My Trip to '40 acres'

YES.


I finally visited the school of my dreams; '40 acres' as they call it.


THE University of Texas at Austin. November 21, 2008: I’ll never forget that day. For me, that’s a day that will live in infamy. [i.e. Pearl Harbor; December 7th, 1941]


It was pretty, pretty long, especially with 18-wheelers all around the road. This made the trip feel like forever; thus making myself miss the scheduled tour around the campus.


Yeeeah.


So plan "B" was to go to the freshmen admission's office; right off of Red River Rd.; [Already acting as if I live there.] and just get all my questions answered. I met with a really nice woman who answered things that puzzled me and whatnot.


For example, how UT’s admission process is made; they don’t just look solely on the test scores you get on the SATs or ACTs. The fact is that some people aren’t just that great on those tests; they [UT] also look at everything as a whole for the prospective student, in the words of that counselor I chatted with.


Along with the information that is needed for an admission are letters of recommendation, the two required application essays with also an extra one that’s optional that would show where you’re coming from in the hardships you and/or your family has/is going through; high school transcript/classes you’ve taken and so on.


After that talk, I was exceptionally enlightened by the answers I received from the counselor I spoke with; I really felt assured that this is the next place I'll call home in a year from now.


Other than the serious stuff I got into for this mission on the UT campus, my family and I at least got to sightsee for a bit as we were trying to find the Freshmen admission building, I got a chance to see Darryl K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium, [where the football team plays] not up close and personal, but from a distance along the highway coming into the campus.


The Frank Erwin Special Events Center; home of the Longhorn basketball team. I also saw the big clock tower that would always show the number "1" on it from its office lights; the main admissions' building; it was SO COOL to actually see in person instead of in front of a television from commercials looking at it.


And all that was taken care of and it was time to go home, down the highway we were on, there were several firsts for me; places I haven’t seen:


1) I actually saw a shooting star crash land right of the side of I-35 N...I was about to dose off in the rented SUV we had, then my uncle, mom and dad, saw it come down; the star looked like how a volcano would have it's lava coming out; all black crusted and I could also see the orange outlining. It was all steaming and stuff; [this is like around 7-8 in the evening, mind you.] it was CRAZY. The smoke from it stunk through the windows quite a lot as we were heading home.


2) I got a chance to see Baylor U. as were heading towards UT; saw the outside dorms and all that across the highway passing Waco.


3) Saw a Miller beer factory somewhere around Fort Worth's area; I think that's where we were at the time, along with a Coors Light factory, as well.


4) A Mrs. Baird’s' factory, too, and man did it smell good. As the family and I were nearing the D/FW area, we happened to get lost a little bit as we were coming back, but kind people at a gas station showed us the way back to Dallas; God bless them.


Finally, we came home; got a bit homesick while we were in Austin, and it was right after I visited the counselor that I wanted to get there and go back home.


I know I had a pretty nice slumber that night; like I said before, I’ll never forget that day.