“Begin with the End in Mind.”
It sounds a little strange when it begins to rattle inside your brain the first time you hear it. And honestly, the first time I did, I didn’t know how to feel about it.
I heard Aeneas Williams spit out each word into that phrase more times than I care to remember at the NFL Hall of Fame Ceremony in August of 2014.
But every time he said it, I felt like he was saying it to me. And that Fall, when I wandered onto this campus, I carried those words with me as far as I could take them.When you start college, you expect that you’re just going to be stuck in this endless routine of going to class, going to eat, spending money, going out or studying, then heading home and sleeping or not even sleeping at all.
But when I heard those words, I knew there was more for me to do.
That’s how I ended up where I am today.
“Begin with the End in Mind.”
I was about as nervous as I could be when I first walked around campus. New environment, new people, new everything.
Luckily, with the familiarity I had with Javelina Nation thanks to my sister being a Hoggie before me, I was able to pick up on some things that helped guide me through that first semester that makes or breaks college students all the time.
I became a member of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc., became a volunteer member of the Javelina Broadcast Network and KTAI-FM 91.1 the One, and tried my best to get involved in as many shenanigans as I could before the inevitable “stress” all college students end up with consumed me.
“Begin with the End in Mind.”
Fast forward three years later, and I can’t believe I am typing this farewell from the comfort of my beautifully messy office, because that volunteer stuck around long enough to earn his way to being the manager of the on-campus radio station, that’s blessed him with meeting some of the greatest people he will ever meet in his life.
Yes, I’ve been stressed. Yes, I’ve been tired. And yes, I’ve learned that sometimes you just have to suck it up and deal with life as it hits you.
But honestly, I would not have done anything I’ve been able to do here any differently.
“Begin with the End in Mind.”
Whether it was performing on stage or being a stagehand for the Theater department, writing for The South Texan newspaper, making videos for the Javelina Broadcast Network and of course, running KTAI-FM and hosting an award-winning radio show about wrestling.
I guess my only regret was that I didn’t stop and look around to realize how lucky I was to have been able to do it all.
I began my college journey always keeping in mind that my end was when I was handed that degree after four years.
Now, I know my end doesn’t reside in little ol’ Kingsville, Texas. And quite frankly, I’m still in the beginning.
Because “Begin with the End in Mind,” doesn’t simply mean to start one thing to end with another.
It means that your intentions should be to end everything doing your absolute best, because if that was not what you wanted from the start; you should have never tried to do it at all. And I have every intention of fighting for my dreams. Because I know, that the more I do, my dreams will fight for me.
Word to Daniel Bryan.
“Begin with the End in Mind.”
To every person I’ve met since I’ve been on this campus, thank you for being in my life, no matter how big or how small.
To my advisers, thank you for everything you’ve taught me. I wouldn’t be ready for this world without you all pushing me to be better than I already am and seeing potential in me, I never thought I would see.
To my previous cohorts who I have the pleasure of sharing the studio with, thank you for being a part of me creating my voice. I don’t have enough characters to name you all.
To the athletes and coaches I was fortunate enough to meet and interview, thank you for being patient and working with me, always.
To the future face of the broadcast world, and my best friend Ashley Gonzalez, keep getting better day by day. I couldn’t be any prouder of what you do, and thank you for holding me together when I needed you.
To my partner-in-crime who I worked with the most, and spent the most time with in the newsroom, Crystal Zamarron; thanks for putting up with me. I wouldn’t have wanted to help keep this place together, or lose sleep working with anyone else.
And to my Darcy Kay, you’re going to do great things over the next year as Editor-in-Chief. I believe in you, and I know, The South Texan couldn’t have been left in better hands. You’re going to amaze these people like you amaze me every day. You’ve got this thing in the bag Kid, and I can’t wait to see what you do with this place.
Thank you, Javelina Nation, for an amazing four years.
It was #TooSweet.