Tyler Rauch's Blog

Under 100 days and counting...

    As of Thursday January 22nd, The count down for graduation is below 100 days. Can you believe it? I sure as heck can't. While most seniors are sleeping in, spending time with friends and thinking about the day we all get to walk across the stage with diploma in hand, I have been trying my best to maximize my impact at this little slice of heaven we know as Queens. Granted, my rendition of "maximizing impact" is significantly different than your average college senior at Queens.

    This week, for example, has been one of the busiest I've had the pleasure of experiencing this school year. From the numerous exec meetings, homecoming events, lacrosse practices and recruiting for next years clubs, I have found myself running around like a crazy man. Fortunately enough, I have managed to stay afloat and get it done. To keep myself from going insane, I generally try to put it all into perspective. Three months left in what many call "the best times of your life" and three months to leave my mark here at Queens. I mean, heck, it cost enough to go here, they better remember me for something!

    Only kidding, but in my opinion I have three months to give back to the university that gave me everything it had and then some. I've had the opportunity to meet some amazing people, do some amazing things and even learn a thing or two. Granted, I mention this stuff ALL the time, but until you've experienced it, it's hard to describe. Words just don't do it justice!

    On a different note, I realized something this past week. In about three and a half months, I won't be able to use college as an excuse anymore. See, as a college student you can stay out too late, be too loud, dress up like a fool on Halloween and even sleep in waaaay to late and never really get in trouble for it. Just reply, "I'm a college student" and people usually understand. Yes folks, that was my attempt at humor after a long day. I'll stick to lacrosse... :)

    On a positive note, I have some good news! My parents are coming up next Friday to stay and catch our first pre-season lacrosse scrimmage. They try and make as many as they can in a season which is always nice, especially with just one season left. What's neat, though, is that they will get to see how far the construction on the new Marion Diehl Sports Complex has come. Unfortunately the construction on the field house and welcome center won't be finished until I am long gone, but it'll be nice for the youngsters nonetheless!

    On a little more somber note, tomorrow morning we have a scrimmage/fundraiser for to help out a young lacrosse player here in Charlotte who was badly burned. We will practice nice and early, then get on a bus to go play and stay after for maybe a clinic and autograph session. Following lacrosse I get to run over to our Homecoming Tailgate which is put on by Campus Union Board (CUB). CUB is one of my favorite clubs to be a part of and is our premier planning club on campus. Literally, if it's fun and cheap chances are it is probably a CUB event :) Once the tailgate is over I get to get all decked out for our actual Homecoming game at the Grady Cole Center. We play Anderson University and it should be a great game. I somehow managed to make homecoming court again and would LOVE to take home the crown twice while at Queens. Either way, it will be a lot of fun to dress up and try my luck for one last time. I'll let you know how it goes!

    Last but not least, I should be all set with Ford and choosing my start date in the next month or so. I am planning on starting as soon as possible (maybe early June?) and cannot wait! Regardless of the company's conditions and the economy, I can't tell you how excited I am to have this opportunity!!! Keep your fingers crossed for the auto industry :)

    With that being said, I am literally exhausted and trying to make it till May 9th. Better yet, I'm just trying to make it till tomorrow! I'm going to head off to bed and save some energy for a big day of Homecoming events tomorrow. Sorry for taking so long to put this up! Until next time, be good and I hope everyone's new year/semester is going awesome!!!

tyler.rauch@qmail.queens.edu

The beginning of the end...

    Well, folks after a long Christmas break and a busy first week back I am finally back on this thing getting you all caught up. Now, as I sit here writing, I cannot help but be as excited as ever for tomorrow morning to come. Tomorrow morning marks the first official day of my senior lacrosse season with our first practice at 9am. Granted, I have been not only waiting for, but dreading this day for a long time. We do practice and condition all the way through the Fall and Winter, however, this is the first REAL day of the season. The freshman all have their gear now and we've weeded out the ones who decided that Queens lacrosse just wasn't for them. The first day is always very tough, but very rewarding and I can't wait to get padded up again!

    Ok, well now that I've had my lacrosse fix, I should elaborate a little more on the title of this blog. As you've all figured out by now, this is the beginning of the end for me. I have about four months and some change before I complete my journey and experience here at Queens only to join the elite ranks of those who have completed the same journey. I suppose just like my senior lacrosse season, I have not only eagerly been awaiting, but dreading that day all at the same time.

    This past week was not your typical first week back for a second semester senior.It was, however, a first week back in true Tyler fashion. With the onslaught of tough classes, a full schedule, club recruiting and organizing plans for the rest of the semester including tours and tutoring, I had my plate full before I had a chance to take a deep breath. As well as things are going, it's still very overwhelming right away. But, if college has taught me anything it's that I work best under extreme pressure. Maybe that's why I continuously put myself through semesters like this and never seem to get enough. Either way, I'd say it has worked out pretty well for me :)

    I really like all my classes thus far and have enjoyed hearing about my professors and how they have gotten where they are. At this level in my curriculum, I now have mostly graduate level professors whose real world professional experience alone makes these classes worth taking. Coupled with a laundry list of club responsibilities and lacrosse, my classes are certainly going to keep me busy and HOPEFULLY out of trouble ;)

    Although this past week was pretty nuts, it was also a lot of fun. Our conditioning for lacrosse allowed me to showcase the hard work I had put in over break. Unfortunately it was a lot harder running up here due to the temperatures below 32 degrees! It's certainly a shock on the body when you've been training in 78 degree weather for three weeks! Also, I got to get back in the meeting rooms with the clubs I had been missing and even had a very nice team dinner followed by a Charlotte Checkers hockey game with the team last Friday. Saturday night I had the pleasure of attending a wedding reception and tomorrow I have court side seats to the Spurs vs. Bobcats basketball game after practice. How much better does it get? On that note, I must speak to something that I've been thinking more and more about lately.

    See, since I we've had our pool back in Florida, my mom has had this stone with a quote from Socrates on it. It reads, "Beware of the bareness of a busy life". Now, after seeing this stone for years and years, I never really payed much attention or understood what it really meant. Until now. I've noticed how busy I can get and when I take a step back, I see how bare life can be. Granted, there are lots of things in my life that I enjoy and can't do without, but until recently I didn't realize how important it was to keep things exciting, different and to give myself the chance to relax a little. That's why in the past few months, I've made every attempt to see more of my friends, do more in the city, rearrange my room and our house, do all the small stuff that I have overlooked for so long and prevent my busy life from being the bare one. Who would have thought Socrates would have taught me something in freshman core class as well as my final semester of college?

    It's getting late and I better try to get some sleep so I am not falling asleep in the goal tomorrow. I don't think coach would appreciate that too much! Until next time, I'll try not to fall behind and see if I can't go out with a bang. Feel free to ask questions and shoot me an e-mail at any time! tyler.rauch@qmail.queens.edu

    Stay warm and have a great week!