Spring Break Reflections: Catching up on NOLA, the first half of spring semester and "The Statewide Tour"

Well, hello everyone! It's been a while since I've posted on here and I figured, since I'm on spring break for one more day and since it will be time to head back to Clemson to get back rolling with the second half of the semester tomorrow, now would be a good time to update my blog.

NOLA: The last time we talked I was getting ready to head to New Orleans for the Clemson/Alabama game. I know the game didn't go according to plan, but the experience was amazing and it's a trip that I will never forget. On the day prior to the game, which was New Year's Eve, I ate at Gumbo Ya Ya and had a spectacular fish plate for lunch and then visited one of my dad's friend's restaurant in downtown NOLA and literally had the best ribeye steak of my life - it got to the point where I couldn't finish it all. Nonetheless, it was awesome and a great way to wrap up 2017.

I and my dad watched most of the New Year's Day bowl games in our hotel room: UCF vs. Auburn and Georgia vs. Oklahoma, which were both great games before we left to make the 45-minute trek to the Superdome for the Sugar Bowl. Props to my dad for paying for a parking spot before we even left so we wouldn't have to worry about it when we got there (traffic, as expected, was busy), we parked pretty close. It was CHILLY in the Big Easy so, everyone was bundled up but inside the Superdome, it was warm and comfortable. I got to my seat, which was awesome, I'll add. What awaited me was an orange and purple scarf provided by Taco Bell, who also provided me with my free ticket to the game and a souvenir bag full of goodies. I actually sat next to some people from my hometown and I think that really speaks volumes to how much of a small world it really is.

Clemson went on to lose to the Alabama Crimson Tide, 24-6 in a game that not a whole lot of people outside of Tiger Town expected the Tigers to be in after losing the stars from the 2016 National Championship team. The 2017 team changed the narrative of a rebuilding year and it will be exciting to see what the 2018 Clemson Tigers will be able to do when the season opens on Sept. 1, 2018, against Furman.

After the game, which ended up being the next day, because the game didn't start until around 8 p.m. central time, me and my dad returned to our hotel about 2 a.m. central time, got a few hours of sleep and woke up to return to the Palmetto State, which we did about 10:30 that night. I'm certainly glad I got to make the trip to support the greatest University in the country and as I said, it's an experience I won't forget.

The first half of the spring semester: Now, there's the matter of school. Last semester was an experience, that's for sure. To be more specific, it was a learning experience. I've definitely had to learn to change some things up to make myself feel more comfortable with what I'm doing in and outside the classroom and this semester, I've put more of a focus on using the academic resources that Clemson has to help me be successful and I can say that it has paid dividends as the spring semester is halfway over and my grades have improved.

I'm doing different things outside of the classroom in order to not "go through the motions" and do the same thing every single day. One of those things is treating myself to a nice meal on Tuesdays by going to the Chick-Fil-A on campus, something I did not do at all last semester. Now, there are still ways to go, but things are much better this semester than in the fall.

I have continued to write for the Tiger Newspaper and I'm really enjoying it. The week prior to spring break, I was elected by my peers to be promoted to a Senior Staff position as a new Senior Sports Writer for the paper. This promotion will allow me to essentially continue to do what I've been doing but I will have the capability to do interviews with players and cover athletic events for the paper as well. I'm excited about the new role that I will be able to jump into next fall when I return to Clemson.

I've actually finished an Adobe Spark file that contains all of the work that I've done so far for the paper. I'm using it to get myself out there for potential opportunities that may be available. Give it a read if you'd like: https://spark.adobe.com/page/GRDm2UqYygje1/

"The statewide tour:" Finally, let's talk about spring break. When I look back at this spring break, I will remember it as "the statewide tour." Why? Because I've literally been everywhere in the state of South Carolina over the last week.

On the Saturday that I left for spring break, I returned to Spartanburg Methodist College, the place I was at before I came to before I was at Clemson for the annual "Spring Fling" event that they had. It was wonderful to catch up with old friends and professors who played a big role as to why I'm where I'm at now. As I have said before and I will say again, SMC is a wonderful place with wonderful people that will always hold a special place in my heart.

I left Spartanburg on Saturday afternoon and headed home to relax and hang out with my family from that afternoon until Thursday morning when I decided on Wednesday evening to make the three-hour trek to Myrtle Beach to relax down there. It was a cold, but relaxing trip and I'm so glad I decided to make the trip. I had a wonderful time. I left the coast this morning around 7 a.m. to head back home for one more day of relaxation before I head back to Tiger Town in the morning.

If you live in South Carolina and you're reading this, there's a good chance I've been through your city over the last week. With over 500 miles traveled, it's been an awesome 2018 edition of spring break and I may have just found an idea for spring break in 2019!

Wrapping it up: I've covered a variety of things and I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much I have enjoyed writing it. Below are pics from NOLA, the first half of spring semester and the "statewide tour." I look forward to talking to y'all when the spring semester is over. I would ask for your prayers that I would finish the semester strong as well as for a potential internship opportunity that I have reached out to a local newspaper about that they will bring me on for the summer. I'll keep you posted.

If you want to keep up with me more often, I would encourage you to follow me on social media. My Twitter handle is @1BStockdale

Until next time, be the shining light.

Brandon

Hanging out in Myrtle Beach!

Went to my old school and saw one of my favorite professors, Dr. Keisler, who played a huge role in helping me get to Clemson.

Meet the Senior Staff for the Tiger in 2018! I'm excited to work with these group of guys next year. I'm in the black hoodie right beside our Sports Editor, Allison who will be graduating in May.