Author: Mack O'Brien

Officially, 1/16th of the way through my college career, I am looking for a way to slow down time. We all know the older you get, the faster time goes. With how quickly high school flew by, I can’t help but realize this part of my life will breeze by before I know it. All I can do about it is try my best to enjoy everything, Because I know looking back, I will realize how great it was.

Last weekend was our fall break. I made the six hour drive back to my hometown. Seeing my family, friends, and dog was awesome, but I realized how much I love being at school. After being home for just a few days, I was itching to come back up here and hang out with all the new friends I have made. My favorite part about being home was consistently eating good food. The average food here really makes you appreciate a nice home-cooked meal or a Hot slice of New York Pizza.

Recently, we wrapped up our fall season for lacrosse. I enjoyed playing with my new teammates, but unfortunately, I was forced to sit on the sideline the last few practices due to a nagging Lower Back injury. I am no stranger to injury as I have broken seven bones and suffered a bad knee injury. This injury has been my number one stressor since I arrived because, as a freshman, First impressions mean a lot, and not having the ability to Play at 100% is frustrating to say the least.

In terms of classes, surprisingly, my workload has been pretty consistent. Fortunately for me, my schoolwork is rather cyclic, and I have done a good job at getting everything done on time. Midterms were quite stressful but spread out over about 2 weeks, so I was able to study for pretty much all of them. I am not happy with my score in microeconomics, so this class will be one of my main focuses heading into the second half of the semester.

This is one of my more enjoyable classes so far. It’s a great mix-up as a finance major and the material is interesting. We have had some deep discussions in class and I really appreciate how Professor Arena treats us like adults and shares things with us that aren’t easy to talk about. It’s not every day that you get to talk to a veteran, and I am very grateful I have been able to learn so much from her. The stories about 9/11 and the wild journey overseas were super engaging to me and I’m sure I could listen to plenty more stories all day long.

Playing lacrosse here was truly a great decision. I love the sport but I believe it’s not what you’re doing; it’s who you’re with. I could be playing cricket (nothing against cricket) with this group of guys and I would still be loving it. I can truly say we all have each other’s backs, which goes so far on and off the field. Every great team I’ve been on has had unbreakable bonds and that’s what builds champions. This is related to class because a lot of what we talk about is war. There are situations in the readings where they’re going through hell but still cracking jokes and lightening the mood. It is human nature to want to be happy and there is always a way.

I was nervous coming in about rooming with a kid I had never met before who lived six hours away from me. Only a few months in, he is already a lifelong friend. We share many of the same interests and hobbies and both benefit from our relationship. Being with someone in an abundance of time like this will always cause conflict, but we have gotten along great for the most part.

My goal for the end of semester is to end with a GPA in the mid-threes. I have a heavy class load as I am taking 17 credits, so I feel like I can go up from here with a lighter schedule next semester. I have been in the athletic trainer’s room 5 days a week to do everything I can to get my back healthy for the spring.

My name is Mack O’Brien. I am from Northport, Long Island. I came to Geneseo on August 22, almost 5 weeks ago. Honestly, I can’t tell if time is going faster or slower than usual, but it definitely feels different. In terms of classes, I have felt refreshed and it’s easier to focus than in my fourth year of sitting at Northport High School. My mind and body have picked up on the challenge of starting college in an unfamiliar environment, and it has motivated me and allowed me to think more clearly. In my senior year of high school, Idid not have a good mindset for learning. I was just ready to get out of the High School and was doing the bare minimum. High School helped me realize when I get a job after college; I can’t be sitting in the same place for my whole life. I have to work in new environments every so often to keep myself from getting complacent.

I expect to enjoy this class because it’s very different from the rest of my classes. Learning about vets, and the military is also a great interest of mine. I have trouble writing and reading when I’m not engaged in the topic. In this class, I don’t foresee having that problem because I have always been interested in learning about veterans. Some of my favorite movies are war-related which I find engaging and entertaining. When I am given a topic I am eager to learn about, I am more confident with my word choice and everything goes from pen to paper with ease.

To be honest, I don’t know the last time I read a book assigned to me. I enjoy reading and I fully plan to read the books assigned in this class because I am interested. I have seen most of the great movies about war, The Things They Carried is probably my favorite book. I see myself enjoying the readings in this class. Reading is great because you feel smarter after reading. Feeling smarter is being smarter because of how much I have realized confidence affects your performance.

My other classes have been going well so far. One thing I realized I have to be better at is remembering when I have work due. In High School, teachers would make sure you know what work is due and they would let you know if anything was missing. In college, you have to be more responsible and you have to keep everything organized to stay up to date. Navigating my work will come easier,(I’m sure), once I am 100% confident on brightspace.

I am very fortunate to be on the lacrosse team here at Geneseo. I immediately was introduced to tons of kids who share similar interests. Being on a team is such a beneficial asset regardless of the activity at hand. I have always been on sports teams since I can remember, and it really teaches you so many skills that you don’t even realize. I believe no matter what sport it is if you’re on a team and you get along you’re going to have fun.

When reading, I have not necessarily made any personal connections, but I am picking up on a new style of writing. It happens to me all the time where I go blank and am struggling to put words on the paper. Obviously, I won’t be writing out all my thoughts like Birkenstien and Graff do, but asking myself some of the questions that the book covers can be a useful tool in my writing. Using what I have learned reading They Say, I Say, I now have another backup plan to try and get my thoughts rolling again.

The only negative I have realized about being on the lacrosse team is the lack of a need to meet other students. I have always been very social and easy to like. Being on a team gives me fifty friends. This is wonderful but it’s also important to meet kids who aren’t on the team. By the end of this semester, one of my goals is to make more friends who don’t play lacrosse. In this class the group work has pushed me to make a few more friends which I am thankful for.