating this year will still be in the back of my mind.

-Jun

"Cheers with a smile, love is whatchu get, 'cause if you're living for the now, there's nothin' to regret" -Mike Stud