Well I haven't posted in a really long time, but I guess I should go ahead and wrap up this season. In the past two/three weeks there have been a ton of great ups and downs. On November 2nd we clinched first place in Landmark for the regular season with a win against our rivals Scranton. It was a solid win where I got the assist to put us up 1-0 on a bending ball from the outside to Chris Larson, and we held on to the 1-0 lead to finish up the game. I was playing with a lot of confidence and really well when the next day we had practice and I went up for a head ball and came down wrong on my left foot. It rolled right under me, and I heard a pop and felt terrible pain. It proved to be heavily sprained. I then had to sit out the last regular season game of the year against Merchant Marine. We lost in double overtime on a PK where our senior captain got a red card for a dirty tackle in the box. It was a very disappointing loss. I still couldn't play the next day, but rallied for practice on Wednesday. The trainer said I would probably be out for two to three weeks, but even with the heavy swelling and bruising I got through the pain and was cleared to play on Wednesday which meant I could play Thursday. We had our Conference tournament semifinals at home on Thursday against Juniata. I taped up and braced the ankle heavily, and even though I was in a lot of pain, I played through it and did well, although not getting too much time on the field. We came out extremely slow, and they ended up winning the game 3-1 which was a huge shock to us. We were the heavy favorites especially at home, and just did not show up. With our loss on Monday, we didn't think we had any chance at an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament, so our seniors were very emotional thinking that would be the last time they would play competitive soccer. I was very down to say the least. It took about three days for me to get over the tough loss, but then the next Monday we received news we made it into the NCAA tournament somehow. Even coach was baffled. But then we had to pick back up again after four days off and practice for the next week with our game against Franklin and Marshall on Saturday. We had an intense week of good practices and were ready to play on Friday when we traveled up to Dickinson where they hosted. (I hate to keep rambling, but I am also writing this as a log for my references although it's not the most well-written post). So just this past Saturday we played in the first round of the NCAA tournament. It is a very exciting feeling making the tournament, thinking that anything could happen. We played a very tough and equal first half, but when we came out in the second, F&M proved to be the better team. They hit the post three times and our keeper Torsten making some incredible saves, until finally they put one in off of a corner kick with three minutes left in the game. That proved to be the game winner even though we missed a cross which came into the six, and was deflected just over the crossbar. To be fair, we didn't have many chances, and the only way we probably would've won that game would be to hold them through two overtimes and win in PKs. Overall, I'm not mad at the loss, as it is much easier to finish the season in the NCAA tournament with a sense of accomplishment than the semis of the Conference tournament. I still feel bad for the seniors, but it was bound to happen at some point. Now the rest of us need to build up on this season's accomplishments for next year and improve. I'm optimistic for next year, but now it is time to relax, finish out the semester and enjoy the holidays. Thanks for following along for the ups and downs this season, as it was a tough grind, but pleased the way it turned out.
-TZ
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
A Quality Three Points
This past week was filled with intense practices. Because we didn't have a mid-week game, we practiced hard and for about two hours on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with a lighter pre-game session on Friday. I think the week of practices really helped us figure out our style of play, and be ready to come out hard for our weekend game. On Saturday we played our second Landmark Conference game against Moravian University. We knew they weren't going to be very good all around, but one of their players was nationally ranked in terms of points, so we focused on shutting him down.
Because it was Senior Day, all seven of our seniors started, and we came out strong. We were flying all over Moravian, but just couldn't put a goal in (as usual). I came off the bench with Sykes around 20 minutes in for Earl and Oloriz. With about 15 minutes left in the half, Mike, one of our freshman forwards, got the ball on an outside run, and I carried my run through the middle, he played me into the box, and I put the ball past the keeper on the near post to record my second goal of the season. It was a clutch goal, and we were pumped to get our first goal. We scored two more by the end of the game, while they didn't have many other chances. After working on my shot after practice every day the past week, I was glad I could come up big for the team and get some points. Hopefully I can keep putting the ball in the net. We ended the game 3-0 and were happy to get our first conference win, putting us in second place. Now we have McDaniel coming up on Wednesday at home, hopefully we can get revenge for our loss last year at their place.
Monday I had my first midterm in ENGR 201 Statics, and I feel like I did well. Others said they struggled, but all of my forces canceled out, to put the system in equilibrium, so I think I did well. Thursday I have my Physics midterm, and I'll be trying to do better than my first test in that class to get my average back up. I also had a meeting with my advisor to discuss the Goldwater Scholarship nomination and potential research opportunities. He gave me a contact of another professor here at CUA who works with prosthetics and rehabilitation at the National Rehab Hospital here in DC, so hopefully I can meet with him and possibly work with him later on second semester. That's about all for now. Got some laundry done this morning, and it looks to be a pleasant day today, especially compared to yesterday's rain, wind, and cold. It looks like fall is finally starting to come around, while I'm just trying to enjoy these last few days of warmth.
On a sad note, today is Andrew Crabtree's birthday. He was my good buddy back in elementary school, and he skipped a grade, and we stayed friends, while not as close. He passed away earlier this year from cancer, and I still feel terrible for his twin sister Ashley and the rest of their family. I ask that you send prayers their way today on his birthday.
That's about it for now. Take care,
-TZ
Because it was Senior Day, all seven of our seniors started, and we came out strong. We were flying all over Moravian, but just couldn't put a goal in (as usual). I came off the bench with Sykes around 20 minutes in for Earl and Oloriz. With about 15 minutes left in the half, Mike, one of our freshman forwards, got the ball on an outside run, and I carried my run through the middle, he played me into the box, and I put the ball past the keeper on the near post to record my second goal of the season. It was a clutch goal, and we were pumped to get our first goal. We scored two more by the end of the game, while they didn't have many other chances. After working on my shot after practice every day the past week, I was glad I could come up big for the team and get some points. Hopefully I can keep putting the ball in the net. We ended the game 3-0 and were happy to get our first conference win, putting us in second place. Now we have McDaniel coming up on Wednesday at home, hopefully we can get revenge for our loss last year at their place.
Monday I had my first midterm in ENGR 201 Statics, and I feel like I did well. Others said they struggled, but all of my forces canceled out, to put the system in equilibrium, so I think I did well. Thursday I have my Physics midterm, and I'll be trying to do better than my first test in that class to get my average back up. I also had a meeting with my advisor to discuss the Goldwater Scholarship nomination and potential research opportunities. He gave me a contact of another professor here at CUA who works with prosthetics and rehabilitation at the National Rehab Hospital here in DC, so hopefully I can meet with him and possibly work with him later on second semester. That's about all for now. Got some laundry done this morning, and it looks to be a pleasant day today, especially compared to yesterday's rain, wind, and cold. It looks like fall is finally starting to come around, while I'm just trying to enjoy these last few days of warmth.
On a sad note, today is Andrew Crabtree's birthday. He was my good buddy back in elementary school, and he skipped a grade, and we stayed friends, while not as close. He passed away earlier this year from cancer, and I still feel terrible for his twin sister Ashley and the rest of their family. I ask that you send prayers their way today on his birthday.
That's about it for now. Take care,
-TZ
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Quick Update
I keep wanting to update this blog, but then I find myself doing other things instead. Writing for the school's blog has been taking a lot of my "blogging time" and I mean, I'm getting paid for that one so this one gets pushed to the backburner. Here's the link to that blog if interested. I've posted three times so far, and I've been enjoying writing those posts. http://cuaadmissions.wordpress.com
So onto the topic of soccer... It's been a tough grind as usual. I haven't started the past two games, and seen a slight decrease in playing time. Coach has moved the lineup around to starting Kevin Romano at outside mid and playing Jon Paciorek at right back. This has decreased my playing time since now we have three seniors, Ben Sykes, and myself vying for the two outside mid spots. I really need to score goals, which I have just been really unlucky with this year once again. I've been shooting a lot more at practice, and I know my time is coming. Coach is going to play the people that are going to win games, hence score, so I need to start putting the ball in the back of the net again. I've just been working my butt off at practice every day so I'm hoping to stay in the lineups, even if not starting every game. We don't have a midweek game this week and after a tough double overtime tie against out first conference matchup, Drew last Saturday, we need three points this weekend against Moravian.
Classes have been going decently. I've gotten back my first tests in all my classes this week and some were a little disappointing, but I'm not too worried about it. I think I'll be able to bring em up, since it's still early in the semester. Midterms are up next in this upcoming week. I've also been nominated as a finalist for four of CUA's nominations for the national Goldwater Scholarship which gives $7,500 a year to 300 students across the country based on school's nominations. So that was very exciting to be one of five finalists of CUA's four nominations.
I also just booked my Megabus tickets to come home for Thanksgiving. I am coming home on Monday November 25 and I'll come back to school on December 1. The nice thing is I'll be home for my birthday as well with the fam. I still need to get my tickets to come home for Christmas which will be only like two weeks after Thanksgiving. So basically, once Thanksgiving gets here, the semester will be over. Still got about two months until then, but this semester is already flying by. We are already halfway through the soccer season as well.
That's about it for now. I will try and update this when I can especially after Saturday's game. So there's a short blog but there's a quick update from Tzimm.
-TZ
So onto the topic of soccer... It's been a tough grind as usual. I haven't started the past two games, and seen a slight decrease in playing time. Coach has moved the lineup around to starting Kevin Romano at outside mid and playing Jon Paciorek at right back. This has decreased my playing time since now we have three seniors, Ben Sykes, and myself vying for the two outside mid spots. I really need to score goals, which I have just been really unlucky with this year once again. I've been shooting a lot more at practice, and I know my time is coming. Coach is going to play the people that are going to win games, hence score, so I need to start putting the ball in the back of the net again. I've just been working my butt off at practice every day so I'm hoping to stay in the lineups, even if not starting every game. We don't have a midweek game this week and after a tough double overtime tie against out first conference matchup, Drew last Saturday, we need three points this weekend against Moravian.
Classes have been going decently. I've gotten back my first tests in all my classes this week and some were a little disappointing, but I'm not too worried about it. I think I'll be able to bring em up, since it's still early in the semester. Midterms are up next in this upcoming week. I've also been nominated as a finalist for four of CUA's nominations for the national Goldwater Scholarship which gives $7,500 a year to 300 students across the country based on school's nominations. So that was very exciting to be one of five finalists of CUA's four nominations.
I also just booked my Megabus tickets to come home for Thanksgiving. I am coming home on Monday November 25 and I'll come back to school on December 1. The nice thing is I'll be home for my birthday as well with the fam. I still need to get my tickets to come home for Christmas which will be only like two weeks after Thanksgiving. So basically, once Thanksgiving gets here, the semester will be over. Still got about two months until then, but this semester is already flying by. We are already halfway through the soccer season as well.
That's about it for now. I will try and update this when I can especially after Saturday's game. So there's a short blog but there's a quick update from Tzimm.
-TZ
Monday, September 16, 2013
A Tough Loss but Exciting News
So this past week went by relatively fast. That's the way it usually goes in the fall especially with having games midweek, it really speeds things up. Last Wednesday we beat Mary Washington at home 1-0. They had beat us 3-0 last year, so it was great that we got them back this year especially at home. Then all the anticipation was leading up to Saturday's game. We played Messiah at home who is the defending National Champions and currently undefeated and ranked #1 so far this year. They scored a goal in the first half and one early in the second half, but we kept fighting back. We ended up scoring with about 20 minutes left in the game to put it to 2-1, and had the momentum for the last part of the game, but just couldn't put another one in. I have to say it was a very fun game to play, even though it was a tough loss. We had one of the larger crowds I've seen at the field, with alot of people cheering and really into the game especially towards the end when it was a close game. I didn't get to start the game, but subbed in at the left mid position and actually got some more time than the starter did as I played most of the second half. I figure as long as I'm getting the time on the field, I have nothing to complain about. I just now have to keep working hard to get the spot back.
Then after the game it was tough to talk to everyone. People kept saying congrats and great game and you guys did really well, but I just kept thinking that we lost, and that was all that matters. Maybe I'm just really hard on myself and have big expectations for this team, but I couldn't really be that happy when at the end of the day we lost. Yeah we might have played one of the best teams really tough, but we still couldn't get the W. At least there is room for improvement and we still have some time.
Now tomorrow (Tuesday) we turn right around and play St. Mary's at home at 4pm. They just lost to Greensboro 5-0 and we beat Greensboro 2-0 so coach is expecting a big win for us. He said he wants the game to be over at half, so the starters are definitely going to have to come out strong. Hopefully I'll be back in there tomorrow. Well that's enough about soccer.
This weekend was very enjoyable after the game was finished. Mom and Dad came up for the game, and they offered to take me and my roommates out to eat an early dinner after the game. We went to Menomale Pizza right down the street in Brookland. I was a little iffy on the location just because Brookland isn't the nicest of neighborhoods but because the metro was down, we (all seven of us including 6 foot 6 Carl) piled into Dad's Audi sedan and drove down the street to the restaurant. It was very enjoyable as we got to sit outside on a cool but sunny day eating pizza and socializing. That was the first time my parents met my roommates and vice versa and I think everyone had a good time while avoiding the Pryz food at the same time. I'm very glad we were all able to go out for a good meal. Mom and Dad also brought up a TV for my dorm room that I had been wanting to get. It's a 24 inch flatscreen and works really well for my room. I have it hooked up to my computer so currently I am writing from my bed while reading this on my 24 inch TV. Pretty fancy stuff! It's very cool because I can hook up my nice computer speakers to the TV as well and watch HD movies and TV with great sound as well. I really like the new setup and am thankful my parents got it for me. Sunday I watched a lot of football and did some homework. I ended up going out to dinner for some delicious sushi as well at Momiji Sushi in Chinatown with Taylor. It was a good time and then came back in time to make it to the 9pm Mass. Overall it was a great weekend, setting up for a good week this week.
Today (Monday) was exciting in the fact that I got a job! The Office of Admissions is starting a student-run blog to talk about everyday life as a student here, and I sent in my resume and a sample from "A Day in the Life of" and found out today I am one of four students to get the job! Basically each one of us writes one post a week. Every other week we are given a topic to write about and then the other posts are free response where we can talk about anything we want. Some of the topics include talking about your college decision or your initial experience at the school or your favorite professor etc. I figured I could offer a different perspective on the school being an athlete a member of the Honors program and an Engineering major. It's funny, but I never thought this blog would be of any use, especially in getting a job, but it showed I had some experience in blogging, and my boss really liked the sample I sent in. I'm really excited about getting a little extra money on the side doing something that I already do periodically and on my own schedule.
Later this week I have my first Physics II exam on Thursday and then a MatLab (computer programming) exam on Friday. Luckily coach is giving us Wednesday off after our game on Tuesday so that will be good to catch up on some homework and studying. Other than that classes are going well. I aced my first Statistics quiz, so that is a good start to the semester as well. The weather is also starting to cool down a bit here as I wore a light jacket to classes today. I'm not ready for the cold yet, but I guess I don't have much say in that. So all around things are going really well, and I'm definitely staying busy. I will post the link to the new CUA blog once it is up and running as well. Hope everyone is doing well and thanks for reading this extensive post!
-TZ
P.S. shoutout to Pops for his birthday which was on Sunday, I hope it was a good one!
Then after the game it was tough to talk to everyone. People kept saying congrats and great game and you guys did really well, but I just kept thinking that we lost, and that was all that matters. Maybe I'm just really hard on myself and have big expectations for this team, but I couldn't really be that happy when at the end of the day we lost. Yeah we might have played one of the best teams really tough, but we still couldn't get the W. At least there is room for improvement and we still have some time.
Now tomorrow (Tuesday) we turn right around and play St. Mary's at home at 4pm. They just lost to Greensboro 5-0 and we beat Greensboro 2-0 so coach is expecting a big win for us. He said he wants the game to be over at half, so the starters are definitely going to have to come out strong. Hopefully I'll be back in there tomorrow. Well that's enough about soccer.
This weekend was very enjoyable after the game was finished. Mom and Dad came up for the game, and they offered to take me and my roommates out to eat an early dinner after the game. We went to Menomale Pizza right down the street in Brookland. I was a little iffy on the location just because Brookland isn't the nicest of neighborhoods but because the metro was down, we (all seven of us including 6 foot 6 Carl) piled into Dad's Audi sedan and drove down the street to the restaurant. It was very enjoyable as we got to sit outside on a cool but sunny day eating pizza and socializing. That was the first time my parents met my roommates and vice versa and I think everyone had a good time while avoiding the Pryz food at the same time. I'm very glad we were all able to go out for a good meal. Mom and Dad also brought up a TV for my dorm room that I had been wanting to get. It's a 24 inch flatscreen and works really well for my room. I have it hooked up to my computer so currently I am writing from my bed while reading this on my 24 inch TV. Pretty fancy stuff! It's very cool because I can hook up my nice computer speakers to the TV as well and watch HD movies and TV with great sound as well. I really like the new setup and am thankful my parents got it for me. Sunday I watched a lot of football and did some homework. I ended up going out to dinner for some delicious sushi as well at Momiji Sushi in Chinatown with Taylor. It was a good time and then came back in time to make it to the 9pm Mass. Overall it was a great weekend, setting up for a good week this week.
Today (Monday) was exciting in the fact that I got a job! The Office of Admissions is starting a student-run blog to talk about everyday life as a student here, and I sent in my resume and a sample from "A Day in the Life of" and found out today I am one of four students to get the job! Basically each one of us writes one post a week. Every other week we are given a topic to write about and then the other posts are free response where we can talk about anything we want. Some of the topics include talking about your college decision or your initial experience at the school or your favorite professor etc. I figured I could offer a different perspective on the school being an athlete a member of the Honors program and an Engineering major. It's funny, but I never thought this blog would be of any use, especially in getting a job, but it showed I had some experience in blogging, and my boss really liked the sample I sent in. I'm really excited about getting a little extra money on the side doing something that I already do periodically and on my own schedule.
Later this week I have my first Physics II exam on Thursday and then a MatLab (computer programming) exam on Friday. Luckily coach is giving us Wednesday off after our game on Tuesday so that will be good to catch up on some homework and studying. Other than that classes are going well. I aced my first Statistics quiz, so that is a good start to the semester as well. The weather is also starting to cool down a bit here as I wore a light jacket to classes today. I'm not ready for the cold yet, but I guess I don't have much say in that. So all around things are going really well, and I'm definitely staying busy. I will post the link to the new CUA blog once it is up and running as well. Hope everyone is doing well and thanks for reading this extensive post!
-TZ
P.S. shoutout to Pops for his birthday which was on Sunday, I hope it was a good one!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Catching Up
Thanks to one of my loyal followers, I was informed that i hadn't updated the blog in about nine days now. I can't believe it's been that long, but I'm definitely staying busy.
On a soccer note, since Greensboro we beat Shenandoah last Wednesday and tied Washington and Lee on Saturday. I got the start for both games so I'm pleased about that. Also very exciting I scored my first official regular season goal in my collegiate career against Shenandoah. They were pretty terrible but I had a good game nonetheless. I got the first assist to Hunter on a nice thru ball and then I had the second goal off of a cross from Earl where I took a touch and then just hit it far post. Shenandoah somehow tied up the game 2-2, off of two of the luckiest strikes I've seen but we fought back in the second half winning 5-2, scoring two more goals off of two of my corner kicks. I was very pleased with the win, although coach was not happy that we gave up two goals. Then against Washington and Lee we played a very tough match. They scored first, and were very cocky talking a lot of trash but we eventually tied it up in the second half while they dropped back and played very defensively, we kept attacking. We dominated the play but even through double overtime we couldn't put any goals in and ended the game on a 1-1 tie. I was exhausted after probably playing about 100 of the 110 minutes in the game. It was also great to have Michael, Mom, and Dad at the game for support and I'm glad they could make the trip up to W&L.
Now we play Mary Washington tomorrow (Wednesday) at home at 4pm looking to get some revenge after they beat us 3-0 last year. It's going to be a very hot day, but I think we should be able the get the W. Then this week will lead up to our game against #1 Messiah on Saturday at home at 1pm. It's a big week for the team.
My knees have still be really sore and the trainer confirmed that it is quadricep tendonitis. I've used the stim machine and been heating and icing before and after practice. I've even been riding the bike and doing light leg extensions, but not much relief. I guess I'm just going to have to play through it.
Classes have been going well. I haven't been swamped with work yet, which is nice, and I'm enjoying most of them. Economics is definitely a change of pace, discussing some national politics and current events instead of just numbers and equations from my physics and statistics classes.
And then I can't write the blog without mentioning the Eagles after this week! I don't think anyone was expecting an Eagles victory against the Redskins on Monday night, but it was great rubbing the victory in to all of the Redskins fans here at school who thought it wouldn't even be a game. I'm very excited to see what they can do this year if under Chip Kelly especially if Vick can stay healthy.
Now I'm relaxing tonight watching USA take on Mexico in the World Cup Qualifying match and doing some homework. I'm also working on reading "Red Dragon" by Thomas Harris. I've started reading books in my free time and right before bed, and this is my third book so far this semester. I like it a lot better than just wasting time on my phone or computer before bed. Anyway it's a very interesting book so far and I would recommend it to anyone for a quality read.
That's about it for now. Two big games ahead this week and we gotta TCB!
-TZ
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Dickinson and Greensboro
I have been dreading writing this blog. I haven't been this disappointed about a game in a long time. We left around 2 for Dickinson to play our season opener on Friday night. Since the spring, we have been looking forward to getting revenge and beating Dickinson since they're last year overtime goal on us which skeptically kept us out of an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. So six months in the waiting, and it's game day. We arrive to a beautiful, brand new field at Dickinson and we are set to play under the lights. I couldn't think of a better soccer atmosphere. I was pumped to play and get the start at right mid. Early on we got a few chances and it was a very equal game, but we couldn't capitalize. That set the tone for the rest of the game. They scored two goals on their first two shots and we were set back immediately.
That is where I stopped writing on Saturday because I didn't want to write any more about that game. We ended up losing 5-3 where they scored three goals on set pieces and we were just unlucky with some bad referring calls. Overall it was a very disappointing loss and I was pretty upset about it.
But now it's Sunday afternoon and I am feeling much better! Fresh off our first win of the season against Greensboro College at home, and it feels much better with a win. We won the game 2-0 in a game that we definitely deserved to win. I unfortunately didn't get the start today, but I could understand due to Sykes' solid play on Friday night and a goal for him, but I played about half of each half coming off the bench while the starters just played the first half of each half. We scored early on in the first half and held on to a 1-0 lead for the rest of the half and most of the second. Then with about 20 minutes or so, we had a great series of passing through the midfield, Hunter found my feet on the outside left side, and I hit a cross right to our forward Larson for the assist of the second and final goal of the match. We held on to the lead and were happy with our first win of the year. I played solid, and very pleased to get the assist as well. Hoping to regain that starting spot for Wednesday's game against Shenandoah.
But for now we have Monday off from school and practice for Labor Day and it will be a great day to rest up. My body is very sore from some bruises and hits, but that's what to expect after playing two games in three days. I was also very happy to see my roommates and friends come out to support. Also great to have Dad and Nelson make the day trip up for the game. It's tough finding time to visit especially when they take day trips up, but I always appreciate having the family make efforts to come and watch (and bring me some extra treats, Kit-Kats and Cheerios etc. for the dorm room).
So I hope everyone has a nice Labor Day weekend and a day to rest up! I know I sure need it!
-TZ
That is where I stopped writing on Saturday because I didn't want to write any more about that game. We ended up losing 5-3 where they scored three goals on set pieces and we were just unlucky with some bad referring calls. Overall it was a very disappointing loss and I was pretty upset about it.
But now it's Sunday afternoon and I am feeling much better! Fresh off our first win of the season against Greensboro College at home, and it feels much better with a win. We won the game 2-0 in a game that we definitely deserved to win. I unfortunately didn't get the start today, but I could understand due to Sykes' solid play on Friday night and a goal for him, but I played about half of each half coming off the bench while the starters just played the first half of each half. We scored early on in the first half and held on to a 1-0 lead for the rest of the half and most of the second. Then with about 20 minutes or so, we had a great series of passing through the midfield, Hunter found my feet on the outside left side, and I hit a cross right to our forward Larson for the assist of the second and final goal of the match. We held on to the lead and were happy with our first win of the year. I played solid, and very pleased to get the assist as well. Hoping to regain that starting spot for Wednesday's game against Shenandoah.
But for now we have Monday off from school and practice for Labor Day and it will be a great day to rest up. My body is very sore from some bruises and hits, but that's what to expect after playing two games in three days. I was also very happy to see my roommates and friends come out to support. Also great to have Dad and Nelson make the day trip up for the game. It's tough finding time to visit especially when they take day trips up, but I always appreciate having the family make efforts to come and watch (and bring me some extra treats, Kit-Kats and Cheerios etc. for the dorm room).
So I hope everyone has a nice Labor Day weekend and a day to rest up! I know I sure need it!
-TZ
Monday, August 26, 2013
Preseason is Officially Over
Even though it only lasts a week, preseason always stretches on and on feeling like a month. On Friday we had a scrimmage against Randolph College. They were a Sweet 16 team about two years ago, so we knew they would be better competition than Chestnut and more like our regular season games. I got called for the start again and played the first half against their first team. We won the half 1-0 which was much more competitive, so we were pleased with the advntage. I had no personal stats but still played decent. Our second team played their second team for the second half and at the end of the match we won 2-1. It was a solid scrimmage, and we were happy to get the win. Even though it technically doesn't mean anything, preseason scrimmages are good to win, just to start on the right foot and see where we will sit for the season.
Then on Saturday our preseason wrapped up with the Alumni game. These games are always much less intense and usually a lot of fun. Our first team started and even with the alums playing a man up, we went up 2-0 in the first two minutes. Coach was pleased that we scored quickly and efficiently and we were done for the game. It was good to get some of the other guys some time on the field, although they honestly didn't play all that well. It seems like they are still trying to adjust to the college game which can take a while. Then after the game, we feasted on a great tailgate put together by the alumni and parents. The tailgates are some of the best food we get all year especially since the cafeteria is subpar, but no need to complain.
Then Sunday was our first day off, but I went for a light run and got a good lift in with Josh Barrett. I think it's good to stay loose and lift occasionally during the season just to maintain some strength. Today we have practice in the evening which will be leading up to our first regular season game on Friday against Dickinson. We have been looking forward to this matchup since last spring, and we are looking to go out and dominate them. I'm very excited for the game and glad MammaZimm and Nelson will be able to make it for the game.
Today was also the first day of classes. So far, so good. I have two professors that I have already had, which is always a good thing, and all of them seem to be good teachers. One of my tougher classes will be Math 309 which is probability and statistics in engineering. I haven't taken a statistics class before so that material may be somewhat tough not seeing it before. We shall see. I'm ready to get into my routine and the first week is just always a little hectic. So now Sophomore year has officially begun classes and all!
-TZ
Friday, August 23, 2013
First Scrimmage
Wednesday we had our first preseason scrimmage against Chestnut Hill College. The final team consisting of 32 people hopped on the bus to head to Philly to play them. I honestly think the team is a little bit too big and sometimes question some of coach's tactics including one of the sophomores he cut, but it's his team and it's not my place to interfere. Anyway we got to the field and I got my ankle taped and was called to start at right mid. My ankle is getting better but it is still sore and I'm just trying to strengthen it while still taping it. The beginning of the game was fairly close. We were able to knock the ball around and got some decent chances while they, being D2 and overall a bigger (size-wise) team, played a very direct game and almost had a few chances targeting their 6'6" forward. Then about hallway through the half, our forward pressed and won the ball. I quickly followed in the box, he played it across to me, I somewhat wiffed the shot, and it went right to our left mid who put it in the back of the goal. It was an accidental assist by me, but hey, I'll take it! A goal's a goal, and an assist is an assist. Then with less than three minutes left in the half we got a throw in and it bounced around the box for a while, came to my feet, I took a touch and poked it in the back of the net. It was an important goal that set our lead strong for the half and kept the momentum with us for the rest of the game. I was subbed at half and watched the rest of the game from the side. Overall I was very pleased with my performance. An assist and goal for our first two goals of the game. Coach has started to give me much more freedom with my runs from the outside mid position and I am cutting across the field a lot more which has given me and the team a lot more chances. It reminds me of my junior year at Gibbons being able to basically make whatever runs I want and get open in places that the defense isn't expecting.
At the end of the game we won 5-0. It was a convincing win even though it was just a scrimmage, but it helps the team gain confidence. It was also very nice to catch up with Jason Woloski at the game. On the way to the game, I remembered he was working in Philly so I texted him where we were playing and he got to make it to the game and catch up afterwards. I always enjoy having family and friends at the game and it was great he could make it even while being very busy at Med school.
Now we are now expecting some better competition today when we face off against Randolph-Macon at 4pm. They have two Gibbons alum Kyle Unruh and Will Wolfe. It should be a good match, but I personally think we should be able to outplay them. We shall see. Then tomorrow we have our annual alumni game followed by our first day off on Sunday! This past week has seemed like a month (preseason always stretches on), so it will be nice to have a day to rest. Still grinding for two more scrimmages and we need wins!
-TZ
At the end of the game we won 5-0. It was a convincing win even though it was just a scrimmage, but it helps the team gain confidence. It was also very nice to catch up with Jason Woloski at the game. On the way to the game, I remembered he was working in Philly so I texted him where we were playing and he got to make it to the game and catch up afterwards. I always enjoy having family and friends at the game and it was great he could make it even while being very busy at Med school.
Now we are now expecting some better competition today when we face off against Randolph-Macon at 4pm. They have two Gibbons alum Kyle Unruh and Will Wolfe. It should be a good match, but I personally think we should be able to outplay them. We shall see. Then tomorrow we have our annual alumni game followed by our first day off on Sunday! This past week has seemed like a month (preseason always stretches on), so it will be nice to have a day to rest. Still grinding for two more scrimmages and we need wins!
-TZ
Monday, August 19, 2013
Preseason Grind
Today is the third official day of preseason. As always, it's a tough grind but necessary and worth it. We started Saturday morning at 6:15 am with the timed mile. As the first official practice, many were nervous and excited to get this season going. We all lined up on the track and had to run a mile faster than 5:20. Personally I think this is an extremely fast pace for the whole team, but coach has high fitness standards for us. Since last year's preseason, it's been my goal to get less than 5:00 on the mile and "Champions Club Level" where I missed it by one second last year. Anyway, I went out flying on the mile and paced my group out. I hit the first lap at 1:07, which would be a 4:28 pace, but just tried to hold on to that pace for a brutal three more laps and finished the mile at 4:57. I felt extremely accomplished after completing that mile since it's been one of my goals for over a year now. One senior ended up passing me just on the last lap for a 4:55 mile time, but I came in second overall and only one of three to get under five minutes. We continued after that with a regular practice. Everyone came out flying and motivated and it was a solid practice. Later that day we had another session, and those two-a-days are just grueling, but due to my training and fitness, I played well, and the coaches are pleased with my play.
Then on Sunday we woke up bright and early again to hit the turf to run our second fitness test, the Beep Test. This is a series of 22 yard runs back and forth having to beat a programmed "beep" which increases in speed with different levels. Level 14 is the "Champions Club Level" and around level 9 I started to get tired, but at that point, it's mostly mental and eventually there were only three of us left at level 14, and the other two quit at 14-1, while I pushed it for the last sprint to win the fitness test at a level of 14-2. According to these tests, I am the most fit member of the squad and I am very proud of that. Shows that my hard work pays off. No one else is in the running for the Champions Club except me now, and I hope to "come into Paris with the yellow jersey." Anyway we followed that with another practice, a break and then another session in the afternoon with mass at 6pm. Unfortunately in the afternoon session we played full field and I tried to cut on the baseline, and rolled my ankle pretty bad. The trainer said it is a minor sprain which is disappointing but not as bad as it could've been considering I've rolled that ankle a couple of times now. I iced/Advil alot and chose to sit out today's (Monday) first session. I would rather rest now and make it better than hurt it a lot worse and impact the rest of my season. I am going to try and give it a run tonight's session but we'll see how it holds up.
So that's about it. The coaches have seen that I am fit, and I feel pretty confident with my starting role at left mid. As long as this ankle heals relatively fast, I am looking at starting on Wednesday for our first scrimmage against Chestnut Hill College. Besides, soccer I haven't been up to much. I basically eat, sleep, and play soccer. I've been filling my time with some light reading and movies with the boys. I am really enjoying my own room this year in our new dorm and am looking forward to the rest of my roommates moving in on Saturday.
So that's about it for now. Hopefully this ankle can sort itself out!
-TZ
Then on Sunday we woke up bright and early again to hit the turf to run our second fitness test, the Beep Test. This is a series of 22 yard runs back and forth having to beat a programmed "beep" which increases in speed with different levels. Level 14 is the "Champions Club Level" and around level 9 I started to get tired, but at that point, it's mostly mental and eventually there were only three of us left at level 14, and the other two quit at 14-1, while I pushed it for the last sprint to win the fitness test at a level of 14-2. According to these tests, I am the most fit member of the squad and I am very proud of that. Shows that my hard work pays off. No one else is in the running for the Champions Club except me now, and I hope to "come into Paris with the yellow jersey." Anyway we followed that with another practice, a break and then another session in the afternoon with mass at 6pm. Unfortunately in the afternoon session we played full field and I tried to cut on the baseline, and rolled my ankle pretty bad. The trainer said it is a minor sprain which is disappointing but not as bad as it could've been considering I've rolled that ankle a couple of times now. I iced/Advil alot and chose to sit out today's (Monday) first session. I would rather rest now and make it better than hurt it a lot worse and impact the rest of my season. I am going to try and give it a run tonight's session but we'll see how it holds up.
So that's about it. The coaches have seen that I am fit, and I feel pretty confident with my starting role at left mid. As long as this ankle heals relatively fast, I am looking at starting on Wednesday for our first scrimmage against Chestnut Hill College. Besides, soccer I haven't been up to much. I basically eat, sleep, and play soccer. I've been filling my time with some light reading and movies with the boys. I am really enjoying my own room this year in our new dorm and am looking forward to the rest of my roommates moving in on Saturday.
So that's about it for now. Hopefully this ankle can sort itself out!
-TZ
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Here we are again, Round 2
Obviously I haven't been keeping up with my blog all that much. During the summer I rarely find the time to blog and instead spend my free time relaxing etc. But now I am officially moved into my new dorm and ready for my sophomore year at Catholic University. On July 31, I was all packed up and headed to DC. We met as a team to train for three days on campus to prepare for our overseas trip. Upon arrival, we were all surprised to find Chelsea's first team using our facilities as a training ground. For those that don't know, Chelsea is considered one of the top professional teams in the world and have multimillion dollar players. Here is a link to their website if interested. http://www.chelseafc.com I got to meet Frank Lampard, basically a living legend and took a picture with him. One of the cooler moments as a soccer fan.
Then our team departed on August 2, heading to Barcelona, Spain. Overall it was one of the most fun trips I have taken. Being able to play soccer with my buddies against foreign opponents and then getting to sightsee and experience the city with my friends was a once in a lifetime experience. Here is the link to the blog that the team completed while over there (just way to much to recap by myself) http://catholicusoccer.blogspot.com If the link doesn't work, try it on your smart phone. Here are a few pics of my own:
Anyway we returned last Sunday the 11th and moved into my new dorm. I have my own room but sharing a suite with four more of my buddies. It should be a good setup. We have been having captains practices and been preparing for our official preseason to start up on Saturday. We will have two-a-days and run a lot. I am conservatively confident about the fitness tests, and overall very excited about the upcoming season.
I will try and update this blog as much as possible during the semester and season so stay tuned! More to come!
For now,
TZ
Then our team departed on August 2, heading to Barcelona, Spain. Overall it was one of the most fun trips I have taken. Being able to play soccer with my buddies against foreign opponents and then getting to sightsee and experience the city with my friends was a once in a lifetime experience. Here is the link to the blog that the team completed while over there (just way to much to recap by myself) http://catholicusoccer.blogspot.com If the link doesn't work, try it on your smart phone. Here are a few pics of my own:
Anyway we returned last Sunday the 11th and moved into my new dorm. I have my own room but sharing a suite with four more of my buddies. It should be a good setup. We have been having captains practices and been preparing for our official preseason to start up on Saturday. We will have two-a-days and run a lot. I am conservatively confident about the fitness tests, and overall very excited about the upcoming season.
I will try and update this blog as much as possible during the semester and season so stay tuned! More to come!
For now,
TZ
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
End of the Spring Season
Last Wednesday evening I hurt my foot at practice. I went into a tackle and kicked Luke's knee with the outside of my foot and it did not feel good. The pain felt like a sprained ankle but it was all in the foot. I went to the trainer and they said it was either a fractured toe bone or a bone-bruise. It didn't swell up too bad, but it was definitely hard to walk on. It was pretty bad timing since our one play-day for the spring season was on Saturday. I iced and rehabbed as much as possible and was getting optimistic by Friday. I was able to run and cut without too much pain, but didn't play in practice.
Then Saturday was a big day for the team. We played American University and JMU right down the road at AU. Both are Division I teams so we knew it would be difficult to play up to their level especially since they have much more time available to play and train in the spring. Anyway, my foot was feeling better, not 100% but I decided to play and it felt okay. I played the second half of both games (two 30 minute halves for each game) and we ended up tying AU 0-0 and lost to JMU 2-0. They scored both in the second half which was the 120th straight minute for some of us, and we were low on subs due to injuries. Anyway we were all pretty pleased with our performance so it was a good day of play.
Now we have one week left of the season. One more practice on Wednesday and then the alumni game on Friday. It's been fun to play, but I think I am ready for the spring season to wrap up; it's grueling to keep on practicing with high intensity for five weeks or so with only one day of games to look forward to. I am also ready to get back to more lifting and some biking to train for the duathalon in May. I'm pretty excited for that to say the least.
It's finally started getting warm out as well. All of the cherry blossoms are blooming here and spring time has been very pretty in the city. Here's a pic of the Jefferson Memorial from the city:
Overall school has been going well also. I have A's in all my classes so far except Philosophy which is hovering around an A-. I know I struggle in that subject, but I am really hoping I could pull something out on the final for an A. I don't know if it's possible, but I'll be shooting for it. I could also be excused from my Math final as well which would be really nice and help with my workload for finals week.
It's also starting to hit me that my first year is almost already over. We only have about three or four weeks left here. It's kind of sad to be honest. This has been a great year for me, and I have really enjoyed myself here at Catholic. I will be enjoying these last few weeks, living in the moment, but also looking forward to the summer to come.
Take care,
-TZ
Then Saturday was a big day for the team. We played American University and JMU right down the road at AU. Both are Division I teams so we knew it would be difficult to play up to their level especially since they have much more time available to play and train in the spring. Anyway, my foot was feeling better, not 100% but I decided to play and it felt okay. I played the second half of both games (two 30 minute halves for each game) and we ended up tying AU 0-0 and lost to JMU 2-0. They scored both in the second half which was the 120th straight minute for some of us, and we were low on subs due to injuries. Anyway we were all pretty pleased with our performance so it was a good day of play.
Now we have one week left of the season. One more practice on Wednesday and then the alumni game on Friday. It's been fun to play, but I think I am ready for the spring season to wrap up; it's grueling to keep on practicing with high intensity for five weeks or so with only one day of games to look forward to. I am also ready to get back to more lifting and some biking to train for the duathalon in May. I'm pretty excited for that to say the least.
It's finally started getting warm out as well. All of the cherry blossoms are blooming here and spring time has been very pretty in the city. Here's a pic of the Jefferson Memorial from the city:
Overall school has been going well also. I have A's in all my classes so far except Philosophy which is hovering around an A-. I know I struggle in that subject, but I am really hoping I could pull something out on the final for an A. I don't know if it's possible, but I'll be shooting for it. I could also be excused from my Math final as well which would be really nice and help with my workload for finals week.
It's also starting to hit me that my first year is almost already over. We only have about three or four weeks left here. It's kind of sad to be honest. This has been a great year for me, and I have really enjoyed myself here at Catholic. I will be enjoying these last few weeks, living in the moment, but also looking forward to the summer to come.
Take care,
-TZ
Friday, April 5, 2013
Easter Break etc.
A perk of going to a Catholic school: I get a long weekend for Easter. I headed home the Wednesday before Easter and stayed until Monday after. It was a great break which I wouldn't be able to get going to any other school. This break was nice in comparison to Spring Break because the whole family seemed to be around for the whole time. I got to spend a lot of time with everyone which was very enjoyable. Thursday and Friday were relaxing and relatively unexciting. I got to see Meredith and BD in the gym Thursday morning and visited Michael at his work at United Therapeutics. They are doing some pretty cool stuff over there, and it really makes me want to get some research experience this summer at some type of lab. I seemed to have tried everything for getting a major-related job/internship for the summer, but I think I might have to resort to working some volunteer job at a lab or corporation. We shall see about that.
Anyway Saturday I got to try out a new type of training. I rode the bike out on the roads for the first time. I am training for a duathalon in May and it was really fun getting out on the roads. I rode with Michael and Dad and it was a good time. I look forward to riding some more and am hopeful to do well in the race.
Easter Sunday was also really nice. We had Julee, Grandma, and Nana and Pops to join us for dinner. The food was great and it was a good time.
Then Monday I caught a ride to Richmond with Julee to catch the Megabus there because there were none leaving from Durham for reason. The Megabus picked me up late and then we got in traffic and I was traveling from 10am that morning and got in my dorm at 7pm. It was a long nine hours of travel that should usually only take about 5 hours.
This past week has gone past fast. I feel like every week should be only four days. It would make everything much better. We had practices at 6am this week and we had to run the mile before one of them. We had to get it in under 6 minutes which isn't too bad, but I was still a little concerned about it. I ended up doing fine coming in third out of the team with a time of 5:33. I was pleased with that and then followed that up with a solid practice. Coach actually emailed me and said I have started to play well these past two days and to keep it up. It's nice to get positive feedback especially after all this hard work I've been putting in this spring.
It's been hard to find time for the trainer and lifting during spring season but I'm still getting all of my workouts in that I need. Tomorrow we have practice in the morning and then we are going out in the city to look at the cherry blossoms. I will try and post a pic if I can. It should be a good time.
I know I can't really go into detail about everything else, but I don't wanna bore anyone either. So those are the major highlights of the past week or so. I have been thinking about posting this since Monday, but I haven't gotten around to it. I really need to get better about these posts. Especially since I have a new follower! Shout out to Lindsey for the follow!
So until next time,
-TZ
Anyway Saturday I got to try out a new type of training. I rode the bike out on the roads for the first time. I am training for a duathalon in May and it was really fun getting out on the roads. I rode with Michael and Dad and it was a good time. I look forward to riding some more and am hopeful to do well in the race.
Easter Sunday was also really nice. We had Julee, Grandma, and Nana and Pops to join us for dinner. The food was great and it was a good time.
Then Monday I caught a ride to Richmond with Julee to catch the Megabus there because there were none leaving from Durham for reason. The Megabus picked me up late and then we got in traffic and I was traveling from 10am that morning and got in my dorm at 7pm. It was a long nine hours of travel that should usually only take about 5 hours.
This past week has gone past fast. I feel like every week should be only four days. It would make everything much better. We had practices at 6am this week and we had to run the mile before one of them. We had to get it in under 6 minutes which isn't too bad, but I was still a little concerned about it. I ended up doing fine coming in third out of the team with a time of 5:33. I was pleased with that and then followed that up with a solid practice. Coach actually emailed me and said I have started to play well these past two days and to keep it up. It's nice to get positive feedback especially after all this hard work I've been putting in this spring.
It's been hard to find time for the trainer and lifting during spring season but I'm still getting all of my workouts in that I need. Tomorrow we have practice in the morning and then we are going out in the city to look at the cherry blossoms. I will try and post a pic if I can. It should be a good time.
I know I can't really go into detail about everything else, but I don't wanna bore anyone either. So those are the major highlights of the past week or so. I have been thinking about posting this since Monday, but I haven't gotten around to it. I really need to get better about these posts. Especially since I have a new follower! Shout out to Lindsey for the follow!
So until next time,
-TZ
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Is it Actually Spring?
There's no way I could possible fill in everything that has happened since my last blog. I guess I've just gotten pretty lazy in keeping up with this thing. I do enjoy doing it, but tough to find the time.
So I'll just hit the highlights here. Sunday was the first day of our official spring season. We trained in the morning and it was solid. I though we were going to do more fitness / running but it wasn't that bad. It was fun to get back out there with the guys and do some actual drills instead of just scrimmaging and whatnot during captains practices. So now we have about three practices a week for five weeks and then one day of scrimmage. We are going to play American University and James Madison (both DI schools) which should be good.
St. Patricks Day was also actually a really big holiday up here which I did not realize. There was a huge block party off campus which was pretty fun and then a group of us finished the day off at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was actually a pretty fun holiday; one which I haven't ever really celebrated.
Now I have four more days of school before coming home for Easter. I just bought my MegaBus ticket for next Wednesday at 12:45 and then I'll return to school Easter Monday. It will be a good break. Now I just have a chemistry test to get through tomorrow and then it should be a relative cruise.
I'm also working on putting together my schedule of classes for next semester. It looks like I will be taking 16 credits which should be decent with the soccer season etc. And now my Physics teacher asked me if I was interested in minoring in Physics and I don't even know what I want to do because I could also minor in Math since I'm far ahead in math but we'll see. I also want to enjoy myself lol.
And so Wednesday was the first day of Spring and it was decently nice, but now the day after the high is 40 degrees and its freezing especially at practice. I am truly ready for warm weather. Hope it comes sooner rather than later.
So that's about it for now. Looking forward to Easter with the fam.
-TZ
So I'll just hit the highlights here. Sunday was the first day of our official spring season. We trained in the morning and it was solid. I though we were going to do more fitness / running but it wasn't that bad. It was fun to get back out there with the guys and do some actual drills instead of just scrimmaging and whatnot during captains practices. So now we have about three practices a week for five weeks and then one day of scrimmage. We are going to play American University and James Madison (both DI schools) which should be good.
St. Patricks Day was also actually a really big holiday up here which I did not realize. There was a huge block party off campus which was pretty fun and then a group of us finished the day off at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was actually a pretty fun holiday; one which I haven't ever really celebrated.
Now I have four more days of school before coming home for Easter. I just bought my MegaBus ticket for next Wednesday at 12:45 and then I'll return to school Easter Monday. It will be a good break. Now I just have a chemistry test to get through tomorrow and then it should be a relative cruise.
I'm also working on putting together my schedule of classes for next semester. It looks like I will be taking 16 credits which should be decent with the soccer season etc. And now my Physics teacher asked me if I was interested in minoring in Physics and I don't even know what I want to do because I could also minor in Math since I'm far ahead in math but we'll see. I also want to enjoy myself lol.
And so Wednesday was the first day of Spring and it was decently nice, but now the day after the high is 40 degrees and its freezing especially at practice. I am truly ready for warm weather. Hope it comes sooner rather than later.
So that's about it for now. Looking forward to Easter with the fam.
-TZ
Monday, March 4, 2013
Home Sweet Home
Last week was quite the struggle as the last week before Spring Break. I had two midterms, a paper due and a test all in the second half of the week. Needless to say it was great when 5:00 Friday hit when I finished with all of my classes. Friday night me and a few friends went out to dinner. We went to Momiji sushi in Chinatown, DC and it was the first time I had sushi. It was actually great! I really enjoyed it and I can't believe I had never had it before. Then later we went to support our women's basketball team in their first round of the NCAA's. It was a fun game and they advanced. Our basketball teams were both ranked in the top ten of the nation, and it is good to see that type of success for us.
Friday night we relaxed and watched a few movies and just hung out. I ended up staying up real late which probably wasn't the best decision since I had to get up early for my bus ride home Saturday. Anyway I woke up at 5:30 and packed in the morning. I had requested a taxi to take us from school to Metro station at 7am in the morning to get to Union Station for a 7:45 am bus ride. This is where the morning got stressful. At 7:10, the taxi still wasn't there so I called the company and they said there are no taxis in the area, and they probably wouldn't be able to get us to Union station in time for my bus. So I started freaking out cause the metro was closed and I had a friend with me who had a train to catch at 7:40. So luckily another man was waiting for a taxi right next to us and somehow he was trying to go to Union as well. So we waited for his taxi which came at 7:20 and I did not think we were going to make it in time. We finally got to the station at a little after 7:30 and I offered to pay for the taxi for all of us, but the man was extremely nice and paid for all three of us. We didn't even have to pay for the ride. So then we ran to get my friend on her train and then I ran back up to catch my bus right at 7:45. I do not know how we made it in time, but it was definitely a whole lotta luck. It would've sucked to have to stay until I could get another bus ride too. Anyway that was definitely way too much stress at 7 am especially after getting like two hours of sleep. I'm just happy I got home safe and sound.
Later Saturday, me and Michael went for about a 6 mile run which was very good. It made our Outback dinner even better that night. A blooming onion, house salad, 10 oz ribeye and mashed potatoes for Michael, Dad, and me. It was great.
Now I just finished a lift with Michael at the gym which was a good way to start Monday/the week. I'm looking forward to relaxing this week at home and just hanging around. I just wish it was a little warmer out! At least spring is soon to come.
In the meantime I'll be taking long naps and relaxing here at home for a nice Spring Break.
-TZ
Friday night we relaxed and watched a few movies and just hung out. I ended up staying up real late which probably wasn't the best decision since I had to get up early for my bus ride home Saturday. Anyway I woke up at 5:30 and packed in the morning. I had requested a taxi to take us from school to Metro station at 7am in the morning to get to Union Station for a 7:45 am bus ride. This is where the morning got stressful. At 7:10, the taxi still wasn't there so I called the company and they said there are no taxis in the area, and they probably wouldn't be able to get us to Union station in time for my bus. So I started freaking out cause the metro was closed and I had a friend with me who had a train to catch at 7:40. So luckily another man was waiting for a taxi right next to us and somehow he was trying to go to Union as well. So we waited for his taxi which came at 7:20 and I did not think we were going to make it in time. We finally got to the station at a little after 7:30 and I offered to pay for the taxi for all of us, but the man was extremely nice and paid for all three of us. We didn't even have to pay for the ride. So then we ran to get my friend on her train and then I ran back up to catch my bus right at 7:45. I do not know how we made it in time, but it was definitely a whole lotta luck. It would've sucked to have to stay until I could get another bus ride too. Anyway that was definitely way too much stress at 7 am especially after getting like two hours of sleep. I'm just happy I got home safe and sound.
Later Saturday, me and Michael went for about a 6 mile run which was very good. It made our Outback dinner even better that night. A blooming onion, house salad, 10 oz ribeye and mashed potatoes for Michael, Dad, and me. It was great.
Now I just finished a lift with Michael at the gym which was a good way to start Monday/the week. I'm looking forward to relaxing this week at home and just hanging around. I just wish it was a little warmer out! At least spring is soon to come.
In the meantime I'll be taking long naps and relaxing here at home for a nice Spring Break.
-TZ
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Stage 2
The next two weeks are going to be a tough grind to close out the first half of the spring semester. Two more weeks before spring break. I'm going to have a few midterms and papers due in these weeks, just as classes are starting to get a little challenging. So far I've already learned most of everything in high school and last semester for classes such as physics and math and chemistry, but now we are starting to learn new things, and I'm having to study more on my own to learn the new materials. But even with the increase in difficulty, grades have stayed decently decent haha which is good. Just have to stay focused.
Last week was relatively smooth. Valentine's Day was relatively uneventful. I got to talk to Grandma and Mom which was nice. Then a few of my friends and I went out to the city for a while in the evening. It was a nice time.
The weekend was nice and it was good to relax and catch up on some rest. Then Monday the soccer team went to support Earl who lost his mother to cancer last week, so we all went to the funeral which was nearby in Maryland. It was very sad, but it seemed as if Earl was taking it fairly well. I just know it's got to be tough for him.
Now today I started my new cycle of workouts from Meredith. They are more cardio intensive in comparison to the more bulk-focus on the last cycle. I don't typically enjoy the cardio part, but I've gotta do it to get in shape for the season. I still find myself really enjoying my lifting which is a good supplement to our captains practices.
So these next two weeks will be very physically and mentally intense, but it will just make break that much better.
L8R,
-TZ
Last week was relatively smooth. Valentine's Day was relatively uneventful. I got to talk to Grandma and Mom which was nice. Then a few of my friends and I went out to the city for a while in the evening. It was a nice time.
The weekend was nice and it was good to relax and catch up on some rest. Then Monday the soccer team went to support Earl who lost his mother to cancer last week, so we all went to the funeral which was nearby in Maryland. It was very sad, but it seemed as if Earl was taking it fairly well. I just know it's got to be tough for him.
Now today I started my new cycle of workouts from Meredith. They are more cardio intensive in comparison to the more bulk-focus on the last cycle. I don't typically enjoy the cardio part, but I've gotta do it to get in shape for the season. I still find myself really enjoying my lifting which is a good supplement to our captains practices.
So these next two weeks will be very physically and mentally intense, but it will just make break that much better.
L8R,
-TZ
Monday, February 11, 2013
A Quick Post
I just realized I haven't really been keeping up with my blog. No posts since January! Undece. It seems as if the time just keeps flying by. I think this is my fifth week back at school but feels like the second. I thought about making a weekend trip home before spring break but I missed the weekend I was planning on, and now it's only about two weeks away from break, so it's probably not even worth it.
Classes have been going decently. 18 credits hasn't been that bad so far, and I hope it stays that way. This past week and this week are fairly loaded with tests and quizzes and such for the classes, so I have to buckle down and get to studying.
We've been having captains practices three times a week which is good for keeping the touch and staying in game shape. I've basically used those to replace my personal running routine that I fit in with my lifting schedule. I feel like I've been getting stronger through my workouts which is very encouraging.
Me and my suitemates have started watching the show Breaking Bad which has been very entertaining. It seems like each episode ends on a cliffhanger and we just have to keep watching. It's a very kind of controversial topic, but pretty interesting. I won't go into much detail here but look it up if you're curious.
Not much else to report. Nothing all that exciting going on. Just the good ol' grind. Hope all is well with everyone else.
-TZ
Classes have been going decently. 18 credits hasn't been that bad so far, and I hope it stays that way. This past week and this week are fairly loaded with tests and quizzes and such for the classes, so I have to buckle down and get to studying.
We've been having captains practices three times a week which is good for keeping the touch and staying in game shape. I've basically used those to replace my personal running routine that I fit in with my lifting schedule. I feel like I've been getting stronger through my workouts which is very encouraging.
Me and my suitemates have started watching the show Breaking Bad which has been very entertaining. It seems like each episode ends on a cliffhanger and we just have to keep watching. It's a very kind of controversial topic, but pretty interesting. I won't go into much detail here but look it up if you're curious.
Not much else to report. Nothing all that exciting going on. Just the good ol' grind. Hope all is well with everyone else.
-TZ
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
A Week in Review
Last week was solid. I'm not going to go into too much detail about anything just for the lack of time. We got about two inches of snow last week and it was all pretty and everything, but it wasn't really enough to do anything with.
Friday was the March for Life in DC. So many people came to campus to visit and attend mass at the Basilica. Even some high schoolers slept in our gymnasium to attend the march. I attended the North Carolina March for Life Mass in the Basilica on Friday afternoon where Bishop Burbidge said Mass. I made a move into the other isle to get communion from him and he gave it to me, recognized me, smiled, and gave me a quick blessing. It was very cool to see him again. It was also very amazing how many people from North Carolina traveled up to DC to attend the Mass and March. I haven't seen the Basilica so packed. I could barely find a seat for just myself. Afterward I also got to greet the CGHS students and Mr. D who came up for the March. It was good to see them out supporting an important issue.
The weekend was enjoyable. I hung out a lot with my suitemates and our friends. I think I have decided that I will be rooming with them next year as well. We all get along really well and they're nice guys. Then Sunday evening we got a little bit of ice and our first two classes, my least favorite (Theology and Philosophy) were cancelled so that was a nice start to the week.
We had a soccer meeting on Monday evening followed by our first intramural soccer match. We talked about our Barcelona trip in our meeting and briefly about the Spring season. It was a good meeting to get our minds set focused on our new goals while keeping the disappointing season in the past but in our minds as well. Everyone seems dedicated and it should be interesting to see how we do. We then tied our intramural game which was very disappointing, because of course we take it very seriously. I had a sweet goal, but gotta score more for the team. Then Tuesday we had our first unofficial captains practice with the team. Almost everyone made it out and we played full field scrimmage. It was actually a lot of fun, yet we kept it serious as well. We should be having about two to three of those practices a week. Those will be good to keep me in shape, besides just running on my own.
I've been keeping up with my lifting, going every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with my schedule from Meredith. I feel good about the weights I've been putting up, and I think I've been getting somewhat stronger which is good. I still have some lower back pains and knee pains every now and then, but I think it is because of tight hamstrings so I'm trying to focus on better posture and stretching more often.
Today was a good day as well. The weather was great. It got to almost 70 degrees outside and I wore shorts all day. Fantastic. I feel like I did well on my first physics test as well, which hopefully is a good way to start out my grades in that class. Now I think we are going to head out to see Zero Dark Thirty tonight in Chinatown. I really want to see the movie so that should be fun.
So that's about it for now. Looking forward to the weekend and Super Bowl already. In general everything is going great, and I just keep thinking about how much I love going to school here. I think its a great fit, and I've really been enjoying this semester so far. Hopefully it stays just as solid.
Hope everything is good with y'all,
-TZ
Friday was the March for Life in DC. So many people came to campus to visit and attend mass at the Basilica. Even some high schoolers slept in our gymnasium to attend the march. I attended the North Carolina March for Life Mass in the Basilica on Friday afternoon where Bishop Burbidge said Mass. I made a move into the other isle to get communion from him and he gave it to me, recognized me, smiled, and gave me a quick blessing. It was very cool to see him again. It was also very amazing how many people from North Carolina traveled up to DC to attend the Mass and March. I haven't seen the Basilica so packed. I could barely find a seat for just myself. Afterward I also got to greet the CGHS students and Mr. D who came up for the March. It was good to see them out supporting an important issue.
The weekend was enjoyable. I hung out a lot with my suitemates and our friends. I think I have decided that I will be rooming with them next year as well. We all get along really well and they're nice guys. Then Sunday evening we got a little bit of ice and our first two classes, my least favorite (Theology and Philosophy) were cancelled so that was a nice start to the week.
We had a soccer meeting on Monday evening followed by our first intramural soccer match. We talked about our Barcelona trip in our meeting and briefly about the Spring season. It was a good meeting to get our minds set focused on our new goals while keeping the disappointing season in the past but in our minds as well. Everyone seems dedicated and it should be interesting to see how we do. We then tied our intramural game which was very disappointing, because of course we take it very seriously. I had a sweet goal, but gotta score more for the team. Then Tuesday we had our first unofficial captains practice with the team. Almost everyone made it out and we played full field scrimmage. It was actually a lot of fun, yet we kept it serious as well. We should be having about two to three of those practices a week. Those will be good to keep me in shape, besides just running on my own.
I've been keeping up with my lifting, going every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with my schedule from Meredith. I feel good about the weights I've been putting up, and I think I've been getting somewhat stronger which is good. I still have some lower back pains and knee pains every now and then, but I think it is because of tight hamstrings so I'm trying to focus on better posture and stretching more often.
Today was a good day as well. The weather was great. It got to almost 70 degrees outside and I wore shorts all day. Fantastic. I feel like I did well on my first physics test as well, which hopefully is a good way to start out my grades in that class. Now I think we are going to head out to see Zero Dark Thirty tonight in Chinatown. I really want to see the movie so that should be fun.
So that's about it for now. Looking forward to the weekend and Super Bowl already. In general everything is going great, and I just keep thinking about how much I love going to school here. I think its a great fit, and I've really been enjoying this semester so far. Hopefully it stays just as solid.
Hope everything is good with y'all,
-TZ
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Fantastic Weekend
Warning: Long Blog Post Ahead
Needless to say, I have been staying very busy at school so far even without soccer. I completed my first week of my weekly workout schedule from Meredith and was very sore after each of those days. Very pleased.
This Saturday we woke up early to go on a service trip. It was the MLK National Day of Service so the soccer team got together and went on a trip together. We went to an elementary school in DC and some of us worked on building book shelves, pairing murals, and making sandwiches for a food shelter. I got stuck with making sandwiches and I don't ever want to see another cream cheese and jelly sandwich. I can't tell you how many we made and to say the least, they did not look appetizing after the first hundred. The exciting part of it was after finishing our project, we got to meet President Barack Obama and Michelle. Turns out they were there doing community service as well and they talked to us for a while after. It's funny because everyone was wondering why there were so many cops and high tech security with metal detectors etc. and turns out it was cause of the President. Some of the guys got the shake his hand, but I didn't get close enough but it was still really cool. Here's a pic from my point of view:
After getting back on campus, I had to go pick up my recruit from coach. He is from nearby Virginia and this was his first collegiate visit. He had just turned 17, but coach said he was legit and really, really wants him. The kid (Johnny) was also looking at CNU and Scranton. Those are some top notch schools and we really wanted him. So we watched the CUA women's and men's basketball games for a while, and hung out with the guys. We played 5v5 with all of the soccer guys and recruits after the games and that was actually a lot of fun. For once, I didn't get hurt playing basketball, and it was actually a lot of fun. Then we all went out to Mike Brennan's apartment for a small party. All the girls were like, "Oooh Zimm, who's the hot recruit?!" Haha he was getting the ladies on his first visit. Then we came back to the room and crashed. We ended up having five people sleep in one dorm room. Me, my roommate, his two friends that were visiting, and the recruit. It was packed. I wasn't the best night of sleep for anyone. In the morning I took the recruit back to coach and he left in the morning. He said he had a blast so I hope he'll come here. He was a cool guy.
Sunday was somewhat of a relaxing day including church and a little bit of sleep. Later that evening my suite mates and I watched the football playoff game with about six other people. We moved the couch from the common room into the suite and had a viewing party. We watched Ted after the game, and it was even funnier the second time. It's so ridiculous but we laughed a good bit. Who would ever think about making a movie with a teddy bear as the star character... Definitely not me.
So once it got pretty late, me and my buds decided that we were just going to pull an all-nighter so that we could make it to the Presidential Inauguration early Monday morning. We made it til about 2:30 am and then we crashed. I only slept for an hour and then we got up at 3:30 am and headed off on the metro into the city. We got to the public entrance gate to the National Mall at 4:45 am. It was freezing, we were extremely tired, and we were surrounded by tons of other people. Haha it was definitely an experience. We packed about 8 PB and J sandwiches for all of our group of 11 people and they were gone after like two hours. We ended up waiting about 4 hours for the gates to open in the freezing cold. Haha we made the best of the experience and it wasn't even all that bad. So once we entered all of the security (4 metal detectors for thousands of people...) we found a spot on the National Mall to watch the Inauguration. It was around 9:30 so we then waiting there for another two hours. The whole time on our feet cause there is nowhere to sit. Haha we played some card games and tried to stay warm. Then around 11 am the announcements of everyone entering their seats started and eventually the entire program began. I can't even describe fully what it was like to be there, but it was honestly amazing. One of the coolest experiences I've had. Being surrounded by literally a million Americans all there to await the future of our country. SO neat. After the whole thing it was such a long walk to get out of the parade route and mall area with so many other people. We finally found a place to eat and by that time, 2:30 pm, we definitely needed food for having basically nothing all day. Some of us were falling asleep eating. Eventually we got on the metro and made it back to campus. I instantly crashed in my bed and slept. When I woke up I didn't even know where I was or if it was morning or night, but it was around 7 pm. I ate dinner and did some homework and then went to bed at 11. A very exhausting day, but so worth it. This is just one of those once in a lifetime experiences that I get to do, just because I go to school in DC. Yeah, I'm sure there are a lot of cool things that you can do in all schools around the country, but only at CUA have I been able to meet the President, and then go to his Innauguration all in one weekend. This school is awesome. I wish I could describe it better, but I'm just not the best writer haha and there is so much more that I can't even put into words.
Today has been somewhat of a drag. Woke up to 20 degree weather and Weather Channel said it felt like 7 degrees. I can't stand the cold. So I've been cold and tired all day, and I still have one more class til 5:30 and then I have to workout. Gotta get through it. So in a nutshell, that's about what my weekend has consisted of. It's one I will remember for a long time, and glad I had the chance to experience stuff like this. A cold week ahead, but I'm gonna make the best of it! Here's a couple videos/pics that I've taken along the way. Enjoy!
Hope everyone else had a nice MLK Day/Weekend,
-TZ
Needless to say, I have been staying very busy at school so far even without soccer. I completed my first week of my weekly workout schedule from Meredith and was very sore after each of those days. Very pleased.
This Saturday we woke up early to go on a service trip. It was the MLK National Day of Service so the soccer team got together and went on a trip together. We went to an elementary school in DC and some of us worked on building book shelves, pairing murals, and making sandwiches for a food shelter. I got stuck with making sandwiches and I don't ever want to see another cream cheese and jelly sandwich. I can't tell you how many we made and to say the least, they did not look appetizing after the first hundred. The exciting part of it was after finishing our project, we got to meet President Barack Obama and Michelle. Turns out they were there doing community service as well and they talked to us for a while after. It's funny because everyone was wondering why there were so many cops and high tech security with metal detectors etc. and turns out it was cause of the President. Some of the guys got the shake his hand, but I didn't get close enough but it was still really cool. Here's a pic from my point of view:
After getting back on campus, I had to go pick up my recruit from coach. He is from nearby Virginia and this was his first collegiate visit. He had just turned 17, but coach said he was legit and really, really wants him. The kid (Johnny) was also looking at CNU and Scranton. Those are some top notch schools and we really wanted him. So we watched the CUA women's and men's basketball games for a while, and hung out with the guys. We played 5v5 with all of the soccer guys and recruits after the games and that was actually a lot of fun. For once, I didn't get hurt playing basketball, and it was actually a lot of fun. Then we all went out to Mike Brennan's apartment for a small party. All the girls were like, "Oooh Zimm, who's the hot recruit?!" Haha he was getting the ladies on his first visit. Then we came back to the room and crashed. We ended up having five people sleep in one dorm room. Me, my roommate, his two friends that were visiting, and the recruit. It was packed. I wasn't the best night of sleep for anyone. In the morning I took the recruit back to coach and he left in the morning. He said he had a blast so I hope he'll come here. He was a cool guy.
Sunday was somewhat of a relaxing day including church and a little bit of sleep. Later that evening my suite mates and I watched the football playoff game with about six other people. We moved the couch from the common room into the suite and had a viewing party. We watched Ted after the game, and it was even funnier the second time. It's so ridiculous but we laughed a good bit. Who would ever think about making a movie with a teddy bear as the star character... Definitely not me.
So once it got pretty late, me and my buds decided that we were just going to pull an all-nighter so that we could make it to the Presidential Inauguration early Monday morning. We made it til about 2:30 am and then we crashed. I only slept for an hour and then we got up at 3:30 am and headed off on the metro into the city. We got to the public entrance gate to the National Mall at 4:45 am. It was freezing, we were extremely tired, and we were surrounded by tons of other people. Haha it was definitely an experience. We packed about 8 PB and J sandwiches for all of our group of 11 people and they were gone after like two hours. We ended up waiting about 4 hours for the gates to open in the freezing cold. Haha we made the best of the experience and it wasn't even all that bad. So once we entered all of the security (4 metal detectors for thousands of people...) we found a spot on the National Mall to watch the Inauguration. It was around 9:30 so we then waiting there for another two hours. The whole time on our feet cause there is nowhere to sit. Haha we played some card games and tried to stay warm. Then around 11 am the announcements of everyone entering their seats started and eventually the entire program began. I can't even describe fully what it was like to be there, but it was honestly amazing. One of the coolest experiences I've had. Being surrounded by literally a million Americans all there to await the future of our country. SO neat. After the whole thing it was such a long walk to get out of the parade route and mall area with so many other people. We finally found a place to eat and by that time, 2:30 pm, we definitely needed food for having basically nothing all day. Some of us were falling asleep eating. Eventually we got on the metro and made it back to campus. I instantly crashed in my bed and slept. When I woke up I didn't even know where I was or if it was morning or night, but it was around 7 pm. I ate dinner and did some homework and then went to bed at 11. A very exhausting day, but so worth it. This is just one of those once in a lifetime experiences that I get to do, just because I go to school in DC. Yeah, I'm sure there are a lot of cool things that you can do in all schools around the country, but only at CUA have I been able to meet the President, and then go to his Innauguration all in one weekend. This school is awesome. I wish I could describe it better, but I'm just not the best writer haha and there is so much more that I can't even put into words.
Today has been somewhat of a drag. Woke up to 20 degree weather and Weather Channel said it felt like 7 degrees. I can't stand the cold. So I've been cold and tired all day, and I still have one more class til 5:30 and then I have to workout. Gotta get through it. So in a nutshell, that's about what my weekend has consisted of. It's one I will remember for a long time, and glad I had the chance to experience stuff like this. A cold week ahead, but I'm gonna make the best of it! Here's a couple videos/pics that I've taken along the way. Enjoy!
Hope everyone else had a nice MLK Day/Weekend,
-TZ
Monday, January 14, 2013
First Monday Down
Today I had to get back on the grind of classes. I have both a new philosophy and theology teachers which I wasn't expecting. It is somewhat disappointing just because I already established a relationship with the previous teachers and now I have to do that once again. In other words suck up as much as I can. I still just despise my LC's and those may be once again close to my toughest classes. Chemistry was not bad today, and the teacher seems really nice and somewhat easy, but I hope I'm not eating my words later on in the semester.
After getting done with classes at 1, I was somewhat bored to be honest. I wasn't tired enough for a nap, and didn't really have any homework. I was thinking that I wasn't going to work out on my first day back, just because I'm trying to adjust and get my schedule down and whatnot. But, eventually I just decided to hit the gym. I completed Day 1 of my training schedule that Meredith so nicely put together and I just felt all around good hitting the weights. It really surprises me how much exercise can actually make you feel all around better. Instead to sitting around bored, I was being productive and improving myself. I finished my lift and realized that even though I wasn't really feeling like working out before it, I was so happy I did and I just had a complete mood change. Nothing like pumping some iron.
Then after lifting, a bunch of people decided to go out and play pickup, so after eating a little bit, I hit the field for the first time in like five or six weeks. It felt good to get out there and kick around with the guys. Supposedly we are going to try and get more pickup sessions together, but who knows if that will actually work out. A bunch of 18 to 21 year old college guys aren't the best coordinators of schedules. But it was definitely very nice lacing up the boots and getting on the turf again.
So after a full day of classes, I felt very good about my productivity and exercising. Even in times of doubt or uncertainty, it is ALWAYS good to work out. You will always feel much better. So overall, it was a good first day back and a day full of new classes awaits me for tomorrow.
Deuces,
-TZ
After getting done with classes at 1, I was somewhat bored to be honest. I wasn't tired enough for a nap, and didn't really have any homework. I was thinking that I wasn't going to work out on my first day back, just because I'm trying to adjust and get my schedule down and whatnot. But, eventually I just decided to hit the gym. I completed Day 1 of my training schedule that Meredith so nicely put together and I just felt all around good hitting the weights. It really surprises me how much exercise can actually make you feel all around better. Instead to sitting around bored, I was being productive and improving myself. I finished my lift and realized that even though I wasn't really feeling like working out before it, I was so happy I did and I just had a complete mood change. Nothing like pumping some iron.
Then after lifting, a bunch of people decided to go out and play pickup, so after eating a little bit, I hit the field for the first time in like five or six weeks. It felt good to get out there and kick around with the guys. Supposedly we are going to try and get more pickup sessions together, but who knows if that will actually work out. A bunch of 18 to 21 year old college guys aren't the best coordinators of schedules. But it was definitely very nice lacing up the boots and getting on the turf again.
So after a full day of classes, I felt very good about my productivity and exercising. Even in times of doubt or uncertainty, it is ALWAYS good to work out. You will always feel much better. So overall, it was a good first day back and a day full of new classes awaits me for tomorrow.
Deuces,
-TZ
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Back and Ready to Roll
Well it feels kind of weird blogging once again. Haven't done this in quite a while, but need to keep everyone updated on all of the fascinating and entertaining stories of my life. Ha
Today was my first day back on campus after a very nice Christmas break. I had an entire month off and to be honest, it's going to take some re-adjusting back to the college lifestyle. My break was excellent. I don't really have time to go into that much detail about everything, but the trip to Pennsylvania was nice and then getting to see everyone and just spend time at home was nice. Being a groomsman in the we3dding was pretty fun getting to ride around in the limo and wearing the tux and whatnot. And then performing Indian dances with the wedding party in front of everyone else. I've got some good moves, not gonna lie. But that was a short but eventful and fun trip.
On Christmas, unfortunately, Michael, Nelson, and I all woke up sick. We all got some sort of the flu I think, and I probably had it the worse, of course. But it took me out of the game for about a week, but at least I didn't have to do anything all that important. Just lounged around the house with the Zoester the Toaster. Eventually I recovered, but it was pretty brutal.
New Year's was very nice. I think that was probably my favorite meal (or I should say FEAST, by the amount of food mom prepares for holidays) of the season. Nothing like starting off New Years with some good 'ol Polish pork and sauerkraut.
Then I spent the other two or so weeks preparing to come back to school. Got a lot of shopping done, even though I basically despise shopping for myself, and got in the gym for a few workouts. I also sent in my application to the NIEHS for a summer internship in RTP, so I'm crossing my fingers on that one. I would love to get a position there for the summer.
Anyway today I ventured back to the big city on Megabus. There's always some great people to sit next to on the bus. ... Always making friends! But for only $37 and 5 hours and fifteen minutes of travel time, I'll say it's a good deal. I would like to have my car on campus, but it would definitely be a pain to drive it up here. So for now, Megabus it is!
Well, tomorrow starts a new semester of classes. I look forward to learning new things. I hope for a good Spring 2013 semester, just like the last one.
Hopefully more consistent posts to come!
-TZ
Today was my first day back on campus after a very nice Christmas break. I had an entire month off and to be honest, it's going to take some re-adjusting back to the college lifestyle. My break was excellent. I don't really have time to go into that much detail about everything, but the trip to Pennsylvania was nice and then getting to see everyone and just spend time at home was nice. Being a groomsman in the we3dding was pretty fun getting to ride around in the limo and wearing the tux and whatnot. And then performing Indian dances with the wedding party in front of everyone else. I've got some good moves, not gonna lie. But that was a short but eventful and fun trip.
On Christmas, unfortunately, Michael, Nelson, and I all woke up sick. We all got some sort of the flu I think, and I probably had it the worse, of course. But it took me out of the game for about a week, but at least I didn't have to do anything all that important. Just lounged around the house with the Zoester the Toaster. Eventually I recovered, but it was pretty brutal.
New Year's was very nice. I think that was probably my favorite meal (or I should say FEAST, by the amount of food mom prepares for holidays) of the season. Nothing like starting off New Years with some good 'ol Polish pork and sauerkraut.
Then I spent the other two or so weeks preparing to come back to school. Got a lot of shopping done, even though I basically despise shopping for myself, and got in the gym for a few workouts. I also sent in my application to the NIEHS for a summer internship in RTP, so I'm crossing my fingers on that one. I would love to get a position there for the summer.
Anyway today I ventured back to the big city on Megabus. There's always some great people to sit next to on the bus. ... Always making friends! But for only $37 and 5 hours and fifteen minutes of travel time, I'll say it's a good deal. I would like to have my car on campus, but it would definitely be a pain to drive it up here. So for now, Megabus it is!
Well, tomorrow starts a new semester of classes. I look forward to learning new things. I hope for a good Spring 2013 semester, just like the last one.
Hopefully more consistent posts to come!
-TZ
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