National champions, that is. The Florida Gators, newly crowned NCAA basketball national champs!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m still finding it hard to believe, that we’ve just won our first basketball title, and in such an amazing fashion! Now I just have another reason to always remember my freshman year here…

Monday night/Tuesday morning was one of the coolest times EVER…it all started when I went to the Jungle(apartment at Lakeside, for you uninformed people) for a pre-game cookout. Actually, first me, Javier, Nicole and Alicia went to Publix and got food first, after which we did some awesome cookout action. I think I had about 6 hotdogs…

After that, it was time for The Game. It started awesomely, as we took the lead early…and we never turned back. Every couple of minutes, me and Javier would look at each other and say, “Man, we’re up by 16 in the national championship!” And then, with about four minutes left in the game, it started to dawn on us that we were GOING TO WIN. We counted down the final seconds and then the Jungle erupted…National Champions, Florida Gators! We ran out to the car, yelling and screaming along with the rest of Gainesville as we made our way to University Ave. and when we got there…wow. There were a LOT of people just crowding the street. The police had the road blocked off for quite a ways, and they had horses! But nothing got too out of hand.

We were screaming, cheering, singing(“We are the champions, my friends…”)…there were people climbing the lightpoles and throwing toilet paper over the traffic signals. There was such a bond between all of us on that street…it’s funny how victory causes such unity! It was pure awesomeness. At about 2, we tried to go to Steak ‘n Shake to further celebrate, but they were lame and insisted on not cleaning their tables and on having an hour wait for milkshakes. So that idea didn’t work out…but we sorta chilled there for a while anyways.

Finally, tired, voices gone, we retreated back to our dorms…me and Javier figured that it would probably be a good idea to get some sleep before our 7:25 lab. I definitely only got an hour or so of sleep, so was DEAD in lab. Surprisingly, most people showed up…and thankfully, Rob knew what he was doing because I sure wasn’t a lot of help. All day yesterday was sort of a haze…it was funny walking around campus, because everyone looked tired…but with smiles on their faces. I wanted to get a championship shirt, but $20 is a bit steep…my mom said she’d pick one up in Tampa.

Now, here’s a bunch of pictures, courtesy of Nicole and Alicia…

Mmmm, hot dogs.

Cookouts rock.

More grilling action.

We’re ready for the game.

More than ready!

V for Victory!

WE WON!

University Ave.

That horse was very close to running me over.

Lots of people!

Yay toilet paper.

It’s GREAT – TO BE – A FLORIDA GATOR!

Someone’s more than a little happpy…

Number One, baby!

Oh yeah.

The Gators of the University of Florida are in the Final Four of the NCAA basketball tournament!!!!!!!

WOOO!!!

It was so awesome watching the game last night…and even more fun going to meet the team at the airport at one in the morning. Our team is so awesome!! Pictures forthcoming..

In other news, since we didn’t get back from the airport until 3:something(stupid ineffecient ticket system), I stayed up all night studying for my physics test today. I’m writing my formula sheet for it now. Wish me luck!

One of my favorite passages:

Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to His own town. Some men brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”

At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”

And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.

-Matthew 9:1-8

Well, we had our football game. And we lost. But man, it was a blast while the season lasted…our whole team rocked hardcore, especially our captain who shall remain nameless. No, his name doesn’t begin with “Chr” and end with “is”..

After the game, the team and all our supporters(you guys rock!) played another game of football, in which there was running around in circles, singing, dancing, and yes, even human pyramids. Best game EVER.

Now, back to physics homework.

I think I like football better.

Hmm, I haven’t written in a little while. Well, that happens.

Anyway, last week was spring break, and it was AWESOME. Rob was at my place for the first weekend, and we had fun just chilling at my house, playing basketball, ping-pong, and even doing a little gardening. On Monday, we went to his grandparents’ place in Sarasota. We stayed there for a few days, and good times were had by all. Beach, food, card games, food, Ringling museum and frisbee golf and more food. That pretty much sums it up. I got quite sunburnt though…I figured two applications of sunscreen would cover me…apparently not. I learned my lesson from that. Anyway, the beach was amazing. We went to Siesta Key…played volleyball, football, frisbee, body-surfed, and then built the best sand castle ever, if I do say so myself.

On Thursday, I came back to Tampa and just relaxed at home for the last few days of break…so good just hanging with the family and watching some good basketball games. Iowa lost and Michigan State lost…but Florida’s in the Sweet 16!! I think we have a fair chance of making the Final Four.

I’m back at school now, unfortunately…have to worry about my upcoming Diff-Eq test and Physics test. Physics test is the one I’m really worried about. Much study is needed.

And tonight is our flag football playoff game!! I can’t wait to play! Everyone in Gainesville(or even if you’re not in Gainesville), come and watch us at Lake Alice fields, 8 PM tonight!

I should probably get some physics homework done now. Or think about the upcoming game. Yeah, that sounds like a better idea.

Had an awesome time playing football today!

But not looking forward to physics test tomorrow. Extremely nervous, even though I’ve studied more than for any other test I’ve ever taken.

Sometimes I just wish I knew what the future holds.

I wish I knew the right path to take…I’m weighing the options in my hands, but I’m still not quite sure what I should make my major. It’s weird, because I always thought I knew just what I would do – didn’t think I’d change my major at all. And I’ve already done it once. And now…is engineering even for me? When I find out I like my finance and economics classes a lot more than my physics class…I just don’t know. I’m even considering finance or accounting as majors now…but I feel like I’d be a quitter if I dropped engineering now. But then…what do I want my life to be? I must decide and decide soon. And my whole life will be determined from that one choice. If only I was omniscient..but then, only One is.

College is a wonderful time…but also ever so stressful. DiffEq test on Friday, physics 2 test on Monday…and everything else thrown in between. Argh..can’t wait ’til a week from now.

My foot is asleep.

I want sugar.

Well, it’s been a pretty long week…but it sure has been an awesome weekend so far! Yesterday after my last class, Chris and I came back to Tampa in a raging rainstorm…halfway there, part of the windshield wipers on his car broke, so that didn’t help matters any. But we made it back alive. Somehow.

Anyways, it’s great to be back in Tampa. Last night, went to the GHS talent show – it was a great time…the best part was seeing people I hadn’t seen for so long!

Today…mostly been relaxing and hanging out around the house. My dad made a fantastically awesome roast chicken meal(I made the salad)…so yeah, home-cooked food is pretty sweet. Tomorrow, I’ll have to go back to school, but now I’m just enjoying not having a care in the world.

And it’s a pretty special day today…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DREAM!!

Had an awesome time playing football today!

But not looking forward to physics test tomorrow. Extremely nervous, even though I’ve studied more than for any other test I’ve ever taken.

Just uploaded new icons…hurrah! I didn’t know I could have 6…so now I have lots of cool ones to pick from.

Anyways, since I guess I should have some kind of update, here goes…

This week is going by incredibly slow. It’s only Tuesday…so still have to get through three more days. Today, had my 7:30 physics lab, which went well enough(for physics). After that, we had football practice – me, Maggie, Chris and Rob just ran some plays and practiced grabbing flags…more practice is definitely needed. After that, me and Rob went and had lunch at the Arrendondo Room at the Reitz…I just love the food there. Today they had sphaghetti and meatballs as well as salmon teriyaki. I definitely enjoyed myself a bit too much there…

Physics homework and a nice long nap finished out the afternoon. After dinner, I’ve been wasting time talking to people while I did homework and watched the State of the Union address(I thought Bush did a pretty good job). And then I wasted more time by finding icons. Anyways, guess I should finish my homework…enjoy your night, all!