Wow. It is crazy to think that I am already back in Norman for my junior year. While my first two years were full of unique experiences, I never imagined that I would be a writing a blog to begin my third year! To start off, I am psychology major on the pre medicine track. Ever since I took psychology in high school I found studying the mind and the way people act so interesting. However, I always had the goal of becoming a physician which explains the pre-med track. Although I am an OU student, I still consider myself a proud Texan. I come from a relatively small town in East Texas where high school football is king and perhaps the most famous thing is that Matthew Mccounaughey graduated from my high school (he even came to our high school graduation this year to give a speech!).
Wikimedia Commons: Longview High School
Now some other facts about me. I am a huuuuuuggeeeeee tennis fan. I have been playing tennis since I was 7 years old, and played through out high school. Not only do I play, but I actively follow the professional tennis tour, especially my favorite player Rafael Nadal. Additionally, I enjoy going to OU tennis matches. While I enjoy tennis, I am huge sports fan and love OU football (hoping this is our year to win the natty). Sports have always been a huge part of my life, and definitely something I am passionate about.
Wikimedia Commons: Rafael Nadal
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Some more personal facts about me: I love big dogs (specifically my German Shepherd), I love Game of Thrones ( although the last season was kind of disappointing, I have to say it), I love Torchy's Tacos, and I love traveling (see my Barcelona post for some more info on that!). As you can see I have a bunch of different interests, but this is not the whole story. Come back for some more insight into Neal!
Personal Image: My dog and my cat photo bombing
Hi Neal! I totally agree with you--I never thought I would start the year with blogging too. I find psychology challenging, but I too, think it is very interesting and if studied psych, I would probably focus on behavior.
ReplyDeleteI tried playing tennis once, it was fun, but honestly it was just humorous watching me play. I do love OU football though, and yes, this year is OUR YEAR!! #nattyherewecome
ReplyDeleteHey Neal,
I am also a junior and never thought I would ever blog. I grew up despising people who blogged because I thought they had nothing good to say, that it was just about a bunch of ramblings about why their life sucked and so on. Now blogging for this class has made me see that it is actually fun and interesting to let others know about your life and how people may be going through the same things. I do agree the ending of game of thrones was bad, but the Long Dark Night was definitely my favorite since I am a big violence and gore person. I have been playing tennis since I was 5 so I see we have that in common! I would have to say my favorite player was Andy Roddick back in the day for sure. Your major definitely sounds interesting and I hope when you get out of college you find a great job!
Hi Neal, nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteI was a psychology/pre-med student as well for my first year in college! I agree with you that psychology is a fascinating subject and that learning how the mind works never ceases to amaze me. That is quite the fun fact, I believe I actually heard about Matthew McConaughey visiting his high school to give a speech somewhere, so that is great that you got to be there! The picture of your pets is absolutely adorable, big dogs melt my heart!
Hi Neal!
ReplyDeleteWow! We have so much in common. I am a junior pre-med major also. Your puppy looks so fluffy and adorable. I'll say it: I want to squeeze him! In that picture, it looks like your dog and cat are really enjoying each other's company. That is so sweet they get along like that. One of my friends actually went to Longview high school! He never stops talking about this pizza place that Matthew McConaughey actually visited recently. You should check it out :)
Hi Neal! I'm always glad to see a fellow Texan here at OU. I have a friend from Longview, but I had no idea Matthew McConaughey went to your school! My friends from UT (horns down) love to brag about him. Additionally, I love tennis, too! I've been playing for 11 years and have been watching the US Open religiously these past couple of weeks. Rafa is awesome, and I'm also a huge fan of Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, and Coco Gauff.
ReplyDeleteEmily
Oh, that is quite the celebrity connection, Neal! Through you, we are now all connected to Matthew McCounaughey... which I personally find very cool since Interstellar is one of my all-time favorite movies. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd I sure hear you about Game of Thrones: I'm actually a fan of the books, and the TV series always seemed kind of rushed. Maybe you can write some Game of Thrones stories for this class, using ideas you get from the stories for how they could have done a better job with that final season. So much great character potential, and maybe you can figure out better fates for your favorites! That is the power of the storyteller after all: the characters' fates are in your hands. And your dog and cat look so cute: I'm guessing they would make a dynamic duo for storytelling too. Very adorable!
Hi Neal,
ReplyDeleteI think your dog (and cat) are so cute! I love seeing everyone's pets. I am psych/pre-OT. I think its great that you have so many things that you love. I love football too! That stadium is awesome! My hometown had to use the local Uni's field. Its so cool that you play tennis, I am terrible at it (not that I am good at any other sports).
It was lovely meeting you!
Howdy Neal,
ReplyDeleteI love your title "the real neal", it is a fun little rhyme that does a good job at grabbing you attention. I am also a psychology major. I am planning on going into industrial organizational psychology myself. My passion for psychology also began in high school, but it still took me a few years to realize that is what i want to be doing with my life.
Hey Neal!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool Matthew McConaughey is from your high school and that he came back to visit! I love him and all of his movies. I have never really watched tennis but I feel like if I did I would enjoy it, I do love sports so I am sure I would also be obsessed with tennis. I also have a German Shepard, her name is Riley and I love her so so much so we definitely have that in common as well.
Hi Neal!
ReplyDeleteI am SOO jealous that Matthew McConaughey gave a speech at your high school since he graduated from there. Maybe you could use Matthew as a character in one of your stories since you know him probably more than most people. I am also from Texas but I live more near Fort Worth. I find it awesome how passionate you are about sports and specifically OU football because boomer! The picture of your German Shepard is adorable, I can definitely relate on having an amazing fur friend of my own, my dog has been the character of most of my stories thus far because she goes everywhere with me. I am excited to read more of your stories and to gain more insight!
Hello Neal, time sure does fly doesn’t it! Tennis is an interesting choice! I have never been a sports fan but when I watch tennis I always feel as though I am tired. The way they run back and forth hardly taking a break seems exhausting! I used to own a German Shepherd! They are great dogs! I also love your cat it looks very cute! I hope you have a great year and good luck on becoming a doctor!
ReplyDeleteHi Neal! Your pup is adorable! I love German Shepards and think they are so beautiful. I am also a Game of Thrones fan, but last season was definitely not the best wrap up. I think they should have ended it at the Battle of Winterfell. It was such an epic episode and it was going to be really hard, and probably really expensive, to top it. Maybe you can use GOT in your stories and make an alternative ending for all of us GOT fans!
ReplyDeleteHi Neal!
ReplyDeleteI am also a psychology major who is on the pre-med track! I think studying psychology will allow us to better understand the brain and human behavior which will hopefully make us better doctors in the future. I also a proud Texan! Sometimes I feel conflicted because I absolutely love the state of Texas, yet I go to school in Oklahoma and prefer Oklahoma football over any Texas team. I am glad someone gets that!
Hi Neal,
ReplyDeleteAre you planning to go into clinical psychology/psychiatry with that combination? Or rather medicine in general/some other specialization?
Ah, the desperate internal struggle of the Texas-born but Sooner bred. (Just kidding, but I always find it kind of funny to see people from Texas here at OU when they feel a need to justify their school spirit around game time :D.)
Do you still play a lot of tennis here at OU?
Best,
A.M.
Loved reading your introduction! I remember just one year ago when I was going into my junior year as well. Time definitely flew that year, so enjoy it while you can. Fellow Texan over here, but I'm not exactly from a small town. You may have heard of Dallas before...
ReplyDeleteProbably a weird thing to say, but I think you'd get along great with my parents. They both play tennis in a mixed doubles league and watch it all the time at home. Looking forward to reading some more of your posts this semester!
Hey Neal!
ReplyDeleteI'm a junior too and I never thought I would be blogging. Especially not as much as I am for this class. We have a lot of the same interests, but who doesn't love sports and Game of Thrones. I also love psychology and find the mind fascinating, but alas I am only minoring in it. Best of luck with your semester!
Neal,
ReplyDeleteI am a junior as well, and psychology is my minor. I agree that it is so interesting to understand how and why people think the way they do! I have never seen Game of Thrones, but that review is what I hear from a lot of fans. Barcelona is also one of my favorite places in the world, and I love you got the chance to experience the magic of it!
Hi Neal! I'm also a pre-med interested in psychology, although I've chosen chemical biosciences as a major. Are you hoping on becoming a psychiatrist? That's what I'm planning.
ReplyDeleteYour German Shepard looks so cute cuddled up with your cat. I've never heard of Torchy's Tacos, but they must be fantastic if you name them instead of listing 'tacos' in your post.
Here's hoping OU football wins the natty,
BOOMER SOONER!
Hello Neal, I think your passion for tennis is great! Have you tried out at OU? I have always thought tennis would be a fun sport to play even if it is just recreationally. Good luck with your pre-med work! It is also very cool that Mathew McConaughey came to your school to give a speech! How kind. What did he talk about? And were you able to speak with him afterwards? I bet there are tons of people at your school. I went to a very small school and graduated with 57 people. Your dog and cat are super cute! I love that they are totally chillin' together. I wish you luck on the rest of your school.
ReplyDeleteHey Neal!
ReplyDeleteBig dogs are the way to go! Godspeed on your pre-medicine track, my guy. I could never do that! 8 years of school is way too much for me! We are definitely winning the natty this year. It's happening. Remember this comment, because we will win it. No doubt. Boomer Sooner and good luck with everything!
Hi Neal!
ReplyDeleteIt was nice learning about you! I visited Barcelona this summer as well, and it was amazing to say the least. I was actually thinking on minoring in Psychology, but as of right now I'm leaning towards a Chemistry minor. We will see what happens. Anyways, best of luck in your endeavors and hope your junior year goes by smoothly!
HI Neal,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all you have a great taste in tv show choices. I love Game of Thrones! and yes the last season was rough, I was disappointed bc Danny deserved better. Anyways, Torchy's is an amazing place! Their chips and queso are simply divine! I also love to travel! I want to visit Europe one day! My sister has been to Barcelona and she loved it! I love your Texan pride and how passionate you are about tennis! It was fun to read a bit about you!
Hello Neal!
ReplyDeleteIt's cool to see how passionate you are about sports! Did you play sports in high school? I played tennis my freshman year. I wasn't very good but it was a lot of fun! I still like to play every now. I also played soccer but I've never been a huge fan of watching soccer games or even football games. Do you also participate in fantasy football? Great meeting you, good luck with the rest of your semester and with applying to med school!
Hi Neal!
ReplyDeleteReading your introduction it seems we have a lot in common. I too am a Psychology major and proud Texan. I loved seeing pictures of your German Shepherd. They are such great dogs. I'm a big sports fan as well. I haven't watched much tennis though but I think it's still a really cool sport. Enjoy your semester and watching the football team win a national championship this year (I'm a believer).
Hey there! I am also a psychology major, and have loved it since freshman year! The classes only get better and better, in my opinion! I am so jealous that you have visited Barcelona! I have always wanted to travel there after seeing the Cheetah Girls movie! Also, have you thought about where you want to go for schooling after you graduate from OU? Nice to meet you!!
ReplyDeleteHi Neal! Thank you for sharing! I also loooooove Torchy’s and I frequent there at least once a week… oops! I think your major is so cool and I wish you the best of luck in your pre-med track. How cool that Matthew Mccounaughey came to your graduation… I love him and think I would’ve died if I saw him give a speech. I am looking forward to reading more of your posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Neal! I have always loved psychology and really seriously considered taking that as my major! I found that I'm less scientific and more creative though, so I settled on Professional Writing -- but I still have a deep fascination for the mind and personality! I haven't seen the last season of Game of Thrones yet, but I've heard from multiple people that it was disappointing. Good luck on your junior year!
ReplyDelete- Cate
Hi Neal! It’s nice to meet you. I hope that the first part of your junior year is off to a great start. My little sister has recently become obsessed with tennis, (especially Nadal) so it made me smile to read that on your post. Your pets are so cute. Do you get to see them often? I hope that you get to travel this year and eat Torchy's all the time!
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying but hard tacos are betters than soft tacos so torchys tacos isn't that good. I moved down here an never understood the hype. They do have pretty good queso though. So, eat a lot of that to get through junior year- its been tough!
ReplyDeleteHi Neal!
ReplyDeleteIt's really fun that Matthew Mccounaughey went to your school, I just wish he wasn't a Texas Longhorns fan! I'm also a big fan of sports. Tennis players are so skilled, especially people like Nadal and Federer. I can understand why you love watching it so much. Torchy's is always a great place to eat at. Have a good rest of your semester!
Hi Neal, it's nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - I never really planned on blogging, but it's been an interesting thing to try! I'm also a big dog person (in the sense that I am big on dogs and that I love big dogs!), and my husband and I are actually hoping to get a German Shepherd at some point as well (in addition to a golden retriever). Good luck with the rest of your semester!
Hi Neal!
ReplyDeleteBlogging isn't something I imagined I'd be doing this semester either but I'm starting to get used to it! My dad grew up in Longview so I'm actually somewhat familiar with it. I'm so jealous that you've been to Barcelona, that's somewhere I've always wanted to visit and I was so upset that I wasn't able to when I studied abroad. Wishing you luck for the rest of the semester!
Hey Neal!!
ReplyDeleteBlogging is surprisingly fun and I have really enjoyed it this semester. That is awesome that you are a big tennis fan. I really enjoy tennis and I especially enjoy the majors and watching for the upsets that happen during the big tournaments. That is so dope that you got to go to Barcelona and I would love to have that opportunity to do that.
Hi Neal!
ReplyDeleteI am also a psychology major on the pre-med track! I am also from Texas, so I totally get how you feel. As much as I love Norman and OU, I love that state of Texas (except for Austin and UT) just a little bit more! It is so cool that Matthew Mccounaughey went to your high school and even gave a speech! I don't think anyone famous has graduated from my high school lol. Good luck this semester!
Hi Neal! I loved reading your introduction! I also did not expect to start my year off blogging, but I have found it surprisingly enjoyable thus far! I also loved hearing about your passion for tennis. It is super important to have passions in life, especially when you have chosen a more challenging degree and career path! Great job and good luck this semester!
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