Reflecting on my time spent here at OU, I have started to think about where I was really able to enjoy myself on campus. No other areas come to mind more than the Student Life office. Student Life is a place where friendships are made, lasting relationships are formed, and leaders are born.

When I first started at OU I was a bit reserved. Having previously had my friends from high school, I found no need to go out and meet new people. Then I joined Campus Activities Council Crew, advised through the Student Life office, and this allowed me to meet one of my first advisors in this location. This relationship became one of the best advisor/mentor relationships that I have had at the university to this day. Soon after, I proceeded to get more acquainted with the staff of Student Life. This process was facilitated by the spot which I think is the best part of Student Life, at their big table that has become a hub for meeting new people and making new friendships with staff, students, and leaders across campus. For me, this table is where I have come to meet some of the most influential people in my college life, and where I have had some of the deepest conversations with complete strangers. This table and more importantly, this office are a place that is welcoming and wonderful for growing as a college student. Sitting in this office is like being a part of a big family. There are always tons of laughs shared and memories recounted.

As if this office wasn’t good enough, the existing advisors are top notch at helping all students at becoming successful leaders. I have been more pushed and challenged to do my best as leader, as I have been in this office. Following the example set by our President David Boren, all of the advisors here have an open door policy allowing students to come to them whenever they are in need. They are always within earshot, with a helping hand and an abundance of guidance. It also helps that most of the staff are OU graduates and have shared many of the same experiences we are facing now, so more than often they know what works and what doesn’t when fulfilling our leadership roles.

This office is filled with some of the most supporting and caring staff that our university has to offer. They have created a Sooner experience for me that will be unforgettable and still continues to make my time here even more enjoyable!

Isaac Hill

Junior

Chemical Engineering w/ Biomedical Option (Pre-med)

Midwest City, OK

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Screen Shot 2015-02-19 at 4.47.46 PM

After making the decision to go to OU, I still wasn’t totally satisfied. I couldn’t help but think that I might have picked the wrong school. When I went in for my first advising appointment, I felt very uneasy. Later on that day, I went to the Student Union where I received my student ID card. I thought, “Wow, I’m finally an official student.” As I walked out of the Union to head home, I glanced at a picture of George McLaurin, the first African-American student at OU. Suddenly, a quote from Maya Angelou popped in my head saying,

“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.” 

Then it hit me. While I was still fighting with myself over school choices, I reflected on the African-Americans before me and realized the great privilege I had in my ability to choose a school of my choice. I do not believe Mr. McLaurin fought for his own personal right to attend this great university, but for every student that came after him, in hopes that they would not be denied admission based on race and skin color. No one in my family has ever attended OU and I had the opportunity to achieve what was once unachievable. When I hear the names and stories of people like George McLaurin, Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher (first black student admitted to OU Law), Prentice Gautt (first black football player at OU), etc., and have the opportunity to sit and speak personally with Dr. George Henderson (beloved OU professor, first black homeowner in Norman and founder of OU Human Relations Department), I feel overwhelmingly fortunate that such individuals fought for me, even though they never knew me. What really hit home for me was when I found out my lifelong dentist and personal mentor, Dr. Dunn Cumby, was the first African American to graduate from the OU College of Dentistry. Now that I am here, I realize that I have a legacy to continue and a responsibility to fulfill. OU is the place I want to be and the place where I belong. I must progressively challenge my peers and myself each day.

From my Camp Crimson experience to this very second, I have been so incredibly blessed and have enjoyed each second. The late nights studying, 3 am trips to Whataburger, the numerous people I have befriended, the course work, the professors and faculty who I have connected with and class discussions have all been so rewarding to me and I feel so fortunate in this moment to be a Sooner. Last time I heard Dr. Henderson speak, he mentioned the unofficial motto of OU, ‘Live On, University’ and stated, “It’s not about the university living on, but how it lives and what it will live for.” That is our challenge today as Sooners; We are responsible to ensure OU lives on and lives for better.

J.D. Baker

Freshman

Public Relations Major

Public Affairs and Administration Major

Edmond, OK

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetWell, my first three weeks in Italy have been…astounding! I never thought that I would have the guts to leave my home for 4 months to make a new home in Arezzo, Italy. Having to step out of my comfort zone is something that takes a lot of energy out of me. But here I am, and I have loved every single second of my new adventure. These last three weeks have been a whirlwind of new faces, too much gelato (but can there REALLY be a thing like too much gelato?!), train rides to new places, and learning something new about myself in the process.

I didn’t think I had what it took to be able to study abroad, and leave my comfort of home. I am born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. I grew up with the same group of friends for 10+ years of my life, so I never needed to make new friends until I came to college. If I was ever in trouble, I had the comfort of being able to drive 15 minutes to my mom’s house. I was completely familiar with the four corners of Norman, but I was itching to find a new adventure. Being at OU for my first two years have been some of the best times of my life to date. Why would I want to leave everything for a whole semester, to be totally out of my comfort zone? That didn’t exactly sound like a great time to me. Before I knew it, I was purchasing my ticket to Rome for the spring semester of my junior year. I was actually going to study abroad.

I don’t have that much experience under my belt just yet, but I urge anyone reading this (and who is considering study abroad) to look into the different programs and start talking to people! Whenever the idea to study abroad in Arezzo popped into my head, I talked to every single person I knew who went. Advisors, friends, OU in Arezzo ambassadors, mentors, my mom, EVERYONE. You can never start early about planning to study abroad (I started a full year and a half….I was a bit eager). People are always willing to answer your questions, and if you feel nervous, still talk to someone! I know for a fact that if I had let my fear stop me from coming to Arezzo, I would have regretted it. The lessons and experiences I have had in just three weeks blows me away. To think that I still have months ahead of me to experience all that Italy has to offer me makes me excited. Stay tuned!

Blessing Ikpa

The University of Oklahoma ‘16

Criminology & Human Relations 

IMG_7456IMG_7391IMG_7450Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetIMG_0769

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

When I first came to the University of Oklahoma, I honestly did not know what I wanted to major in. I really enjoyed science in high school so I felt like biology was the way to go. I came to the University of Oklahoma as a Biology/Pre-Dental major. Although I liked a couple of my classes, I remember I had a sudden realization while taking my final lab practical in Introduction to Biology. I realized that I actually hate animals and IDK WHY AM I DOING THIS. So what was a young Bunty going to major in? I’ve thought about Political Science, Engineering (HA!), and Meteorology. Heck, I even considered Drama as a major. I went to the Majors and Minors exploration office within Wagner Hall to take some tests and meet with a counselor to talk about what I wanted to do. Every single aptitude test that I took told me that my destiny was to become a business major. It made me think a little bit. I remembered taking accounting in high school and looking back I sort of enjoyed it. I looked up information about the Price College of Business and felt like “Hey! I could actually do this business thing!” So I made the switch my Sophomore year.

I love being a Price student. There are so many opportunities for success while you’re in the business college. Price students as a whole come into the business college with the mindset of getting an internship, building yourself professionally and networking. Need help revising your resume or need work on your 30-second elevator speech? Visit Robert Harper and Dena Newhouse in the Professional Development office. Robert Harper was the one I ran to when I needed help on my resume my sophomore year and he took my average resume into a real winner at career fairs. Did I mention that we have career fairs once a semester? Companies throughout the United States will come here to OU and recruit students and even have their interviews on campus so you don’t have to travel. IBC (Integrated Business Core) is a program where students will essentially start a business every semester from scratch, design, make and market a product for the general public to purchase. All the proceeds from IBC go towards the company’s charity. Since its inception, IBC has raised over $1 million in charity! Study Abroad, the Business Communication Center, JC Penny Leadership program, the list goes on and on about how great Price is.

After bouncing around majors in Price, I am now an Energy Management/Supply Chain major and I feel that I have found my right fit. The Energy Management program is the first of its kind in the nation and since it is the first, it is obviously the best of its kind in the nation as well. Although it is a business degree, it is a very unique one. It blends teachings from College of Business, Mewbourne College of Earth & Energy, College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences and the College of Law. Supply Chain Management, which is a major  focusing on logistics of business operations, is a top #20 program in the nation and its value here at OU has been steadily rising every year with the help of Ronald Davidson, the head of the Supply Chain department.

If you’re still thinking about what you want to major in, don’t worry. You have a lot of time in college to truly find out what you want to do. If you don’t like what you’re doing right now, don’t do it, you don’t want to be doing it for the rest of your life. College is a time to learn and build yourself. Price was the right fit for me, with all its programs, faculty and staff, and great job placement. If business has ever crossed your mind, take a chance. Who knows? You may be a CEO one day.

Bunty Patel

Energy Mgmt/Supply Chain, Senior

Wilburton, OK

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

It would make sense for a private school kid to go to a private college, right? Well, this was the mindset for many of my peers, as well as myself. Going into the college transition, I wasn’t looking to stray too far from the comforts of my private school. What was I going to do if my teachers didn’t know my name in my college classes? Better yet, what was I going to do if I couldn’t find my place amongst the thousands of students at public university? I was afraid of drowning in a sea of students. All roads pointed away from public universities, but one fateful visit to OU would change my perspective completely.

Upon arriving on the Norman campus, I wasn’t exactly thrilled when my first glimpse at college life consisted of peering into a lecture hall that contained more students than were in my graduating class. “Here we go. Can’t wait to get this over with,” I thought to myself. However, after learning about OU and all of its many facets, I made an important realization that did away with my previous apprehensions about its public identity.

At the end of the day, I looked back and tried to soak it all in. Every time I tried to digest a certain aspect of the school, I kept coming back to the fact that there were just SO many students here, compared to my small private school. Then, however, I had my “aha” moment when I started to think about all the social clubs and organizations that existed on campus. In a similar fashion to the large student population, there seemed to be an overwhelming amount of opportunity available to anyone that was willing to pursue it. It was then and there that I realized that I didn’t have to worry about having a place on campus. My college experience could be whatever I wanted it to be, and at OU I found that there was nothing holding me back but the amount of hours in a day.

The college transition can be daunting to any incoming freshman, but for those coming to a public university from a smaller high school setting, it can be an especially rattling experience. The key thing to realize, however, is that all the comforts of private school exist at OU, you just have to seize them. They might not be apparent at first, but teachers love getting to know their students. Getting to know you is just as exciting for them (if not more) as it is for you, especially when they must teach hundreds of students at once. Scared of not being able to make friends? There are countless organizations and clubs that want you to join. Between Campus Activities Council, Greek life, and Student Government Association, the tight knit feel of a private school community can immediately be duplicated.

Overall, everything I wanted in a college was right there all along, I just had to look closer. I truly enjoyed my private school experience, and I was so excited when I realized that OU could offer all those comforts to me, on an even bigger and better scale. The question started off as, “will I be successful here?” but soon changed to “how much success do I want to experience?” I might’ve been afraid of drowning at such an immense college at first, but after truly learning about OU, I dove right in and was surprised at how well I could swim.

Adam Siddique

Tulsa, OK

Biology Junior

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

When you come to OU and Norman, you enter a sort-of bubble. You realize you are getting older, you become a sophomore then a junior then a senior, but it never really hits you. Well, as a senior staring at graduation (in about 20 days), I can tell you that it hits you. The feeling that you may have to leave Norman, your friends, the place that started out as college and became home, all hits you like a train crossing by The Mont.

I can still remember that first day. It was at Camp Crimson, Purcell Family, Monnet Small Group. It was my first chance to really be at summer camp, but this was not just camp. This was an introduction to the next four years of my life. Those people I met at camp are still some of my best friends on Earth. We all “dropped our cool” and found friends, and a part of ourselves that we hadn’t known yet.

Soon it was August 2011 and I was moving all my stuff into Walker 6E, and I was terrified to be completely honest. My room had this picture perfect view of the stadium, the roommate and I got along, and my suitemates were some of the coolest guys I had ever met. That first night, I went fountain hopping, stayed up way too late, had the first (of many) cheese breads from Papa John’s. I knew that I made the right decision, and that I was going to fall in love while I was here. Then I had my first Sooner football game, and I’ll admit that when the intro video came on, I was crying. We sang the fight song, and the alma mater, and I had never really felt like I belonged to a huge family until then. That first semester was hard, I was homesick, I saw all my friends that went to A&M and UT having the times of their lives. I wanted to leave, to transfer, but I knew deep down that I would regret leaving because I hadn’t truly experienced OU yet.

Sophomore year and junior year flew by. I participated in Soonerthon. I changed my major a few (too many) times. I made friends and lost them. We all grew up in a way that none of us could have expected. We had our hearts broken, we failed a class or two, and we decided that college was not as easy as we thought it would be. Above all, we found out that our school was the one connecting the dots. We were bleeding Crimson and Cream and died for the idea of “Live on University.” Nothing felt real. We were separated from the newness of freshman year and did not want to think about senior year.

Then like a flash senior year comes. You realize that are beginning to have a lot of “lasts.” I gave my last tour as an OU Tour Guide the other day, and fought back tears the entire time. I ate at the Caf, where I had many times before, for the last time. I said goodbye to people in Student Life that have given me so much time over the last few years. It started hitting me that I was taking my last steps around the University that I love so much. You push these thoughts away for most of your last semester here, but at some point it is going to creep up on you, and it finally has crept up on me.

OU never leaves you because from that first time you step on campus to the last time you do, OU makes a mark. So much of the person I am today is because of the people I have met here. I formed opinions and friendships that will last a lifetime because of this school. My heart is here just as much as I am. When I get old one day, I will look back at those football games or late nights and realize that I had an experience to share with complete strangers. OU invites you into a family the moment you get that acceptance letter and it never lets you go. For that I will never be able to repay OU. The opportunities I have gotten here, the people who have become my mentors, and the family that I chose will never leave my memories. I love OU, and that will never change, no matter where I am.

Dalton Brasington

Senior

Political Science

Spring, TX

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Game day in Norman always brings an intense atmosphere but Homecoming produces a special kind of crowd. I remember standing in the stadium thinking, “Wow, I’ve never felt the stadium shake so much from a crowd yelling BOOMER SOONER!”

For many organizations Homecoming is an extravagant event with countless hours of hard work put into the floats, boards, banners, chalking, and the pep rally dance. Every year Campus Activities Council (CAC) organizes the long time tradition of Homecoming here at OU. This year our theme was Bound As One. Months of preparation have been put into each and every category. It is a time where the student body organizations work together to put on a campus wide event.

This year CAC aimed to create a Homecoming shirt where the same logo would be used again and again. I love being able to see a new tradition created at OU and yes the shirts are super cool. Another new thing CAC did this year was the Rah! Rally. The rally was on Friday, placed in the Lloyd Noble Center and in previous years it was somewhere else that didn’t really offer what the LNC does. Being able to see OU alum Gerald McCoy (All-Pro DT for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) come back was remarkable. Since I graduate here in December it was a refreshing reminder that once you become a Sooner, you are a Sooner for life. I am sad this will be my last Homecoming as a student but it was a great one to end on!

Needless to say the Rah! Rally was a blast and excited students even more for the game. The participating groups this year truly went above and beyond the normal requirements, every theme deserves credit for their creativity and hard work. The themes winning this year in the Homecoming competition were, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Water for Elephants, and Mary Poppins.

If you were unable to see any of the homecoming events in action check out @oucac or @UofOklahoma on twitter or search for the hashtag #BoundAsOne

Drew Purdin

Choctaw, OK

Senior Aviation Management

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The 66th consecutive year is upon us! Of course I am talking about the long time tradition here at OU called University Sing! U-sing, for short, is a production applying an overall theme to create a show that involves singing, dancing, as well as a storyline. The theme for this year is, There’s A First Time For Everything and auditions for the show were this past Sunday, September 28th. Seven out of eleven organizations make the show every year and this year is not only bringing tons of talent in dance and vocals but also in comedy and creativeness! The shows that made it this year are First Class, Little Lion Man, One Small Step, Play Ball, Rockefeller, Superman, and Toy Story; each of which depict a different first time throughout history. It is going to be a long and exciting wait until the weekend of November 8th when all these shows will be performed for the first time for their organizations, friends, and family.

This year I was fortunate enough to get involved with Campus Activities Council and applied to be on the U-sing 2014 Executive Team. I am helping out with the Awards Show of the program which will be following after the last performance on Saturday. You are hearing it here first, the trophies are awesome this year and I know everyone is aiming towards first place! Our executive team leader is the one and only Julianne Hennessy, along with her vice chairs Ariel Mackey, Ann Estes, Jeff Pitcock, and Jennifer Phillips. Without them U-sing wouldn’t be as successful as it has been so far. It has been without a doubt the most fun I have had with people I didn’t know at all until just last semester. I highly recommend to any current freshmen to get involved with U-sing next year or if you plan on being here next fall then try out for your organizations u-sing cast because you truly do make college memories.

Drew Purdin

Senior Aviation Management

Choctaw, OK

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

After spending my second summer here in Norman, I have realized a few things. First, Chimy’s is always closed at random times in the summer and that really grinds my gears when I need a chimichanga fast.  Second, I’ve grown to love the city that I have called home for the past 3 years (sorry Mom and Dad). After living in Norman for so long, I consider myself a Norman resident and not just a college student living here. There are are so many cool things about this city that I wouldn’t of known if I haven’t of lived here year round. I have compiled a list of the 9 things you need to know before you move to Norman. This city can surprise you!

1. Festivals galore!

Norman is known as the city of festivals so there is always something going on during the school year and even in the summer. My favorite festival is Norman Music Festival is a (picture above) where Main Street literally gets shut down for three days for a massive FREE music festival that features many local bands in the spring! Some other cool festivals include Medieval Fair, Jazz in June and the Chocolate Festival (unlimited samples of chocolate, need I say more?).

1

2. Culture and Arts

Norman is a mecca for culture and arts and two of my favorite places for that is right here on OUr campus! Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History is one of the largest University-based Natural History museums and features the world’s largest Apatosaurus (a really big dinosaur) as well as other cool artifacts about Oklahoma’s history as well. Another museum we have here in Norman is the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art which holds over 1 billion dollars of art inside of it!

2

 

 

 

 

3. FOOD everywhere

Queso at The Mont, Gyros at Greek House, Boba Tea at Tea Cafe, Norman has a thriving food scene! There are over 100 restaurants in Norman with many diverse offerings. Vietnamese, Peruvian, Moroccan, Indian and many other offerings right here in the middle of Oklahoma. One word of advice for y’all, EAT LOCAL! There are so many restaurants that are a big part of the Norman community so try them all.

3

4. NEVER take Lindsey.

When Fall Semester rolls around and when you add thousands of new students on the roads, things can get pretty hectic. One tried and true saying that you will hear over and over from many upperclassmen is “Never take Lindsey.” Lindsey St. is the main artery that runs right in the middle of campus here in Norman, Oklahoma and one of the most congested roads as well. Save yourself the frustration during 5 o’clock rush hour, take Highway 9, take Boyd, but never take Lindsey.

4

5. Big City atmosphere, Small-town feel

In terms of population, Norman is actually the 3rd largest city in the State of Oklahoma right behind Oklahoma City and Tulsa! Even with such a large population, you won’t feel like your living in a big city because Norman has such a small town feel to it. The residents of Norman are laid-back and friendly. Main St and Campus Corner are two great additions to the Norman community and add to to the small town feel. However, even with all the small town feel, Norman has so many amenities that some of the bigger cities have! Sooner Mall and SuperTarget are some of my favorites!

5

6. Remember, people still live here!

That stunning women in the picture above is no other than Mayor Cindy Rosenthal, mayor of Norman. I recently had the honor of being an SGL at Camp Crimson with our namesake being the mighty Rosenthal (shout out to Rosenthal Fam). One of the things she told us in her presentation is to always remember that people actually live here instead of just college students. You’re going to find some of the friendliest people in this town but remember that they still live and work here so try not to be disrespectful to the residents. Contrary to popular belief, most norman residents actually love college kids!

6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Remember the Oklahoman Way

If you’re from out-of-state, this one applies more to you. Even if you have strong ties to Texas, Missouri, Kansas or wherever you’re from, remember when you move to Norman, you’re going to have to get used to the Oklahoma way. Sweet tea, saying Yes Ma’am, No sir, sheer hospitality are some of the things you will have to get used to. The Oklahoman way also means looking out for one another. Welcome to Oklahoma y’all!

7

8. Ditch the Car        

Kind of piggybacking off the “Don’t Drive on Lindsey” statement, you’ll slowly realize that you won’t need your car as much as you think in Norman. One piece of sage advice, get a bike! I recently just moved into a house near campus and it was probably one of the best decisions of my life. All I do is bike and walk everywhere and its great. Norman is such a compact town that you can bike and walk everywhere. You’ll realize that you won’t use your car as much.

8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Realize that Norman is the best college town on this planet.

Norman is a beautiful place to live and go to school. It’s a quirky town, filled with weird stores, restaurants and culture events. It is a big town, filled with all the amenities you’ll ever need. It has a small town feel, great mom and pops, friendly people and more. It is a college town and all the things that come with it being a college town. You’re going to be spending the next four (or five) years in this wonderful city and you’ll slowly appreciate this beautiful town. Some of my favorite memories and experiences have happened in this town and I don’t ever want to leave. NORMAN FOREVER.

9Bunty Patel

Senior

Energy Management/Supply Chain

Wilburton, OK

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

If you’re taking classes and  hanging around Norman during the summer with nothing to do, think again! OU Summer Session has a ton of events to keep you occupied when you’re not studying away during the day. Through the month of June, Summer Session is holding a volleyball tournament on campus and the first round was nothing less than an evening of friendly competition and lots of sand. Several groups on campus formed teams and rolled out to show everyone who the best volley-star in Norman was.

Though there weren’t actually any titles given out at the first round of play, the competition was fierce and it turns out several members of the OU family have hidden skills on the sand that they put to good use during their intense rounds of play. The only thing missing was ESPN commentators and hand made signs to cheer on their favorite teams. Check out summer.ou.edu to see the list of events that Summer Session will be putting on throughout the summer, and while you’re at it get a group of friends or coworkers together and sign up- you might even score an awesome tank!

Tyler Block

Shawnee, OK

Junior, Human Relations

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

← Previous PageNext Page →

Skip to toolbar