BP #11: Finding My MIZZOU Family
A few nights ago, I went over my freind, Salzy, house. There were five of us. First there was Salzy. Salzy is a baseball manager at Mizzou. Then there was Bryce. Bryce is a stud pitcher for our baseball team, and one of the indirectly humorous people I know. There was Becca, a freshman gymnast ready to break records. There was me, of course. And then there was Shane. Now me and Shane have known each other for years. We won state championships together, and he became one of my best friends in highschool, and continues to be one.
So, Salzy attempted to cook us dinner. And it was...interesting. But as we sat around the table, Shane brought up a question. What was the best and worst part of you guys’ day. It wasn’t a complicated question, but it did bring complicated emotions into me. I realized, in that moment that I had found my new family. I had found my new group of people I could count on. And my Mizzou Family did not end at that table, it continued outward, into many more areas of my college life.
Lets start with my dorm, and more importantly, my floor. The second floor of South is filled with some of the greatest souls I have had the privilege of meeting. And many of them have threatened me to write about them, so here I go. Of course there is Reed, Jason, Tyler, and Ethan. I mentioned them in a previous post. Annie and Caite are from my FIG class. There’s Selena and Jennah, two the friendliest yet craziest girls you will ever meet. There’s Joey, who I have had some great times with. One of my newer friends is a girl named Brianna. She’s a tennis player, but also an avid reader and blogger. It’s great having another writer on the floor. My roommate of course is awesome. Danielle and Haley are roomies, and are also some great buds of mine. They have southern accents to rival any I’ve ever heard. Me and Danielle actually met during summer welcome. Kappel Jacks for life! And lastly, there is Riley. Now Riley and I’s relationship has surprised me a bit. I always knew me and Riley would get along. That was a given. But I could have never guessed how good of friends we would become. It is a very happy surprise.
Baseball has provided me with many great friendships over the past few weeks. The other guys have all accepted me just another part of their family, and that’s really cool. Then there are the freshmen. One of them, Brett Bond, I’ve known most of high school. We too won a few championships together, with baseball and football. We became great friends, and I know I can count of him, as he me. Nolan, Trey, Zack, Liam, Lake, Bryce, Alex, Tanner have all become great friends in the time that I have been here. Alex in particular. Maybe it’s because he lives across the hall from me. Maybe it’s something else, but we have certainly become close. But there are also the other managers and coaches who I have had the privilege of working with. I consider all of them part of my family.
And lastly, there are the friends that followed me from high school, to Mizzou. Many of my friends from home followed me here, but there are some that stick out. Nick, Jordan, and Sam were three of my best friends in high school. And including Brett, Shane, and few other of our friends, we were the tight. And it means the world for me to have them here. We support each other. When one hurts we all hurt. We stand tall for each other. We stay strong for each other. And I plan on having all of these guys at my wedding someday, because no matter what happens, I can’t see us not being close.
That’s my Mizzou Family, or at least a taste of it. There are others, many others, which I have made bonds with. Whether it be through athletics or through my hall, I have had the joy of many so many great souls. And I cannot wait to meet more of them on this great journey, while keeping the ones I have close to me. So yeah…all of that, out of a family dinner.
Finding My Mizzou Family,
Eichel