Tag Archives: Diana Cates

Construction Zone

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By Diana Cates

A certain peace filled my heart as I made the 75 mile trek back toward Fort Worth for Fall Break. It was my drill weekend for the Marine Corps. Unlike most Baylor students packing up their cars to go on mini vacations or settling in for a weekend catching up on Netflix, I was readying my uniforms to report in for three days of training. It was exciting to get off campus and get back to my military roots. During my seven years in the military, I gained a family only comparable to my flesh and blood. The bonds and ties that I formed with my brothers and sisters in arms is something I still cannot explain to civilians, but it is unbreakable. And the truth is that ever since getting off active duty, my heart has been aching to be with them again. We all crave that comforting sense of familiarity, but I think it is when we are out of those zones is when we truly discover who we are and what are our passions. Being at Baylor has opened my eyes to career goals I haven’t had since I was a teenager, and I have to say that is from the untarnished, thriving optimism and faith that radiates from the campus.

My relationship with Christ has grown so much stronger, and with every passing day, my path gets more aligned with him. Consequentially, my relationships with others are more genuine and healthy. Through fellowship with God, I have begun to open my heart in love and acceptance, and this has transformed my life to an abundantly rich one. During this weekend, I witnessed just how different I was from fellow Marines . . . a difference that wasn’t present two months ago. It was amazing how my leadership capabilities and skills had already evolved. So much of my life has changed, not because of Baylor but because of the core morals and values associated with it. Christ is glorified here on campus, and whether you are a believer or not . . . you too will have a sign on you that says “Construction Zone.”

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Sir Gawain in the Sun

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By Diana Cates

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First round of tests are done and over with, and I am so happy! First hurdle jumped, phew! After two months of classes, we have Fall Break this week. My restful weekend will be spent in Fort Worth, doing a field exercise with my unit. I’m excited to see some old friends and step away from the Baylor scene for a while.

I mentioned last time that the temperatures were starting to drop. The change isn’t complete yet, and there’s still a semblance of summer left behind. It’s that beautiful balance between two seasons, and if you know Texas, it’s best to take advantage of it before bipolar Mother Nature snarls her ugly head again.

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So, my British Literature class petitioned our professor to consider having class outside, and he agreed! It was a Friday afternoon, and all was unusually still on campus from my viewpoint in Burleson Quadrangle. It was also serenely quiet, until on cue at 1:30, the Baylor Bells began to ring. It was as if they were giving us permission to start our discussion. Sitting beneath the shaded oak, I was enamored and lost in my surroundings. This was the kind of stuff I had only ever seen in college advertisements, but here I was experiencing it. The fresh soil was cool beneath my feet, and the dying summer breeze tickled my tingling senses. I struggled to pay attention to the story of King Arthur and his knights. I wanted to soak in every second, and my imagination began to conjure up visions of a past Baylor.

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I am now a part of the time honored traditions and am a strand of that historical DNA that is Baylor. I’m so honored to be where I am, and I know that God’s plan (while unpredictable) for Baylor University will take it to levels it has never been before. It’s exciting to know I am now a part of that legacy.

Speaking of legacy, tomorrow’s game is against WVU! SIC ‘EM BEARS!!!!

Tests, Tastes, Temperatures . . . Oh My!

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By Diana Cates 

TESTS. It’s that point in the semester where just about every professor decides to give his or her first exam. So as you can imagine, this produces a domino effect that requires many days and nights of studying. For some unknown reason, I thought taking 18 credit hours for my first semester was a brilliant idea! Consequences I’m seeing a month into this semester are:

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My view from my favorite study spot at Moody!

1) Moody Library has truly become home sweet home, and I’ve actually started bringing a blanket to stay comfy during those late night hours. There’s also another place in downtown Waco called Dichotomy Coffee! It’s a really cool, low key café with some of the best espresso I have ever tasted . . . well at least since I lived in Italy.

2) When I went to Late Night, I signed up for about oh. . . I would say probably 20 clubs (I get really EXCITED. I can’t help myself! Plus, did I mention, there are more than 290 clubs to choose from! No easy choice). But as of now, I am only officially involved in the Russian Club, a Hall Leadership Team and the Spiritual Committee for U-Parks Community Apartments (It’s awesome living on campus, but I’ll talk more about that at a later time!), an International Studies Honor Society and my work-study job on campus. Add to that my still present military reserve duties and the hours in the day quickly dissipate. This whole paragraph is to say . . . social life = *crickets chirping*.

3) Taking so many hours has unlocked for me the mysteries of my Pandora’s Box! All of my bad habits and negative attributes have reared their ugly heads to stare me down . . . you know what they are: procrastination, horrible eating habits, laziness, distractions (TV, friends, unique campus activities that are really hard to turn down, but you know should because you need to study for that philosophy exam you have next week) and lack of spiritual care. These are just a few of the things I have been confronted with, and with my workload, I have no time to diwdle dawdle (as my Okie dad would say). It is forcing me to face these bad habits for all of their ugliness and take steps to counteract those weaknesses.

Before I began this semester, I set a goal to finish the year with a 4.0 GPA. So far, I’m well on my way . . .

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Tina, me and JC eating Beef Cabbage W/Rice

TASTES. My two roommates, Tina and JC, are foreign exchange students from China! They are extremely sweet girls and eager to learn about American culture, and I am super inquisitive to learn how they do things differently in their college town of Chengdu. They have cooked delicious authentic Chinese meals for me, and I got to cook up some authentic Mexican food for them. I’m blessed to know them and have the opportunity to learn about their amazing culture.

Mooncakes from the Autumn Moon Festival! Look them up if you haven’t tried them!

Mooncakes from the Autumn Moon Festival! Look them up if you haven’t tried them!

Baylor is hosting an Autumn Moon Festival on October 3, which is a huge, thousand-year-old celebration in China to reflect upon the bounty of the summer harvest. We also attended Loteria last night to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month! Events like these make Baylor such a unique place to be!

TEMPERATURES.  Now let’s talk about the recent GLORIOUS weather change. During the school day, I usually have to walk all the way across campus (literally about a mile) wearing my backpack. If you’ve never experienced the Texas sun, it can be brutal! I typically work up a good sweat that becomes embarrassingly evident when I take off my bag, and there is a huge sweat stain on my back. Now, those days are gone! I love this time of year with the changing leaves. I enjoy also pumpkin spice lattes . . . really anything pumpkin flavored.

Speaking of beautiful weather, I have to make a dash for my British Literature class, which we’re holding outside on Fountain Mall today. I’ll post pictures next time!

God Bless and SIC ‘EM BEARS! (UNDEFEATED!!)

Diana

From Woodland Greens to Gold and Green

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By Diana Cates

The past three weeks have been a complete whirlwind for me . . . I mean, I literally feel like Taz has gotten a hold of me in his little tornado (fond reference for those Looney Tunes fans). This isn’t to be misunderstood; I have loved every exhilarating moment of this journey! This tornado-like feeling was expected, and I knew drastic change was coming, but it still caught me by surprise.

IMG_1455I’m not the traditional Baylor student, in the sense that for the past seven years I have worked and traveled around the world with the Marine Corps. This makes me a bit older than the average student, which has been one of the dizzying contributors of my whirlwind experience. It has taken considerable adjustment for me to go from that work environment to the vibrant, youthful university campus that I have come to love so much already. Fortunately, an open heart and mind have made this transition easier.

Over the summer, I spent a month in the hills of Fort Sill, Oklahoma, completing what would be one of my last field exercises with my unit. It was rough living on meal rations (MREs – always go for the pasta ones!), but it was rewarding to see the cumulative results of my hard work. One week after returning home, I drove down to Waco to spend five days with hundreds of other new incoming students during Line Camp. What a contrast! I had no idea what to expect, but it proved to be THE perfect beginning to my Baylor experience, and I highly encourage it to every new incoming student.

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Call it a whim or perhaps sheer intuition, but last spring I found myself on the Baylor campus, not having previously considered attending. At the time, I didn’t realize that in doing so, I was already on a life-changing path. There is an endearing glow to the students here at Baylor, and it’s something that captured my heart when I visited in March. Though this quality is intangible, it is evident in so many different aspects. It is present in the smiles you encounter when you’re walking to class. It is experienced when you drop your books, and ten students stop to help you (which, incidentally, happened last Wednesday!). Most of all, it is seen in the faces of your professors and advisors who do everything in their power to see you succeed.

Understandably, the camaraderie of the Marine Corps can never be replaced, but I feel prepared to hang my woodland greens for now. It is with pride that I now bleed gold and green!

SIC ‘EM BEARS!

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