College is hard

I am not going to lie, college is hard and St Norbert College in De Pere, WI is 2131 miles from home.  I also have to remember, that my last major surgery was about a year and change ago – January of 2018 (cleared to normal activities in March 2018) – and 2 years ago I was lying in bed fighting bacterial meningitis.

The first week or two were very difficult, as you all of a sudden have to manage all of your time wisely and do a lot of little things that when living at home are taken care of.  My roommate didn’t work out as I hoped, so I changed dorms and now have a super cool room thanks to my mom and aunt Cheryl.  They helped arrange, decorate, and rearrange, and arrange again, and get settled in, and get organized. It took a few trips of my mom coming out to help but it all was well worth it.

I am taking History, Philosophy, Calculus and Computer Science (my favorite).  Classes are not super hard, but they take a lot of work and managing my time is really important.  I am very lucky that we have a great tutor program and support from the professors so I can get extra help as much as I need.  I also have an academic adviser Coach Maz who makes sure I stay on track.

St Norbert and De Pere, WI is a beautiful place and the school is very good helping me with my room, ability to get my good water (water is important for brain health), deliveries and packages so I can stay up with my supplements and my healthy snacks.  The college is also very helpful with my academic accommodations to help with note-taking and test-taking. Whether you know it or not, any traumatic brain injury or issues – and I’ve had a few 🙂 – does take an edge of how you learn, your short term memory and ability to focus and multi-task.  I have lots of support, so I will make it without a doubt.

Football is good, but not quite what I expected.  I am starting over as a freshman, the technique is different, and I am learning a whole new system of how to play.  I like my teammates and coaches and being in a new program is also a major adjustment.  I came into the program with certain expectations and goals, and I’ve have had to adjust based on learning how to play in college and in a different program as a freshman.  College players are COLLEGE players and are good.  As I always do, keeping a positive attitude, grinding harder than anyone else, and I Never Give Up!