Katie's Blog

College Culture Sketch

In the whirlwind of college, where academic pressure is at an all time high, social activities, and part time jobs colliding, napping has become routine for students. Between the late nights doing homework and early morning classes, many students will turn to a nap for a quick energy recharge between lectures and practice. 

For older generations, napping has been seen as a weakness. Now there seems to be a collective shift as most students seem to find this in their daily routine. 

“Hit Man” Movie Review

The Netflix movie “Hit Man” delivers a blend of romance, comedy, and suspense. The film is centered around the main character Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) who goes through a personality transformation. Gary is a professor at a university and teaches psychology and philosophy, while also working undercover at the New Orleans Police Department. He started as working in a van doing technical things, but when an emergency arises, Gary is required to pose as a hit man. 

He becomes so successful that he becomes the unit’s full-time undercover hit man. He gathers information on the person so he can adjust his appearance accordingly to the “client.” Things appear to be going well for him and lead to making many arrests, until he meets a woman named Madison (Adria Arjona). 

Madison wants to have her husband killed because he is abusive and this is her only way out. Madison isn’t just any ordinary client though, and Gary ends up breaking character and talks her out of it, but it ends up getting messy quickly. 

The movie’s theme is centered around the idea of change and identity, and Glen Powell puts on an excellent performance demonstrating the switch between his personalities he has to play. He has numerous personas that he pulls off and goes to extreme lengths to do so. His ability to pull off playing a character who himself is playing multiple characters was awfully impressive. The romantic relationship is what made the movie so suspenseful and worth watching. The chemistry between him and Adria Arjona was pretty remarkable and allowed to add more depth into their relationship and the plot itself. 

This movie does a great job at drawing out Gary Johnson’s life and giving him quite the personality, but seems to have nothing big whatsoever on Madison. It just felt like for someone being kind of a big part of the story line we get no background or even much of a story on her at all. She just seemed to be thrown in there and I wished we got to know more about her. 

The Director Richard Linklater, does a fantastic job with capturing the film’s blend of humor and action. The movie was overall paced well, and allowed moments to capture both the comedic scenes and suspenseful ones, while creating scenes that enhance the story. 

Although a lot of this story has been fabricated for the sake of the movie, this is based on a true story. If you are interested in true crime but also love romance and comedy then this is definitely one to check out. 

Navigating the Unknown

For as long as I can remember, I have been eagerly anticipating the journey of growing up. I couldn’t wait to turn 13, that moment when I would finally enter my teenage years, thinking about new independence and experiences I will endure. Then there was 16—the age when I could secure my driver’s license, something that symbolizes adventure and freedom, allowing an open door to endless spontaneous nights. But the most significant milestone was turning 18, the transition into adulthood, when I could officially leave the  comforts of home behind and start the path to self-discovery and responsibility, and learning to navigate life on my own. 

As 18 started to creep up on me faster than I thought it would, a wave of overwhelming fear washed over me. Everything in my life was about to change when I went off to college, and the reality hit me like a ton of bricks. 

I feared leaving behind everything I had ever known: my home, my neighborhood, and the friends I had grown up with since kindergarten. The thought of starting over felt overwhelming—scary even. I was about to step into a new state, a new place, surrounded by people I didn’t know. 

When talking to professor Chris Simmons about his own experience on leaving home he said, “I was excited to go to school, but not really scared. I was more nervous on what to expect because college is a lot more dependent, unlike high school where you have people to depend on and keep track of you.” 

Later in the interview with professor Simmons, he thought back to a student he had years back that had brought up similar fears to him when it came to being away from her family. “She came here for golf and ended up not playing. She didn’t know anyone and was anxious and not enjoying her experience” he stated. He further elaborated on that and said, “not knowing anyone is a really scary thing and a hard adjustment, she ultimately ended up leaving because she couldn’t adjust.” 

I was stuck between excitement and dread. It was an unsettling mix of emotions. I imagined all the possibilities that lay ahead—new friendships, new experiences, and a chance to be whoever I want to be. This new chapter felt like a blank canvas, a thrilling thought where no one knew my past, and I could be whoever I wanted. But just under that excitement was a constant hum of anxiety: What if I can’t do it? What if I fail? What if I don’t find my place? My mind raced with a million scenarios, each more daunting than the last.

It provided me comfort to know that many students also shared the same nervousness as me. When asking student athlete Will Karpstein similar questions he responded with, “Of course I had those thoughts. But I really had no choice but to adjust. This was where my life was now, and every other freshman had the same thoughts I’m sure. Having that mentality is what I think provides me that security and that everything will work out.” 

When I arrived on campus, the reality of my fears really set in. The bustling hallways, the unfamiliar faces, and the daunting task of navigating it all felt overwhelming. I would find myself missing the comfort of my childhood room and sharing laughs on late nights with friends. 

In those first few weeks, I felt like a small fish in an ocean, scared and unsure. But as days turned into weeks, the unfamiliar began to feel a little more familiar. Around half way through the semester I started to feel more settled. Halloween weekend was the first time I was excited to go out. Everyone dressed up in costumes, and did hair and makeup together. It was the first big party that I had really attended and did not feel out of place. It was a gradual process, and over time I was able to find my rhythm. 

Months later, the campus transformed from a confusing maze into a place of endless possibilities. I was able to start zeroing in on what I liked and didn’t like. Exploring the different majors and minors I could do, and the classes I liked. I quickly began to realize I was most drawn to psychology and writing and from there on it felt like all the pieces started to fall together for me. 

 I began to feel at home, accepting the change rather than fighting it. Instead of fearing what lies ahead, I became excited about the future. I realized that this journey was not just about finding a new place but about discovering who I was becoming.

Personal Narrative Draft

(Add hook) For as long as I can remember, I was always so excited to grow up. I couldn’t wait to turn 13 so I could finally be a teenager, reveling in the idea of independence. Then there was 16—the age when I could drive, a symbol of that promised adventure. But the big one was turning 18, the moment I could officially step into adulthood, leaving the comforts of home behind.

As 18 started to creep up on me faster than I thought it would, a wave of overwhelming fear grazed over me. Everything in my life was about to change when I went off to college, and the reality hit me like a ton of bricks. I feared leaving behind everything I had ever known: my home, my neighborhood, and the friends I had grown up with since kindergarten. The thought of starting over felt overwhelming—scary even. I was about to step into a new state, a new place, surrounded by people I didn’t know.

At first, I was stuck between excitement and dread. It was an unsettling mix of emotions. I imagined all the possibilities that lay ahead—new friendships, new experiences, and a chance to be whoever I want to be. This new chapter felt like a blank canvas, a thrilling thought where no one knew my past, and I could be whoever I wanted. But just under that excitement was a constant hum of anxiety: What if I can’t do it? What if I fail? What if I don’t find my place? My mind raced with a million scenarios, each more daunting than the last.

When I arrived on campus, the reality of my fears set in. The bustling hallways, the unfamiliar faces, and the daunting task of navigating it all felt overwhelming. I would find myself missing the comfort of my childhood room and sharing laughs on late nights with friends. 

In those first few weeks, I felt like a small fish in an ocean, scared and unsure. But as days turned into weeks, the unfamiliar began to feel a little more familiar. I attended events and slowly started to build connections. It was a gradual process, and over time I was able to find my rhythm. 

Months later, the campus transformed from a confusing maze into a place of endless possibilities. I began to feel at home, accepting the change rather than fighting it. Instead of fearing what lies ahead, I became excited about the future. I realized that this journey was not just about finding a new place but about discovering who I was becoming.

Through the experience of having to start over at 18, it has allowed me to understand that being vulnerable doesn’t make you weak. Stepping out of my comfort zone has made me stronger as an individual. Starting over can be both challenging and rewarding. 

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