That first week of college is unlike any other in your entire life. Moving into your tiny dorm, meeting loads of new people, and figuring out who you want to be the next four years all hit at once. It’s a magical time full of youthful dreams and crazy decisions.
Thinking back to those days, I remember being enamored by a single Red Bull machine illuminating UAB’s dark campus green with it’s bright red and blue light. One single extension cord ran from the dorms, about 400 feet away, and lit up the machine which read “free” on every selection button. Instantly my 8 or so newfound friends and I raced over to it. Even though I really dislike Red Bull, I helped grab as many as I could carry. It was midnight and we were in college, so it seemed like the best possible desiccation at the time.
After three Red Bulls I decided I probably needed to stop. I did have class in 10 hours and sleep needed to happen eventually. Energized like never before I decided to hang out with my new friends and play with a Frisbee one of us had gotten for free earlier that week. The flimsy green disk didn’t fly far and none of us really knew how to play. We stood in a small circle tossing it back-and-forth from one person to the next. More than anything we were excited to just have new friends to talk to and experience college with.
Baby Katie & Alec 🙂
Off in the distance there was a party going on that none of us knew about. It was for the start of the new year with Campus Crusade, a ministry at UAB. It was all about free BBQ, drinks, and fun music welcoming in new freshman. As the party ended, the upper-classmen decided to play ultimate Frisbee on the green. Among those students was a super cute tall, tan, & incredibly lanky Sophomore named Alec. As they walked to the green he spotted our sorry attempt at Frisbee and noticed an opportunity to invite us. Later he told me he really stopped because of the “cute little blonde girl” (aka me).
So, they invited us over and we were absolutely destroyed in their game. None of us knew what we were doing so we aimed to distract the real players and try not to get hit by the Frisbee. The entire time I kept noticing how cute this Alec guy was. I knew I had to find a way to get to know him better. When he & his friend Brian approached me after the game I internally celebrated. They invited me to their next meeting and I instantly knew I would be there… & at every meeting after that…
