Canoeing Trip at the Fort Worth Nature Center

Today we went on our class canoe trip at the Fort Worth Nature Center. It was a bit chilly outside, but that didn't stop us from taking advantage of this unique opportunity. It still amazes me that just with a twenty minute drive West of TCU, you can be immersed in nature. I believe these short getaways to the nature center through out the semester have had a positive effect on my stress from other classes. It feels great to get out of the TCU bubble and enjoy nature, even if it is just for a few hours. Giving this time to myself is invaluable to my overall mood and well-being. After the drive out to the nature center, I found myself canoeing down the creek with Dalton, completely surrounded by the sights and sounds that Fort Worth has to offer.

Although I had to rush back and study for an exam I have tomorrow, I enjoyed our time spent canoeing as a class this afternoon. I really do love this class because it is a constant reminder to breathe and relax. So often in my day to day life I don't take five minutes for myself to relax and get outside. Nature has such a unique way of recharging the soul. I want to make a daily habit of getting outside, whether on a short study break or a fishing trip. After returning from the trip I felt motivated to begin studying. I am at a point where I now realize how decompressing just for a few hours can make me a more effective student. Now it is getting late and I am about to call it a night, but couldn't help but pull up my blog and put these thoughts down.

12/17/19 Journal

Today's weather is very fitting for my current mood. It is cold, but the sun is shining bright. I have overcome the most stressful part of the semester. The part where all quality of life is overlooked and us students have one goal in mind, to finish strong. Although this year was far less stressful than years past, I still find myself slipping into finals mode. But now I am basking in the light at the end of the tunnel. I already packed my bags and made the short drive to my parent's house in West Fort Worth. I decided when I arrived home to sit down and journal as the sun slowly set, and to my surprise I ended up staring at a buck right in our back yard. It was about a 6 point.

Winter break is always much needed after the constant grind of the semester. It aligns perfectly with the middle of duck season and the peak of trout fishing here in Texas and Southeast Oklahoma. I always make a point to get out and enjoy these hobbies over the break. Winter break is also a time that I get to catch up with old high school buddies back in town for Christmas. We attend our local alumni soccer game and reminisce on old times. There is something I love about talking about our past endeavors. I think it is because I have changed so much from the person I was in high school. It is great to catch up with old friends, but they simply don't know me as well anymore. I am looking forward to Christmas not because of the gifts, but because of the quality time I will get to spend with loved ones that I don't get to see all so often.

Final Video Link/Justification

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DtusVs85fBDr1KgxCU3kxoTo2ZszKmGk/view?usp=sharing

Video Justification

When looking back on the class and trying to decide what our video should be about, we decided that it would be most effective to include the five takeaways from the class. These five takeaways include terms that were important in-class discussion, but also emphasize our interactions with classmates and nature. We included things we learned in the classroom, but also real-life experiences that added to the classroom such as the privilege of being taught by Dr. Williams, learning not to use the word “very”, and the fact that the Fort Worth Nature Center has alligators. When looking back, these experiences were just as important to the in-class learning to our own growth and development as environmentalists and writers. 

Furthermore, our group also decided to ask students on TCU’s campus a series of questions that connect with class concepts. The goal of this experiment was to assess the knowledge of students regarding environmental and literary issues, as well as to test their awareness levels on various subjects we discussed in class. To lighten the mood of the video, we decided to ask difficult questions, oftentimes definition-based, that we knew students would most likely not know the answers. We filmed each response from our interviewees and compiled the clips into the video we will be presenting to the class. 

The overall purpose of this video serves to prove that most students on TCU’s campus are environmentally ignorant and are unaware of many of the literary elements and critics we discussed throughout the semester. The goal we set out to achieve was to enlighten the public on key issues in nature writing and exploit how uneducated they are on these topics, to hopefully allow them to gain awareness on these subjects.  

12/5/19 Journal

This morning I was reminded by my phone memories app of an exceptional day on the water that I had exactly one year ago today. Last year one of my best friends, Chase, and his dad accompanied my Dad and I to the Guadalupe River in New Braunfels, TX. We hired two guides with two boats. Chase and I shared one boat and the dads shared the others. The cool morning started off rather slow, but as the sun crept above the trees the trout seemed to awake in a feeding frenzy. Although these trout are stockers and are replenished annually, the conservation association Trout Unlimited stocks large rainbows and browns from Montana. This makes for very exciting fly fishing opportunities, especially for us Texans that usually must drive to New Mexico or Colorado to have a go at trout this large. That day Chase and I landed fifty trout, about half and half browns and rainbows. In the picture you can see just how beautiful rainbows can be. This particular photo is my favorite simply because I believe it is the most beautiful trout I have ever landed. Rainbows offer quite a bit variety in their color scheme, but this one has a unique dark tone that I still have never encountered again. The brown back transitions to a pink, almost red, center that seemed to flash through the clear water of the Guadalupe. I remember back to this moment last year and think of what a fantastic trip this was. It was perfectly timed to give me a last breath of fresh air before putting my head down for finals. Although I didn't get this last breath this year, I especially needed it last year because my coursework was far more challenging. This day on the water will hold a special place in my heart forever. It was one of the few days where the trip was already perfect because of the company of dear friends, but made even better by our success on the water.

12/2/19 Journal

This morning was a very important morning in my life. Today all of the dental school decisions for every school in the U.S. were sent out. To ease my mind I decided to get an early morning Crossfit workout in at a local gym that I go to from time to time. It definitely took my mind off of it. The workout was so intense that I couldn't think about anything but finishing. Crossfit is notorious for being not only a physical workout, but a mental one as well. On the drive home I was beat, but was met with this gorgeous sunrise that made getting up and getting after it all worthwhile. It was the perfect start to what turned out to be one of the best days of my life.

By the end of today, I received emails and phone calls saying I was accepted to six out of the eight schools I interviewed at, including my number one choice Columbia College of Dental Medicine. Tomorrow I will be sending in my deposit for Columbia to make it official. Although New York City will be a big chance, I think I am up to the challenge. Looking back on my previous endeavors, I realize that I became the best version of myself when I was in the midst of great academic and social challenge. I think Columbia will provide me with both of these types of challenges and I am beyond excited for my move to the big apple.

11/27/19

Today I decided to make a trip up to the Blue River in Oklahoma with my cousin. The Blue River is about a four hour drive away, but never seems to disappoint this time of year. I fish there year round for smallmouth bass, but this time of year offers some of the best trout fishing within driving distance of DFW. We packed up the truck and headed out around 4:30 AM to get there and on the water for the morning bite that always proves its worth. As we took off into the darkness with coffee mug in hand I could feel the trout calling my name. It feels like such a long time since I have gotten to fish that I forgot how much I truly love it. Although it was cold, it was worth it. My cousin and I started the morning slow-stripping wooly buggers with one lead split shot to get them down to the bottom of the river faster. I quickly hooked up with the fish pictured below. It was the first of many rainbows that day. This river is unique because it is catch and release only, which never really affects me. I rarely keep fish but when I do I make sure to eat what I keep. This river also has a barbless hook policy, meaning that you must mash down the barb of the hook. This policy proves effective in ensuring the fish stay healthy all winter. As the sun heated up the fish slowed down quite a bit. We didn't let that stop us from having fun. We walked a good part of five miles of river, talking and laughing as we continued our pursuit for finicky trout. At the day's end we counted around twenty five fish between us. A solid day for sure. However, on this particular outing I think we enjoyed each other's company more than any fish caught. I always enjoy the breaks from school so much because they give me an opportunity to catch up with family and friends that I don't get the chance to see on a daily basis.

11/27/19 Journal

I woke this morning at 7 am sharp to a burst of orange shining through the window of my parents house. It was an astounding sunrise to say the least. I immediately grabbed a jacket and some shoes and rushed downstairs to get a closer look. When I made it down the stairs my dog, Bell, was waiting patiently to go explore the new day with me. I opened the back door and she burst through out into the year. I wish I felt this much energy. Getting a closer look, this sunrise was truly spectacular. An explosion of orange with hints of pink, surrounded by a pastel blue so revealing of the season of fall. I sat mesmerized on the back porch for about ten minutes, soaking it all in. When I'm at my house near TCU, I rarely even see the sun until it is well above, except for days I run Trinity Trails. It is nice to feel such a connection with nature, while being so close to the city of Fort Worth. Not only does my parents house present these scenic sunrises and sunsets, but at night you can look up and see almost every star in the sky. Well not quite, but way more than I can see from TCU. Looking up into that sky, I am reminded of just how small we are, wandering around aimlessly, believing we are the most important being in the galaxy. How naive. Though I am just as guilty. The morning has become my favorite time of the day here. I can wake up and witness this amazing sunrise in solitude, then put some coffee on and take time to reflect on my past, as well as my future. With decisions for dental schools coming out Monday, I have done quite a bit of the latter.