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| Downtown of my hometown (Godfrey/Alton, IL) |
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Introduction (BrandonBurklund)
Hi everyone, my name is Brandon Burklund and I am beginning my last semester as a senior here at the University of Oklahoma. My major is Mechanical Engineering, which I plan to utilize in the field either through design or more of a lab setting. I am originally from Godfrey, Illinois, which is a small suburb north of Saint Louis.
I first gained interest in the University of Oklahoma when I was a junior in high school, as I was roughly nine hours from the campus, when my older cousin initially came here as a Mechanical Engineer on scholarship. Despite having multiple, more northern schools on my radar such as the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin, I came down to Norman sometime in April my senior year to finally visit the campus. You would think the nine hour car ride through a less than scenic Missouri and Oklahoma alone would turn me off to the idea of coming here on top of going somewhere where I did not know anyone outside of a single family member, but it took all of about five minutes into my tour when walking on the South Oval that I knew I had found my home for the next four years. Coming onto campus that fall of my freshman year was daunting to say the least as I was on my own for the first time and quickly realized all of the things you take for granted when in your own home/hometown. Fast forward now to my senior year and it feels like its been the fastest seven semesters of my life, but each so full of countless memories that I wouldn't change for the world. Being in a complete different part of the United States has helped me grow into the person I am today and I wouldn't change it for the world. I even plan on moving to Texas as opposed to my recurring childhood desire to one day move up to Chicago. As I sit and think about how I have reached the beginning of the end of my time on campus I realize how lucky I was to go to such a great university and look forward to spending my last semester in this class as well as meeting the rest of you soon.
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Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to meet you! Like you, I'm also beginning my last semester of my senior year in mechanical engineering. I'm excited to finally start my career as a mechanical engineer and make a difference in the world by making the next generation of modern vehicles safer and more efficient! I wouldn't trade my college experience for anything in the world either, but I'm looking forward to the next chapter of my life!
Hey Brandon!
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you! I have a friend form the Chicago area and so I completely understand the drive, she too was in a similar situation, but she is a business major. That is so exciting that you are moving to the Texas! College has flown by, I still remember my first day on campus and walking into class thinking "where will I end up in four year?" Graduation is right around the corner! Best of luck on all your endeavors!
Hi Brandon! How does Oklahoma compare to your hometown in Illinois? Does Godfrey feel like it is part of a big metro area? I visited Saint Louis once when I was a kid but have very few memories of the trip, other than the Arch. So you're majoring in Mechanical Engineering and your cousin is/was majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Does this run in the family? For the record, I am always impressed by folks who major in stuff like Mechanical Engineering. You all are WAY smarter than me.
ReplyDeleteHey there Brandon! I am also a senior mechanical engineering student and plan to move to Texas once I graduate (I'm from Dallas). Being from Illinois you must be a Bulls fan which would mean you love the second best basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Maybe one day he could be as good as Lebron but I doubt it. Good luck Brandon!
ReplyDeleteI like this love-at-first-sight story about the South Oval, Brandon: how cool! I feel really connected to my old school that way (Berkeley); it's not as pretty as the OU campus, but it has some beautiful buildings, and every time I see a picture of Sather Gate in the news, I feel very sentimental!
ReplyDeleteAnd given a choice between Texas and Chicago, I think I would pick Texas too: sunshine, not snow, for me! Visiting Chicago is always so much fun (I love the Field Museum!), but I don't think I'd survive a real Chicago winter. There's a unit coming up later in the class with Tejas legends from the Caddo people of Texas, which is where Texas got its name. Given your plans, it sounds like you might need to read that unit for sure when it rolls around in the calendar! :-)
When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteI have a lot of engineering major friends who are struggling, so I am sure making it to senior year was not an easy task. Congrats on how far you have come, and I hope you have an easy last semester! I am actually from Texas, so I whole-heartedly support your decision! Texas has it all: academics, athletics, no state income tax, big cities, small towns, and nice warm winters instead of the brutal wind tunnel we have here!
Hey Brandon!
ReplyDeleteI can agree with you. It took my family and I all but five seconds to fall in love with campus. I knew for a long time that I wanted to come here, but it was solidified by our visit here.
It's awesome that you'll be graduating soon! I have one more semester after this one, and then I'll be out of here!
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteIt is always awesome to hear people's stories about OU and how they came to love it. I never had this instant realization as I was born and raised in Norman. OU has always just been part of my home, so when coming to college I didn't have that "aha moment". I am looking to leave my home for so many years this upcoming fall as I head to law school. Any advice on how to move to a different state not knowing how to get around or knowing anyone there? I am excited to branch out, as you said it really helps you grow, however, I am nervous as I have always had my friends and family beside me.
Best of luck in your last semester!
Hey Brandon!
ReplyDeleteNice to see you're doing well. Congrats on almost graduating! I know exactly how you feel, since I'm also planning on moving to Texas instead of going back home to Washington DC. There's something about this part of the country that has a lot of charm to it that's not really present in other places. Keep it up and good luck!
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being so close to graduation! I totally related to what you said about feeling home while walking on the South Oval. I still remember the first times I was on campus for football games--I grew up a Sooner fan because of my family and we came to games often--and I would see students and think to myself "That's going to be me one day." And now I'm a year from graduation! Life goes so quickly.
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being so close to graduation! I am also a senior, but I will be here for one more year while I obtain my masters in social work. I think it is awesome that you chose to go out of your comfort zone and come to OU when you could've stayed up north closer to your home, family, and friends. It is crazy how you think you have it all figured out but as life goes on you change your mind, like you deciding to move to Texas! I bet you never thought you'd do that when you were in high school! Anyways, good luck in your last semester!
Hey Brandon!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your upcoming graduation! I'm in my last semester as well so I can understand how excited you might feel. I'm glad that you decided to come to the University of Oklahoma. It must have been a really big decision and I know it's not easy moving so far away from home. I hope that you've felt at home for the past few years! have fun in Texas and congrats again!
Hey Brandon,
ReplyDeleteAs someone who also never really saw themselves as an OU student, I understand how it must have felt when you first came to Norman. I'm glad to hear that you've had such a great time here! Also, to answer the question you left me on my introduction, I play Ultimate and I main Terry and secondary Greninja/Palutena!
It was nice to meet you, and I wish you the best of luck in your last semester!
Hey Brandon!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like we have so many Mechanical Engineering majors in this class, how interesting!
I am from Norman, so I am so glad to know you have been enjoying your time here. I fell in love with campus as a little kid, and every day that I am here I find a new love on our great campus. I am so excited for you to continue your journey after graduation. Great to meet you!
-Mikayla
Hi Brandon,
ReplyDeleteI am an out-of-stater as well, and am originally from Kansas City, KS, which makes me familiar with those "less than scenic views" that you were talking about. Upon my first time visiting this campus, I, just like you, knew immediately that this would be home for me for the next four years. It's great to see some other people who are from different states and grew up with very different backgrounds while also figuring out, through their stories, how these different experiences lead them to OU.
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you picked OU! It is such a great school. I had a much different experience than you, as I grew up only 45 minutes from Norman and always planned on coming here. The South Oval is very pretty, especially when the mums bloom in the fall!
I assume if you are planning on moving to Texas you probably have a job. So congrats on that! Enjoy your last semester to the fullest!
Hi Brandon,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that you decided to go to OU as it is such a beautiful campus. I went on several college tours when trying to decide where I wanted to pursue my college career and not a single campus was as beautiful as OU. I grew up 15 minutes from campus and did not want to go to OU because it was so close to home. However, after one visit I knew that was my home because of the beauty of the campus.
Hi Brandon! I love how you described your experience coming to OU. As an international student, I did not get to visit any of the universities I applied to, so I don't know what my reaction would have been like had I been able to tour around OU. I a really happy that you found a home here and that you have grown so much in the past four years. I also can't imagine what it must feel like to spend your last semester pretty much from home and online; with everything going on I hope that you are at least having a nice time at home. In any case, hope your semester is fine so far and good luck with the rest of it!
ReplyDeleteHi Brandon,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad we are both close to graduation. I am glad you have found a home in norman and embody that. I also hope you are doing well with this quarantine. I also felt the same way coming to OU, as someone from a small town school there was no telling what I would get into here and it was everything I needed and more. Congrats on being at the finish line. See you on the other side.
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteFellow graduating senior, here! I hope all is going well with the end of your senior semester. I don't think anybody really pictured it ending this way and I know lots of seniors are devastated. I can't imagine geting a degree in Mechanical Engineering, much less shifting those courses to online courses!!! That's so wild and I hope you're still going strong. I also almost went to UIUC, but I was so glad I made the choice for OU.
Good luck with everything! Congrats on (almost) making it to graduation!
Hi Brandon!
ReplyDeleteHopefully this semester ends well for you. I salute my fellow graduate in achieving this wonderful accomplishment in unusual circumstances. I hope to see you and every senior back on campus in August for the in person commencement that we all earned and deserve. Best of luck on your future endeavors!