In limbo

Lining a hallway, finding my place in line, breathing and smiling as I walked into the room. Sitting down. Facing the stage. Reality began to set in. 

It’s official I’m an alum of West Texas A&M University. A Buffalo (Bison) by heart, but no longer in academic practice. It hasn’t hit me yet. The feeling of the finale. Much like watching the season of some great TV show end, I don’t feel like it’s over until the next season starts. Problem is, I don’t know what channel my show will premiere on. 

Those feelings of goodbye, leaving my best friends, and the memories I have while becoming the adult I am today are all still fresh. It’s not over I keep telling myself - when in reality it is. 

I have a job offer lined up that I could potentially take. I’m waiting to hear back on an internship in California. All the while my lease on my apartment ends on May 31st. The clock is ticking. 

    

I’ve never been one without a plan, but what happens when life throws you into this ‘limbo’ stage? I can’t make any set plans. I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t know what I’m doing because all the cards aren’t on the table. The table hasn’t even been set. I’m in limbo. 

This is not sitting well with my gold self. I often need to remind myself that patience is a virtue - welcome to that adulthood that I just mentioned. I will always value the lessons learned at West Texas A&M University. The people I’ve met and have come close with will still be in my heart. The reality of it all will set in at one point and I can imagine it will flood in like the hoover damn. 

Until then, I wait. Wait for the National Student Advertising Competition Nationals (I forgot to mention we were selected as the wild card team!). Wait for a word back on jobs. Wait to form my plan. 

It’s been ONE year

                               

Consider this the start of my sappy goodbye blogs. With graduation approaching, there is no better time to reflect on the college experience that I have had and what exactly that all means. 

This past Tuesday was my last all staff meeting for KWTS The One 91.1 FM. And it has been one year for KWTS. We’ve done events like Freshmen Cookout, Freshmen Convocation, Work-a-thon, Homecoming, Adopt A Highway, Carenet, Relay for Life, Canyon High Pep Rally, and much much more. This year was a bit different for me in that I was the General Manager of the radio station - a position that I had wanted since my first staff meeting in 2008. 

My first orientation to lead I stated that I wanted this year to be about finding your passion. To step out of the narrowminded path that some have been set on, and continue on with the standards of excellence that have been paved before our organization and essentially find the thing that interests the members. I set goals. I added a Roses and Thorns (or props and problems) section to staff. I changed radio practicum back into more of an actual class setting. 

I’m proud to have brought a return to online streaming and a continued WT presence to a radio station that may have strayed away from it’s original mission. 

       

More importantly thought I spoke about the picture above. I said that this is me my freshmen year at my first KWTS promo - the homecoming parade. You know the reason I’m there? The people I’m standing next to. It was Travis, Logan, and Stephanie that told me that I should join KWTS staff and for that I am forever thankful. Our program is more than just using equipment or choosing the next song to play on air. It’s about the people you meet, and those that become part of the broadcasting family. 

In radio practicum I assigned a jock break reel for their final assignment and a good friend of mine pulled me away and said please listen to mine before I turn it in. I didn’t want to. I knew they were going to do well, but yet I went instead. He started to play it and I sat there mindlessly on my phone and making my comments here and there to add transitions or choose better sound bites. Then the last track came and it was “Tyler you are graduating soon and I just wanted to thank you. You’ve made a big impact in my life and have helped me make decisions in broadcasting and beyond. I’m going to miss you and I love you” (yes I’m paraphrasing). 

It threw me off guard. I wasn’t expecting it. Emotions filled in. 

The point is this. I challenge those new students to bring a friend along for the ride we college college but more importantly the journey to adulthood. I’ve grown up with my time with KWTS. For those older students who remain, it’s about mentoring those younger than us. To acknowledge the proper talent and to flourish those that need help. 

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