As the fall semester comes to an end, and the newest class of graduates prepares to walk across the stage and enter the ‘Real World’, there are many who are looking forward to finals being done and awaiting a nice Holiday Break before enduring in another semester of quizzes, mid-terms, and finals.
As we enter the holiday season, it’s been difficult to get excited because of how certain places have jumped the gun on holidays. It seems to be getting worse and worse. I went to the store one weekend and low-and-behold, there was a whole section of Christmas out already. The fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving had been sectioned off to a little area. “Can we enjoy the first holiday before we jump to the end of the year?” Now I understand that there are some that aren’t big on Halloween, but some people enjoy dressing up, going out and having a good time. There are also those who enjoy being that person who gives out the cool candy. Thanksgiving is even getting by-passed. Isn’t that the time when family is to get together and laugh at that relative who stumbles from the table and knocks stuff off it? Or the annoying relative who just won’t shut up!? The fun stuff you laugh about when you get older.
Can we please stop getting in a hurry to make time go faster than it already is? This year has blown by. It doesn’t seem possible that as I write this, November is at the end of the week. It doesn’t seem possible that five months ago I was actually experiencing a vacation.
Stores are slowly but surely going to start bring out holiday stuff six months early. We will start seeing Valentine’s Day stuff out weeks before Christmas. Incredible.
In this world where information and instant gratification are rampant, stores and businesses are playing mental games and doing what they can to suck us in and we do it. Why would you want to buy something that early when you will probably put it up and forget where you put it by the time the holiday comes around or just give it to the person before the holiday? Holidays are slowly becoming just another day, and not a day for people to enjoy the moment with whomever they may be spending it with.
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Last month Sam Houston played rival Stephen F. Austin in ‘The Battle of Piney Woods’ for the last time on the campus of either school. The two schools agreed to move the game next year to Houston and play the game at Reliant Stadium. Could turn out to be a very good thing is steps are taken to try and involve as many students as possible. Student fans provide such an atmosphere to games (when they come… this will be brought up in a minute), it can make for a lasting impression. Hopefully we can turn Reliant into a great tailgate environment. There are so many opportunities, now we just need to SHOW UP!
Going to the Sam-SFA, I was expecting to see a nice little sea of orange, and when I got there, not a whole lot of orange. Hell, there wasn’t even a band. Seriously!? They go to Tulsa because it is at a bigger school, but you don’t go to a rival game. They were back in Huntsville at a competition that someone scheduled for the day of the rival game. Intentional? Can’t answer that one. But you would think you would want to be in Nacogdoches being loud, but that is just me.
Where were the students? We have that group of students that sit behind the opposing teams bench and get loud, but they weren’t even there. They could have helped keep those Lumber… in check, even if we got woodshedded. It is depressing that the students will come and act like fans at home games, but when they are needed the most, they are MIA. The drive isn’t that bad and the school even had a bus.
Hopefully with the winds changing into basketball season this will change. The women start on Saturday, Nov. 7 against TAMU International at 3 p.m., while the guys tip-off Saturday, Nov. 14 against LeTourneau at 7 p.m.. Now if we can fill the student section up for the games, Johnson Coliseum will be the place to be on game night. Just remember these four letters, FREE! Take a break from studying for a couple of hours and vent your studying frustrations at the opposing team.
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As this issue comes out and many of you are planning your holiday trips for Thanksgiving and preparing for finals and the holiday break, please remember to think ahead and be smart on the streets. There are plenty of parties left in the spring when the weather is better, and friends to head to the bar/club with.
Don’t forget to check out the website and see what events are coming up before finals and look for your picture.
Friend us on Facebook as we are hoping to send some readers to some concerts in the Houston area, so check for updates.
Have a safe holiday season.
