Hunting Laughter

When I was traveling home for the holidays, I thought it would be a great arena to hunt for laughter in the airport. My mom and I sat next to two men who work at the airport, and more of their colleagues came by to say hello. They were talking about their shifts starting and their schedules for the day. The African-American man seemed like quite the comedian, and was making jokes about their long-day ahead in order to lighten the mood. He also thought he was pretty funny; he made some jokes that only he laughed at. He did cause his other colleagues to laugh, which does prove that laughter is contagious. The relief theory is exemplified in this video; the employees were laughing about their work schedules to release the tension of having to work hard and having to deal with travelers all day.

Note: my mom and I were laughing during this video based solely on the fact we were creepily filming people, waiting for them to laugh.

Balancing Friends From Home In College

Kaylea and I have been best friends since fourth grade. We take family vacations together, spend Christmases together, sleep together, and anything else that involves doing something with your best friend. Our parents are the best of friends, too. I text Kaylea’s family regularly, and they even give me gifts for my birthday. Kaylea and I can share anything and everything with each other. There is no room for dignity or pride in our relationship; only a loving and a judge-free environment exists. I have also experienced Kaylea’s past. Kaylea moved from a small town in Kansas when she was eight years old after her mom passed away. I have met and interacted frequently with her close family and friends from the small town of St. John. Kaylea and I have a friendship that goes beyond the norm; I wholeheartedly believe that God put each other in our lives to show us what a true friendship is like.

Being a freshman in college is hard. You have to leave your home, your school, your pets, your bed, your town…everything. There are no words to describe how painful it is to be wrenched from everything you have ever known. I am a person who strongly dislikes change. I went to the same private school for thirteen years of my life. Although I knew people coming to TCU, it was still no small feat. On top of leaving home, I also had to leave my best friend. Kaylea and I had rarely spent time apart until coming to college, and even then, balancing our friendship wasn’t easy.

Kaylea and I did not have a great relationship our first semester of freshman year. We both got so blinded by the coolness of college that we forgot we needed to keep supporting our own friendship. I think we were both so used to having each other by our side that we didn’t know how to cope when we weren’t. It was also hard because I had joined a sorority before Kaylea did. SMU has second semester recruitment, so I got a jump start on finding my people at TCU. I think both of our prides got in the way, but no one likes to see their best friend making new ones.

When Kaylea told me we were going to be sisters in Chi Omega, I was absolutely elated. She had kept what sorority she wanted to be a part of a secret for an entire semester. I feel as though this is when our friendship started to get back on track. It was understood that we both missed each other, and now we could also share a sisterhood that will forever tie us together. Now that we’re well into our sophomore years, Kaylea and I have finally found ways to balance our friendship with the challenges of college. Although it did take some soul-searching, we both realize that we would not want it any other way. Balancing your best friends from home is no easy task. But if you have a best friend as great as I do, I think you’ll find a way to make it work. 

Uncontrollable Laughter #2

I had a fit of absolute uncontrollable laughter one night earlier this year while my family and I were at Elk Creek Ranch. Since we had been out late fishing, we didn’t want to make the main lodge cook an extra meal just for our family. We decided to just have them make us a couple of quick to-go pizzas. Since we always go out to the ranch over my birthday, of course I would want my dog to be there to celebrate, too. Humphrey is also an awful beggar. He lives and breathes for anything that is not dog food. He was ecstatic at the fact we had just brought pizzas back to the house. My brother John and I decided that the only place fit for eating late night pizza was in bed. Humphrey, of course, joined in on the fun. He jumped right up there with us, and silently stared at the box of pizzas while we ate away. My brother and I soon realized that Humphrey was going to do anything to get a slice because it smelled that good. For the heck of it, John put his hat on top of Humphrey’s head to see how Humphrey would react. Humphrey continued to look directly at the pizza without flinching. John and I were laughing pretty hard, but we didn’t even know what was in store. John then decided to put his sunglasses right onto Humphrey’s face, as well. Again, Humphrey didn’t even MOVE! He was willing to do anything to get just a small bite of the delicious meal we were having. This moment was when my brother and I started laughing hysterically. It was that kind of laughter where no sound came out; that’s how funny it was to us.

Since my brother and I are eight years apart, we don’t to get to spend a lot of “goofing off” time together anymore because I go to TCU and he has a full-time job. This was one of the first times we had laughed that hard together in a long time. Like I have mentioned before, I believe laughing uncontrollably produces great memories that people can bond over. That memory will also make that summer trip to Meeker even more memorable. Because we go there at least once a year, it seems as though those trips blend together in our minds. But, Humphrey helped us grow together as siblings, as he always seems to do.

Uncontrollable Laughter Incident #1

An incident of uncontrollable laughter occurred during my Business Law class with Dr. Lehman. Since this class is a two and a half hour night class, sometimes it feels as though it can drag on for a while. My best friend Anna and I luckily scheduled the class at the same time, so we always sit next to each other. Professor Lehman’s teaching methods include making up random examples and then asking the class how the law would apply. One example included a man named Jose. There is one girl in our class who always questions Dr. Lehman’s knowledge and teaching methods, even though this is her first experience of learning anything about United States law. When she was on one of her questioning rants, she was mentioning the example that Dr. Lehman was explaining. Since she misread his handwriting, she thought that Jose’s name was actually Josh. She asked a question regarding “Josh’s” injury. Even though this girl was right in the middle of her illogical rant, Dr. Lehman interrupted her with a half-giggle and said, “No, it’s Jose.”

Anna and I lost it right then and there, and we could not stop laughing for about ten minutes. Every time I looked back at Anna, we only laughed harder. I think the reason we laughed in the first place was because Dr. Lehman put this student in her place for being disrespectful. We laughed because this incident was part of Dr. Lehman’s personality; he always made remarks like this one. I always seems to laugh at moments when I am not supposed to, as is in this situation. It is disrespectful to start uncontrollably laughing when a professor is speaking, but usually only makes me laugh harder because it is uncommon. This experience goes along with the incongruity theory. I also think that Anna and I laughed because it was such a tense moment in the classroom. No one else was speaking except for this student and the professor. After learning about the relief theory, I believe that we started to laugh because the situation was awkward, and we wanted to release the tension.

After the laughing incident, I think Anna and I now have a closer bond. That memory will forever give us something to talk about, and even laugh about more. Laughing seems to do that with many of my friends. As for the other students in the classroom, I think they appreciated that Anna and I broke the silence. I believe that everyone else in the room also felt uncomfortable because this girl was hounding our professor about a hypothetical situation. Many other students started to laugh when Anna and I did, as well. I believe no one likes when they feel as one person is being targeted, especially when that person is a respected professor who was once a prosecutor. The “It’s Jose” moment has made business law memorable and only brought Anna and me closer. 

Fly Fishing

My dad taught me how to fish at a young age. Mostly every weekend of the spring and summer was spent fishing on our properties. Fishing has always been a way for my dad and me to bond. My dad is an avid fly fisherman, as well. He has gone to Christmas Island, South America, and the Bahamas with his friends for the sole purpose of fly fishing. He got me *hooked* onto fly fishing when I was in sixth grade on a trip to South Dakota. Ever since that vacation, my dad and I have also been able to share our passion for fly fishing.

Since I was two years old, we have traveled to Meeker, Colorado every July to the most beautiful ranch in all of North America. One of our closest family friends has owned this ranch for over forty years. Elk Creek Ranch is located on the South Fork of the White River. In the summers, the river water gets up to about sixty degrees, and the outside temperature is usually around eighty or eighty five. Because of the private waters, the fish have grown to be quite humongous over the years. In July 2012, my dad, our friend Ted, and I were on the lower part of the ranch. We were at the hole called “The Kingdom,” so usually there are some big fish who hang out there. I was fishing down river about one hundred yards from where my dad was. He landed this huge, beautiful cutbow, with a touch of orange on its lip. Being the competitive person I am, I wanted to catch a fish even bigger! I continued to cast, but I wasn’t getting any rises. Then, my fly went under with a huge gulp. I was about to catch a big one! After fighting this guy for almost fifteen minutes, I finally landed, wait a second, the exact same fish! My dad and I were completely baffled. It’s seems near impossible to catch the same fish twice, let alone in the same hour! We were able to document this event on my dad’s iPhone. Because the fish was so big, it still is one of the only fly fishing pictures my dad shows to friends and colleagues. I am so lucky to have a dad who has given me opportunities to purse my passions in life.

I'm Not Psychotic..I Just Love My Dog

            If you asked my friends, “Tell me one thing about Abby,” they would respond, “She’s obsessed with her dog.” Yes, ‘tis true. Humphrey is my soul mate, the love of my life, and my best friend. Humphrey is the only thing that can make me smile during the bad times. He has a larger than life personality, and many of my friends make comments that he is more human than he is dog. I do not know where I would be without my furry friend!

            Humphrey is a mix between a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Standard Poodle. Together, these names collide to be “Bernedoodle.” Humphrey essentially looks like a black Labradoodle. His fur has a soft, wavy texture, but is usually filled with grass, mud, and ticks, since he loves to be outside. Because of the Bernese Mountain Dog in him, Humphrey loves the cold weather. In the winter, we have to walk him at least twice a day, or at least for an hour. He will sit in our garage on the cold cement for hours at a time, and will refuse to come inside. When Humphrey knows he is disobeying, he starts to wag his tail, or he will jump up on you and give you a hug in order to make you love him again. He absolutely melts my heart when he does this. Humphrey is also super smart. He’s learned to pay attention to certain looks I give him with my eyes. One of them is the “Let’s go!” look. Humphrey also knows how to take a bow and say a prayer before eating.

            Humphrey’s personality makes him that much cuter. He groans when he’s annoyed, crunches on chips when he chews, and smiles when he’s happy. He sleeps in my bed with me every night, if we’re at my mom’s house. Most nights we fall asleep on the same pillow, and I’m scrunched to one side of the bed. Humphrey especially loves to cuddle in the mornings. If I try to get up, he’ll lay across my whole body and will bury his head in my neck. I usually think this is pretty cute, but not when he weighs sixty-five pounds. If we’re at my dad’s house, he refuses to sleep in my room because I don’t have those cool, hard wood floors. If I try to force him into staying in my room, he will stand up on his hind legs and actually start to punch me. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder when Humphrey does this.

            Humphrey has brought my family and me so much happiness. He lights up the room when he walks (or runs) in, and definitely is the focus of our attention. Since Humphrey is considered my dog, my brother, mom, and dad have nicknames for themselves that Humphrey “calls” them. We got Humphrey at a time in our lives when it was a dark place. Humphrey brought a new source of hope, light, and happiness that we can never thank him enough for! Now that I’ve gone to college, Humphrey has become the one that my family takes care of. I get pictures of Humphrey almost every day. I know he is in the best hands when I’m not home. Humphrey, if you’re ever able to read this, I love you so much!

I Love Sports And I Don't Care Who Knows

            Whilst speaking about Nora Ephron’s essay “A Few Words About Breasts,” I came to a few realizations. Dr. Williams asked us about a situation where there was a distinct gender difference. On my quiz, I described the times when I go shopping at Victoria’s Secret and there are men with their significant others. The topic of conversation then moved to how men and women are “supposed” to fulfill their gender roles in society. In my opinion, I wrote that when men have longer hair or have their ears pierced, it makes them instantly more feminine. Why should I have the right to decide how a man’s style should be?

After class, I could not let go of this conversation. I began to think of how my life does not necessarily fulfill a woman’s gender role in society. Like I have said before, I love sports. I want to pursue a career in the sports industry because it is what I love. I am fascinated by what goes into a sports team brand name, staff, and players. Confucius once said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I wholeheartedly believe this quote. Sports have been an interest of mine for so long. Working in the sports industry would be a dream come true, and that is my ultimate goal.

From my experience, not every woman loves sports as much as I do. My roommate has nicknamed me “Sports Center” because I keep her up-to-date on football and basketball scores. My passion for sports has not come easy. When I entered high school, I tried to talk about sports with my guy friends. They were not receptive at first. They teased me because I did not have much knowledge yet, but I had a lot of passion for learning the game. Slowly, but surely, I started breaking into my friends’ conversations more and more, and thus, I began breaking my supposed gender role. They would come to me with statistics and information, especially about my beloved Kansas Jayhawks basketball team. My obsession was known throughout my small high school. When I was announced for Homecoming court, they revealed who I was by describing my fanaticism for KU. This one moment helped me see that people understood and respected my love for sports. I was no longer “that girl” trying to impress the boys with her sports knowledge after watching one hour of Sports Center. I was “the girl” that loved college football, college basketball, and everything in between.

Coming to TCU, it has been easier to pursue my passion for sports and to break my societal role as a woman. I am involved with the Sports Networking Club and Carter Ambassadors on campus. To this day, I still love shocking boys with my knowledge when they are speaking of a specific sports team or player. It is so satisfying knowing I can keep up the conversation and even provide the other person with information. My ultimate dream is to manage a professional sports team. I cannot wait to see the look on many men’s faces if that ever happens.

Getting to Know Hanan - Part IV

For our fourth meeting, Hanan and I decided to catch a workout together in the recreation center. This meeting really stood out to me because of my realization of my friendship with Hanan. I love how quickly the relationship between Hanan and I has developed. Even though it may take a while to get the conversation going, once Hanan and I start talking, I feel like the conversation never lulls. It feels like Hanan and I have been friends for years now, but yet, we have only known each other for three months. Hanan even wants me to visit her when she moves to Pennsylvania in the spring. I have never been to the state of Pennsylvania, but maybe that will be a place I can check off my bucket list!

When Hanan and I started walking on the treadmill, we began to speak more about our families. Hanan, of course, first asked me how my family was doing. I explained to her what growing up in Wichita, Kansas was like. I also spoke about my odd family dynamics. I finally felt comfortable asking what Hanan’s father did for a living. Hanan’s father works for the Saudi Arabian government. Because of her broken English, I did not quite understand what her dad’s job description entails, but it seemed important. I was impressed with her father’s ability to send two of his children (Hanan and her brother) to TCU to further their English speaking capabilities and their education. Like I mentioned in a previous blog post, Hanan once explained to me that the Saudi Arabian public colleges are not the greatest, and the private Saudi Arabian universities are too expensive.

Hanan also spoke of how much she missed her family. She has two of the cutest little sisters I have ever seen. She calls them her babies. I asked if she helped raise them and she gave a definite, “yes.” I cannot imagine being so close to younger siblings and then having to move away from them. It also seemed that Hanan’s mother has a lot of control over her family. Since Hanan is not in Saudi Arabia to plan her wedding, her mom has been planning for her. Hanan said that her mom has loved choosing the venues, food, and dress. Hanan does not seem to care that her mother took over during Hanan’s absence. Hanan is laid back and is low maintenance. She even said, “Abby, you know I’m not like that.”

Hanan has added much joy into my life. I have learned about many aspects of the Saudi Arabian culture and what it means to be a Saudi Arabian woman. I hope I get to see Hanan again soon; I absolutely love her company!

What Our TCU Football Team Taught Me

Football has become an obsession for TCU students, or maybe it’s just an obsession of mine. Since coming to TCU, I have experienced only great football seasons. What makes TCU and other college students around the country so obsessed with their sports teams? Is it pride? Fame? Happiness? Competition?

            Growing up in Kansas, I was exposed to the Big XII conference at an early age. I know the cut-throat rivalries, the great bowl games, and the memorable regular season games. I was excited to come to TCU because I would still get to see my favorite teams (Rock Chalk) play the school I actually attended. Coming to TCU also gave me the opportunity to compete and brag to my friends who also attended Big XII schools.

I fell in love with football on January 1, 2007 when the Oklahoma Sooners faced the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State boldly ran the “Statue of Liberty” play for a two-point conversion that won the game in overtime. Ian Johnson, the player who ran the ball into the end zone to win the game, proposed to his cheerleader girlfriend after the game, even though he did not have the ring with him. That proposal was the moment I realized there was so much more to just a sixty minute football game. People were passionate about that Boise State team, and I wanted to seek that passion those fans felt.

During winter break of my first semester at TCU, I realized there was a lot of bad blood between my friends and me. We all seemed to be trying to “one-up” each other on who was enjoying their college experience the most. One of the ways to compete with one another was obviously talking about our football teams. One of my friends is on the dance team at Baylor. She went on and on about Baylor’s comeback to beat TCU 61 to 58. I was angry, really angry. Why would she insult my school like that? I actually go to TCU! My TCU friends and I were so upset that our playoff hopes were crushed! Did this loss to Baylor overshadow my college experiences compared to my friends?

I was terrified to think that my high school friends thought I was not enjoying college. Football was an outlet for me to show my horned frog pride. I could brag about how much fun I had at the games, how all the TCU students cheered in the Bluu when the playoff rankings were released, and how excited I would be to see my college friends over Christmas break in Pasadena. Football, especially for me, is a way to show the world my school spirit. It is an outward way to boast to my friends and family at other Big XII schools that my school is the best in all the Midwest. This pride also applies to other college students across the country. Athletic teams are an easy topic of conversation for most students. From what I have experienced, when your team is doing well, your happiness seems to increase too. I do not know how my first semester at TCU would have gone if it were not for our great season. TCU football has made me one happy girl. God bless TCU and God bless Gary Patterson.