Our Doggies

Our Doggies
Louis in the back and Ella in the front

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

My thoughts about Appalachian...

I was reading over my blog posts, especially the one where I listed what was precious to me. It instantly popped into my head that I left something important off that list.

APPALACHIAN (Yankees, it's pronounced "APP-UH-LATCH-IN" and not "APP-UH-LAY-SHUN")

If you know me at all, you know I am an AppState fanatic. I even know that some of you may think I may be an overkill fan. Let me tell ya, I'm not overkill. I'm devoted. There is a difference, right? So, is it just because they have a good football team? Absolutely not. There are so many reasons why Appalachian should be on my Precious list.

App is where I learned to become independent. I moved away from home (Michigan), and family that was in North Carolina moved to California shortly after the start of my freshman year. I was alone, and out of that loneliness, I learned to function and eventually thrive on my own. Yes, I was still receiving financial assistance, but I also had a job and kept my grades up (for the most part).

App is the reason I became a teacher. Although I always thought I would be a teacher, I was still undecided until mid-sophmore year. I can't remember the exact moment that I decided I would go into elementary education, but it had to be one of the professors, classes, or friends I had. App also gave me my Master's degree...and I am so thankful I was able to complete that program.

App is where I made a good majority of my NC friends...whom I call family. Kathryn was my first friend. Through her, I met Sheila. Through Sheila, I met Denise and Brandi. And the list goes on. I know if I had gone to another college, I would have made friends. But they wouldn't be the same. My App friends are GOLD (and black) :)

App is where I met my husband. Only, when I was in college I swore up and down that I was not going to marry him. It only took 8 years to figure things out!

App's marching band was my social life. I know, sounds sad. But, lemme tell ya, the marching band was no geek-fest. We partied like the biggest fraternity on campus. It was a blast. And most of the people at my wedding were, at one point, in the App band (or guard). Most of my college memories revolve around marching band, and all the people I met in it (including my husband).

App produced Armanti Edwards who is now a Carolina Panther. Go #10!

App beat Michigan, and I was there to witness it. I will always remember that game, and the night in Ann Arbor that followed it!

And here are some simple things about App/Boone that are Precious:
-Boone Bagelry...the smell was enough to make me skip my history class.
-Parkway...just as soon as it was 50 degrees, we were all laying out in our bikinis.
-The Gold Room...which was replaced by McAllister's.
-Road Rules campus crawl...began at Duck Pond, and we ALL skipped class to see it.
-Howard's Knob...on cold fall evenings.
-The haunted house at East.
-Climbing the rock flats to watch meteor showers.
-11:00 trips to Macado's for Milky-Way pie.
-Canoeing up the streets during the floods.
-Living above a pizza joint and smelling the latter through the vents.
-The Vineyards ghost.
-The Night Owl.
-Going to the Quinn. The hike up was enough of a workout!

I know there are more, but that's all for today.

One of my student's parents recently asked me if I enjoyed Appalachian. "Yes" didn't seem like a good enough answer.

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