Thankful to Be Coming Home

      It is that time in the semester where the stress is piling on, the motivation is dampening, and all you want to do is go home. It has only been three or four weeks since I have been home but it still feels like a long time. I think this is one of the first times I have kind of been homesick while being at college, which is odd seeing as though I only live an hour away. Usually when I am away from home I don't miss it which sounds bad but it really isn't. I am so busy with work, school, and friends all while still staying in contact with my siblings and parents so I make it by just fine. This may seem odd but I miss home when I am home because I am reminded of what I am away from when I am not around. When I am home I am reminded of how lucky I am to live where I live, and to have my loving family and friends. Besides the obvious things there are so many little things about being home that am thankful for. Here are some of my favorite things about being home:

• Having a shower head that is taller than me
• Having a kitchen FULL of food that I can bake and cook with and don't have to pay for. ;)
• 2 words: Mom's food
• Family dinner conversations
• My own bed- at school I sleep on a futon with a mattress pad. It's great but doesn't measure up to my bed at home.
• Holding my dog 
• Enjoying the sunset view from our house
• Walks at the park across the street
• Having Target just 15 minutes away
• Being able to completely relax. Just ask any of my family members. When I come home I crash hard. 

Addie, our 14 year old Jack Russell Terrier 

The Crew: Larissa, David, Me, Shawn, and Amy

Home

How I Became a Mustang

    4 years ago I was still on the hunt for a college to attend. I toured several universities in Wisconsin and only one of those felt semi-okay. As time was ticking away I started to feel anxious that I hadn't found a place that made me feel comfortable; this was until I toured SMSU.

    On this exact day (Nov. 12) I toured SMSU with my Dad. Originally, I was hesitant to tour the university because I felt like I already knew the place; my Dad is an SMSU basketball alumnus and for several years he brought me to Hawaiian Night and other men's and women's basketball games. I have great memories of these trips to Marshall. I loved seeing the crazy student section (who knew I would be in it years down the road) and mostly watching the mens team play. I truly became a fan of SMSU basketball before I even attended the university. I followed the team way more than any other sports team I liked and couldn't imagine going to any other university in the same division and to cheer against the Mustangs.

     To this day I don't know why I didn't consider SMSU sooner. I loved attending basketball games so why not check out the academic side of the university? Well thankfully I did just that. I remember being nervous to tour SMSU because I was having a meeting with an admissions counselor and having a one-on-one tour where I couldn't hide in a group. Huge shout out to Trent Lueth who was my tour guide and Jess, my admissions counselor.  They both made me feel comfortable and like I could ask anything.

    I don't remember the specifics of the tour but what I do remember is the big smile I couldn't take off my face when "I knew". It all hit me when we were walking in the Culinology hallway. Don't ask me why it was at that moment that I made my decision especially because I am not a Culinology student, but I did. The big difference between SMSU and any other college I toured was that I felt welcomed and that I could succeed here. Coming from a tough high school experience I had lost faith in my academic ability. That day I felt a bit of that come back. This is really the only way to explain how I was feeling.

   Attending SMSU was one of the best decisions I have ever made. In the last four years I have gained confidence in my ability to succeed and that I am capable of more than I think. I will forever be grateful for this place and everything it has given me. It is crazy that my time here at a student is coming to an end however, my time as a Mustang isn't. I look forward to coming back for many basketball games and Hawaiian Nights with my Dad as two alums.

The day I was officially accepted at SMSU. 

Thanks for the Memories #7

      For the past four years I have been blessed to watch my brother David play varsity football. He is a very talented and humble athlete who has given me so many reasons to be proud. This past Friday, his football career ended, but I don’t want to focus on that. Instead, I’d like to think back to the amazing memories that were created these past 4 years. I think my Dad sums it up best:

"In the past 4 years these boys have provided us with a lifetime of memories. They include a varsity record of 40 wins and 8 losses. Two Southern MN Conference titles. Three Section 2A Championships. Three trips to the State Tournament. Two trips to the MetroDome. Two State 3rd place finishes. A 25 and 0 record on our home field. We have lived the dream watching you grow and play the game you love. Thanks for the memories."

I have truly lived a dream watching David have so much success on the football field. I am sad to see it end, however I am incredibly thankful for the memories created and how this crazy journey has brought my family closer. I don't think I have ever been more proud of someone in my entire life.  

Freshman Year: 2011 Section Champions 

Freshman Year: 1st Round of State: Advancing to Semi-Finals in the Metrodome

Sophomore Year: 2012 Section Champions

Junior Year: 2013 Section Champions, State Semi-Finalists 

Senior Year Highlights:
"Surprenant's gold helmet shined a little brighter than it normally did in his final regular-season home game...The senior running back for Sleepy Eye St.Mary's became the school's all-time leading rusher with a game-high 168 yards on the ground in a 52-0 blowout win against Cedar Mountain/Comfrey in a Southern Minnesota Conference football game on Friday night...
Surprenant scored four total touchdowns- three rushing touchdowns of 16,27 and 4 yards before hauling in a 52-yard score on a screen pass from senior quarterback Brandon Helget.

There is a story behind the brighter gold helmet. ;) 

Game #7 vs Wabasso: " David Surprenant had 17 carries for 219 yards and one touchdown" 

Sleepy Eye St.Mary's David Surprenant named KNUJ Offensive Player of the Week

Brandon Helget and David Surprenant of Sleepy Eye St.Mary's named Prep Athletes of the Week

"Big players make big plays in big situations... St.Mary's quarterback Brandon Helget took the snap and took one step forward before dropping back. That small hesitation allowed David Surprenant to get behind the Springfield secondary and Helget found him for a 41-yard touchdown to propel the Knights to a hard-fought 28-19 win in the Section 2A semifinals."

"David Surprenant named Southern Minnesota Conference Offensive Player of the Year"

7 Months, 1 Week...

           Pain, anger, fear, anxiety…I don't think any of these words come close to how I feel when I think back to the night of March 7, 2014.  It has been 7 months and 1 week since the boys passed away; life keeps moving on but sometimes all I can think is that it has been longer and longer since they were here. I wish so desperately to go back in time to hear Payton’s laugh and to watch him play basketball, to sit around the fire pit with Tyler, and to see John’s contagious smile. I know that this won’t happen again until I see them in heaven, so until then I have to keep their memory alive in my heart, and to follow the legacies they each left behind; to treat others with respect, to laugh and enjoy life, and to put God first…the list goes on. They were each unique, kind, funny, and smart young men.

            There are little things that remind me of each of them, sometimes they make me cry, and sometimes they make me smile. Some of my favorite reminders of Payton are; his note he left me in my Dr. Seuss book and every time I go through my ipod and get to the 14+ songs from the playlist he made for my brother. Of course they are all rap songs. I usually don’t listen to that type of music but I have actual come to enjoy a few of them. I couldn’t tell you what the names of the songs are because they are all listed at Payton 1, Payton 2, Payton 3, and so on… 

            With Tyler, it is the raspberry lemonade Blistex Chapstick I just had to buy the other night when I saw it (he always had one with him) or the song Afternoon Delight from Anchorman…there was a night when a bunch of us walked around Sleepy Eye and belted out the words.  The greatest thing that constantly reminds me of him is his mom, Deb. Deb’s strength through not only losing Tyler but her daughter Kaylie just 9 months earlier, is inspiring. She motivates me to be a better person, and to have a closer relationship with God.  Be Kind. Give More. Stay Humble.

            I didn’t know John that well, but I feel like I get to know him better through his Mom, Chris who is a great friend of my Mom’s. I always think of him when I see John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” As he wanted a tattoo of it. Chris, who used to say she would never get one, did it in memory of him.  
Thanks boys for the reminders. There is never a day I don't think about you three. 

Reference Blog: http://somewhereonlyiknow3.blogspot.com/2014/03/god-has-4-new-angels.html

No More Monday Morning Blues

   It's the beginning of another week at SMSU. The weekend has come and gone by too fast and you’re tired from staying up late on Sunday night finishing your homework for the next day. You're crabby because you have an 8:30am class, a speech to give, have to work at both of your jobs; you have a paper due tomorrow and a group meeting later tonight in the library. When you realize this you join hundreds of others on Twitter to let out your Monday blues by tweeting, #IHateMonday and later in the day you let out a sigh and again say, "Mondays suck”. Sound familiar?

      I'll admit, I am guilty of doing this a time or two; yes, I said guilty. Why do we hate on Monday's so much? I get that it is the beginning of the week and there are a lot of things going on, but what if we changed those negative thoughts into positive ones, the #IHateMondays into #MondayMotivation and the sighs and complaints into personal pep-talks to tackle the day?

        Monday's aren't responsible for all of the craziness going on in our lives; for the most part it is ourselves. We can take responsibility to finish our homework before Sunday night, to go to bed at a decent time, and to start that paper earlier. This is way easier said than done but like many other things, it takes practice and with practice comes success. Happy Monday everyone! 

SMSU Homecoming

       This was the first SMSU homecoming that I was around for the entire weekend (besides running off to my brother's football game for a couple hours). Considering that I am a senior, that is crazy right? Well if you knew what my schedule was like the past 3 years you would understand why I wasn't around.

Freshman Year: Went back home for my high school homecoming and to crown the new homecoming queen
Sophomore Year: I had to be in the University of Minnesota's homecoming parade to represent the Aquatennial
Junior Year: I had to work during the time of the parade....but I did make it to the game
Senior Year: I made up for my lack of SMSU homecoming participation by fully engaging myself in as many homecoming activities that I could...

Emceed the Mustang Idol event with my friend Josh. 

My sophomore and junior years I was hypnotized during homecoming week. This
year I planned on not being hypnotized but I even though I tried to not be hypnotized
I somehow managed to have it happen to me. I guess I am extremely susceptible to it
because I went under before the hypnotist had even started the process on the entire group.
In this picture I was showing off my superhero move and announced that my superhero name is
Supersonic Surprenant girl.

I love my job in the admissions office. On Wednesday I had it easy at work as I helped
decorate the outside of our office for the door/office decorating contest. We ended up
getting 2nd place...but we all think we clearly deserved first. ;)

On Thursday I emceed the homecoming coronation. Congrats to all of my friends
who were on the court!

Worked at the 25th University Gala as a greeter/usher. I love this event not only because
it is a night that is all about raising money for student scholarships, but that the most fun
people attend this event. I loved talking to the alumni and guests who came. After just an hour
of working, I had several people recognize my last name because of my dad who went to SMSU.
I guess he was kind of a big deal when he attended SMSU ;)
I plan to someday attend this event at an alum.

-After working I rushed off to Wabasso to watch my brother and his football team defeat the Wabasso Rabbits

The homecoming parade started at 11am, I was there at 7:30am. Yes, nearly 4 hours
in advance to set up cameras for the KSSU broadcast of the parade. Doing this is a
requirement of my TV production class. My job this day was to make sure the camera guy
didn't trip on the cables, stop parade traffic for interviews, and to pick up the tons of candy
that people threw at us. Why they think it makes sense to throw candy at the camera guys who
can't pick it up beats me. 

Tailgating before the game. Great time with awesome friends.
 We won!

         It was an awesome last homecoming as a student. I look forward to the years ahead where I can come back and celebrate this awesome university as an alumnus.

Not the Best 4 Years of Your Life

          College; they say it is the best four years of your life. Well I sure hope they aren't because that would mean the rest of my life isn't going to get any better from here. Saying this doesn't mean that college has been horrible; it has been a tremendous experience. However, I think it is up to us to make the best of every day, every week, and every year no matter what we are faced with. So I plan to make these 7 months I have left of college, the very best!

           I would say that my college experience has been a little different than the average college student. There were circumstances in my life during my freshman and sophomore years that didn’t allow me to be around Marshall on a regular basis. This caused me to have limited involvement on campus. If you know me, you know that I like to be busy and involved...so you can imagine how I was feeling in my first two years at SMSU. This changed during my junior year when my schedule was clear. I became more involved in clubs and organizations and was able to meet more people. However, there are things I still want to do before I graduate. To make sure that I don't have any regrets during my time at SMSU I have made a bucket list.  This isn't the craziest bucket list and that is fine. It is simply a random collection of things I have yet to do.

These are things I have already completed this year:
1. Play mud volleyball (yes, I am a senior and I have never played during orientation)
2. Get a job in the admissions office
3. Join the Student Activities Committee
4. Attend the 9/11 service at Memorial Park


In the next 7 months I will:
1. Go to Bello Cucina
2. Ride the Community Transit Bus
3. Do a running workout on this hills at Independence Park
4. Bike the entire Marshall bike route 
5. Explore areas of campus I have never been... this seems impossible on our campus but I know there are places I haven't been to. 
6. Attend an SMSU soccer game
7. Attend the Homecoming Parade...yes, I am a senior and have not attended! (10-11-15)
8. Go to the fudge shop
9. Go all out on my outfit for Hawaiian Night (1-31-15)
10. Go on a spring break trip
11. Take a class that has nothing to do with my major...definitely happening next semester (Sports Psychology) 
12. Go to an SMSU theatre improve show
13. Get a picture with Stanger...Yep, hasn't happened yet. (1-31-15)
14. Research my family history at the History Center on campus. http://www.smsu.edu/campuslife/attractions/historycenter/?Id=5748
15. Eat at the restaurant that the Culinology students create during spring semester.
16. Go to Camden State Park

I know for a fact that there are more so I will add them as I think of them.
 Ready. Set. Go!

Mud-Volleyball with my friend, Dillan.

9/11 Service. Spent that time with my Aunt's 3rd grade class. (The age I was the day the attacks happened)