Catholicism
There is nothing I hold more sacred than my faith. I have been surrounded by Catholicism throughout my entire life. In fact, the University of Richmond is the first secular institution that I have ever attended. Although it is not significantly different, it feels abnormal to not be able to openly discuss my faith with people. I have found that many people simply aren’t willing to discuss this topic or they disagree heavily with my beliefs. I wear a cross pendant attached to a chain necklace as a constant reminder of my dedication to Catholicism. In my bedroom at home, I am surrounded by numerous Catholic icons including crosses, rosaries, and even a Pope Francis bobble-head on my nightstand. My faith has defined me in countless ways, and I consider its value priceless.
Cistercian Preparatory School
What would you think if I told you that I can name every single monk in this picture? My attendance at Cistercian Preparatory School has influenced my life in ways that I could never have expected. My “Form Master”, Fr. Ambrose (2nd Row, 4th from the Right), was tasked with mentoring my 41 classmates and I from when we started in 5th grade until we graduated in 2019. I would wholeheartedly consider him “a second father” to me, and he was there for us in the thick-and-thin. He guided us spiritually, taught us theology and latin, and even played sports with us during lunch period. Taking core classes and electives taught by Cistercian monks was definitely bizarre, but I would not have it any different way.
Texas
Recently, I have noticed there are a significant number of stereotypes made about Texans. These can range from ludicrous to condescending. For example, some people believe that we only wear overalls and cowboy boots down here in the south; while others believe that we are inherently less intellectual. This is disappointing because Texas is a very special place to me. With its historical background, Texans experience many different cultural experiences. As Texas shares a border with Mexico and was once home to vaqueros, Hispanic culture surrounds our daily life. Whether it’s attending Quinceañeras or celebrating Dia de los Muertos, Hispanic culture is an inherent part of Texas life. I have even decided to minor in Spanish as a result of this.
The United States of America
The United States is often described of as “The Land of Opportunity” or “The Melting Pot” because people of all backgrounds come here for a better life. We built this country on the idea of “freedom”. Freedom, however, means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To women, it could potentially mean freedom of oppression. To publicists and writers, it could potentially mean freedom to publish whatever they believe. To devotees, it could potentially mean freedom to believe in whatever they so wish. To me, it means freedom to do whatever I want with my life and to pursue whatever job interests me. I am thankful that America allows us with such liberties and I believe it is an inherent part of my identity.
Whataburger
You may be asking yourself “How can a fast-food restaurant possibly contribute to someone’s national identity?” Well, it is clear that you have never tasted a Whataburger hamburger or patty melt. Whataburger, however, is a part of my identity as a result of the countless memories I have made there with my teammates and friends. After every Friday night football game, my entire school flocks to the restaurant in order to celebrate our victory together. We would spend hours upon hours in those booths laughing and talking with each other. When they would lock the doors at 11 o’clock, we would open the tailgates of our trucks and continue celebrating. It was our school’s tradition, and it became a part of every student’s life. In fact, my entire grade went to the Whataburger before our graduation party commenced.
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
A majority of American kids grow up watching the NFL, NBA, and MLB. I fell in love with a different sport, however. I would attend F.C. Dallas games growing up, and I even got to be a ball boy when they played the New York Red Bulls. Recently, I have gotten into the English Premier League and the soccer club Brighton & Hove Albion in particular. Before COVID-19, I would spend my mornings watching EPL matches as well as the Champions League. When I first became a fan of European soccer, I didn’t want to choose a football club that was already dominating. After watching Brighton & Hove Albion play, I knew I had found the right team.
Cistercian Hawks Football
Joining the Cistercian Hawk football program has had a profound impact on my life. Although the coaching staff was hired to coach us into being a winning football team, they did not forget the importance of molding us into exceptional student athletes. They coached us in life as well as on the field. They stressed the importance of punctuality and respect. Coach Burk, my head coach, used to say “Be great at the things that take no talent.” You don’t need to have years of practice or talent to be respectful, to be punctual, and to give all of your effort. As a member of my team’s leadership council, it was my duty to instill our motto on the team. We lived our lives by the acronym “E.A.T.” meaning effort, excellence, attitude, aggressiveness, toughness, teamwork. The idea was that these will help you succeed both on and off the field.
Xbox
When I received my first Xbox in December 2015, it did not take very long for me to be hooked. When the school bus dropped me off, I would run to my house and get on my Xbox as soon as I could. I would spend my entire afternoon playing Fifa 15 and NBA 2K15 online in “Xbox Live Parties”. In school, there wasn’t any time to have fun with each other. Xbox allowed us to really bond and get to know each other outside of school. With COVID-19 sweeping the nation, my high school friends and I have found ourselves doing the exact same thing five years later. Even after all going to separate colleges, we are still as close as ever.
Alfred Hitchcock
“There is no terror in the bang, only the anticipation of it”
The role cinema plays in our society is very underappreciated. When we are growing up, we self-consciously emulate the characters we see on television and in movies. Topics such as this one were frequently discussed in one of my high school electives that focused on the film-maker Alfred Hitchcock. We would analyze his movies frame-by-frame, and try to understand the reason he used a certain camera angle or a specific lighting. By the end of the course, I had watched almost all of Hitchcock’s movies. This class has completely shifted the way I watch cinema, however. I used to only focus on the dialogue and the characters during movies, but now I look at the smaller details such as “macguffins” or certain camera angles. Out of all of Hitchcock’s movies, I enjoyed “I Confess” the most. Although it is one of his lesser known works, I found the plot to be one of the most entertaining that I have seen.
Theta Chi Fraternity
By joining a Greek-life organization, you are condemning yourself to a significant amount of scrutiny from the public. All throughout the United States there are people fighting for the removal of fraternities and sororities on college campuses. Unfortunately, these activists fail to acknowledge the positives of joining the Greek-life system. Joining Theta Chi Omicron this semester has had an extremely positive impact on my life. I have created friendships with fellow brothers that will last an eternity. Before I rushed Theta Chi, I was pretty intent on transferring schools. Once I joined, however, the gaping hole was suddenly filled by this community. Without the Greek-life system, specifically my fraternity, I may not have been coming back next year. Theta Chi has definitely impacted my life for the better.
Billy Joel
Quite possibly the greatest musician of our time, Billy Joel has had a profound impact on my life. I was enthralled by his music from the moment I first heard it. The reason I enjoy his music so much is the power behind his lyrics. He doesn’t always write what people want to hear but rather what people need to hear. Interestingly, his music extends from melancholic to cheerful and everywhere in between. Whatever mood I am currently in, there is always a Billy Joel song that will fit just right. Personally, my all-time favorite song by him is “Only the Good Die Young”. If you are familiar with this song, you know that it has pretty anti-Catholic remarks. How can I hold my religion so sacred and at the same time support a song that bashes it? Well, the message Billy is trying to share with his listeners is not simply that Catholicism is bad. Instead, he is stressing the importance of living our life to the fullest even if it means disobeying religious dogma once in a while.
My Family
My family has always supported my interests as well as pushing myself to discover my identity on my own. Although they aren’t passionate about most of the things on the list, they still encourage me to do whatever makes me happy. I am very thankful to have their support. My family has always motivated me to strive for excellence in everything to do, and they are always there for me if I don’t succeed. They have molded me into the man that I am today, and I will forever be grateful for them.