Howdy Ags!

Greetings from College Station, TX!

Here’s a little update on what’s been happening down in Aggieland!

It all started with New Student Conference in June…I registered for my classes, joined the 12th Man Student Foundation, and learned all about what the next four years are going to be like…

Fish Camp was next…four days of shouting, laughing dancing, meeting, and a little bit of learning thrown in there as well! I’ve never in my life lost my voice, but after just two days at Fish Camp, I sounded like a prepubescent boy!

Move-in day! I’m living in Underwood, a dorm right off the Quad and right next to Joe T. Haney Field, the practice spot(the 6 AM practice spot, mind you!) for the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band! I would complain about the early morning wake-up calls when I either thought it was thundering(drums) or that my phone was going off(Aggie War Hymn), but can an Aggie really complain about waking up to the Pulse of the Spirit of Aggieland aka the Noble Men of Kyle? I think not! Move-in day was hot and exhausting as expected, but to finally have a home in my favorite place in the world was a great feeling. And I didn’t cry when my mom left; or after for that matter-I was way too excited to be in Sweet Home College Station!

So here I am in the fourth week of school. It feels like I got here yesterday, but at the same time it feels like I’ve been here forever…either way I know there is no other place that I would rather be. All 16 hours worth of classes are fascinating-even Geology and MATH(who would have thought!?) ! Furthermore, I don’t think I’ve ever really been challenged in school, and now that I am challenged, I’m enjoying it! I like feeling like I have to make an effort to achieve and to learn. I’m thrilled with my Business Honors class. We have small group meetings with sophomore “peer leaders” every week, and I love my peer leaders and my small group members and look forward to getting to know all of them better! I love going to my business class because it grants a glimpse of what is to come in my future and prepares me for that.

I’m not all study though! I love being a part of the 12th Man for sporting events – volleyball, soccer, but ESPECIALLY football. You would think that when you’re 150 feet above the field, it would be difficult to see or be involved in the game. False. If anything, the third deck gets more pumped up than the lower two tiers(not that I wouldn’t mind being closer to the field…). The first game against Arkansas State was for lack of a better term, painful. But a win against New Mexico boosted our morale and I’m looking forward to a Fightin’ Texas Aggie win against Miami this Saturday! I’ll be selling 12th Man towels for many of the home games if you want to drop by and see me! As I said, I’m in the 12th Man Student Foundation and we mainly support our sports teams. After an application and two interviews, I found out today that I was accepted into Fish Aides, a FLO(Freshman Leadership Organization). We are a group of 20 guys and 20 gals that work actively in the Student Government Association, and I’m looking SO forward to being a part of this very fun and very community-oriented group! I’ve also gotten plugged into a church down here-Grace Bible Church. I signed up for weekly small groups and the Servant Team to help plan the semester retreat in October.

Well folks, I could go on forever about my experiences even thus far into the year. It has been jam-packed full of a whole lot of fun and it’s only going to get busier and more fun! I look forward to serving my community actively through the various organizations that I’m getting involved with and making my own way. I can’t express how excited I am to be here and want to thank all of you for your support-financially and prayerfully. And please don’t hesitate to shoot me an e-mail sometime with advice or questions or just to talk!

Thanks again and Gig ‘em!

Kate Paty
Class of 2012