How is reality compared to the expectations?

fenwaysouth
Sun, 15 May 2011 08:47:18 +0000

This was one of my favorite posts, so I’m bumping it. Stemit did a great job of capturing what everyone was thinking back in the early Fall based on the responses. I’d like to hear how others are doing, and if their experiences are still very similiar.

My son’s freshmen year is winding down. We pick him up this week after his last exam. Overall, the reality has lived up to the expectations. However, I think my son did not think he would be studying as much as he is. He knew it would be a lot, but not this much.

He had a very good first semester academically, and adjusted well to the large dorm look and feel that many freshmen find themselves in. Next year, he will live off campus with 8 2014 baseball players from his class…a baseball house if you will. Second semester was more difficult as it included one class that he struggled with, and had to really put in the hours to keep up. His universe of friends is diverse, and that is a good thing. It never ceases to amaze me at how smart some of his friends are.

Baseball as a freshmen was a roller coaster. Looking back, it is as if the coaches had a definitive plan to him getting new experiences everytime he went on the mound. His first appearance was against #1 UVA when his team was behind a bunch of runs. He was noticeably nervous, but he will forever rememeber that. I call it his “oh ***** moment” where he realizes he is playing D1 college baseball. I’d never seen him nervous before. Once he got past that, he appeared in some Spring Break games and some home mid-week games where he pitched well. So, they moved him up to at home conference games. He performed well there, so they started him at some away Conference games. Everything was a progression of experience and risk for the team, but he continued to perform well. He shared starting pitchiing duties with 3 seniors, who helped him along the way. He was very fortunate as a freshmen, but he also earned his way through hard work and executing what the coaches taught him.

Again, I’d like to hear how it went for you son or daughter for the year. Did reality meet expectations?