Amazing Day With Autumn Rae

This was such a beautiful moment that I got to share with my amazing tribe. Being at TCU since fall 2021, I have not ever experienced our football culture. Oh, what fun it was! We had front-row seats, and the fact that the stadium had no roof allowed us to experience nature, football, and so much laughter. I did not know what I was missing until I experienced the first and last game of my undergrad. The energy was epic, the connection was one of a kind, and the laughter was contagious. The fact that we took the win home this day was incredible, and this is the game: TCU vs. Baylor. I have to say that this was the best way to close my undergrad fall semester. Before the game, our organization, Nontraditional Frogs, hosted a watch party for our students, faculty, staff, and community in the Intercultural Center, and this was an incredible highlight for our team, hearing so much laughter.  I was not able to park on campus, so I parked far away, which was ideal, so I could walk on camp...

  There has been a lot of reflection over the past few weeks as I am winding down and about to finish my last fall semester as an undergrad. I never knew I could attend school here, so the fact that this chapter is going to close has some mixed feelings. There is something beautiful that takes place in the fall, and that is the color changes that occur, and with my heart of reflection, I have been able to notice these past few weeks. It is only because of my ability to slow down and connect mindfully to my surroundings.                                                                                           The long walks that I have been able to engage in have been rewarding mentally and have allowed the beauty o...

Words cannot express how much I needed this time at the Nature Center this semester. I had started the semester with grief and experienced loss during the semester, so these five weeks of working with my classmates and having time alone allowed me to work through some stuff. The 2 hours that I was disconnected from electronics and connected to nature and volunteering were exactly what I needed. Each Tuesday we met, I felt like I was getting closer to nature and creating memories with my classmates. We became closer through service and connecting to nature, which allowed us to have stronger relationships by stepping outside of the Nature Center. We all laughed so much, and we were able to overcome the outside factors that we experienced because of the teamwork that was developed.                                                    ...

One of the biggest blessings I have had being at TCU is the amazing transfer family. As a transfer student, this semester I have had the amazing role of being a transfer guide, which has been a big support in planning transfer events and providing support.                                         I also had the amazing opportunity to be Frogs First Director for incoming students, and we had an amazing transfer group that was a part of the program. Our leader for the group was sick the day of the event, so I was asked to lead the group. I was nervous at first, but God knew I needed to be there. I was able to provide so many resources and support to help the incoming transfer students begin their journey at TCU. As a result, I was able to help create a sense of belonging for all. During National Transfer Student Week, I was in charge of planning our events, and at firs...

Halloween is our little family's favorite holiday, so when I was presented with the idea to attend Pumpkin Nights, I knew I had to do whatever it took to get my daughters and me to the Pumpkin Farm for hours of outdoor fun. Oh, and words cannot explain the gratitude for this event and the family connection it brought. From the moment we parked and walked up the long, dirt trail to enter the event, we just knew it was going to be a night to remember.   We arrived at 6 PM and did not leave until 9 PM! It has been years since we have been able to take time like this to enjoy our favorite season together as a family and out the world on pause to absorb the beauty that comes from pumpkin patches.    Not only were we together for this entire time outdoors, we were also off of our phones, and we were able to soak up all of the laughter, wind on our faces, dirt on our shoes, and hugs for pictures at several different photo prop areas. Capturing photos and making sure that we...

TCU Day of Service 2023, one of the biggest days of the fall. Oh, what an amazing day this was for me and several leaders on campus. There was something about arriving on campus at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning to prepare to welcome several TCU volunteers as they sacrificed their time to serve our community.                                                The chilly feeling in the air hugged me as I stepped on the wet grass for the first time that morning. There was a refreshing feeling that overcame me as I joined my team in creating one of the best welcome ceremonies, creating an exciting environment to start our morning. There was something amazing that took place in nature in the TCU Commons for 2.5 hours as we heard the laughter and chatter of the students and staff who gathered to represent TCU while feeling the breeze brush against us.         ...