Tag Archives: Patara Williams

To Future Torch Bearers

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By Patara Williams

To: Torch Bearers

RE: A Treasure

As I look forward to graduation, I glance in my rear view and see four wonderful years completed.

I have gleaned wisdom from wonderful friends, impeccable professors and loving citizens from this very community. Not to mention the fact that I did so at one of the most beautiful institutions on the Earth. These days will never be duplicated. My undergraduate time has come to a close.

Here is my plea to you:

Whatever you do, do not forsake any of it. Don’t miss the little things, like free meals on the Quad. Definitely don’t miss the big things like Homecoming. Most importantly, don’t miss the crucial things, like building life-long relationships.

Yes, academics are important, but at the end of the day…the most valuable thing that you’ll receive from this institution may not come from a diploma tube.

I’m different…totally different from who I was when I walked into the doors of Baylor University four years ago.

I can study. I have mastered my major. I can hold a conversation with a stranger. I can manage my time and money. My faith is stronger. I’m fearless. I’m devout. I know what I believe and why I believe it. I could keep going because the lessons are innumerable.

Simply said, I’m thankful for the opportunity I have had to embrace a legacy and leave one along the way. For those that come after me, please continue the legacy and carry the torch with much grace.

Thank you Baylor University.

Sic ‘Em Bears.

Patara Williams

Got Time?

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By Patara Williams

Your syllabus says, “Semester Long Project,” but of course, you were at the top of your class in high school and no assignment has ever taken you more than a few hours, even projects.

Do away with that thought.

Seriously.

College is the time to do away with procrastination, because if you still suffer from it, then it will inevitably sneak its way into your postgrad life. Don’t let it do that.

Like me, you’ll find yourself busy from sun up to sun down, only to have enough leisure time to watch Scandal once a week. Projects won’t become priorities until the deadlines approach. Deadlines are surreptitious and not to be tested (no pun intended).

Inevitably, you’ll start your project less than a week before it’s due, two days for some of you, and then the incessant questions will rush in.

Does Professor X mean like this or like that?

Do I use APA or MLA?

What the heck is APA?

How long should my literature review be?

Don’t let it get this far. Begin your semester long projects, portfolios, research papers, etc. with ample time so you can sit down with your professor during office hours and get an idea of what he or she is looking for. Do this, and:

  1. Your professor will be impressed
  2. You will have more insight than your counterparts
  3. Your project will be stellar
  4. And even if it’s not, you just got 100 cool points from Professor X for not procrastinating

Let’s just say you do indeed choose to wait.

The questions will go unanswered because you’ll feel too embarrassed to email or ask your teacher questions about a project that you have yet to start, less than 72 hours before it’s due.

Instead, glean wisdom my friends:

Procrastination is an A’s kryptonite.

Timeliness is the antidote.

Sic your semester projects!

1 cup, 2 cups, 3 cups…

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By Patara Williams

It was a tragic occurrence:

I was standing in a massive line to get the antidote when I began to see faces ahead of me become flustered with fear…”We’re all out!” Fear rushed through the crowd, voices were raised and eyes became glazed…“I’ll never make it!!” I heard one student say. I dropped my head and sulked away.

Espresso: the remedy to a late night and a long week; to put it more aptly, the cure to exams.

Three years ago, I could walk past Starbucks and not be tempted to get a fix. Today, it seems difficult to make it through a day without it. Lucky for me, Baylor has two Starbucks on the campus, and Common Grounds is only a short walk away…convenience!!!

So, you’re not a fan of coffee, eh? Welp! Say goodbye to those days!

On the other hand, you may never consume a drop of coffee while you’re in college, but then you’d be an outlier…a very rare occurrence. By the same token, you may become a café connoisseur and be able to recognize every single blend with a slight whiff.

Coffee helps me stay focused in the midst of studying and during in class lectures, but there are so many ways to stay alert during class and while studying:

  • Chew gum or mints
  • Nom on pretzels (a little loud and distracting) or gummies
  • Get adequate sleep
  • Participate by engaging with the professor/class (not talking to your neighbor)
  • Shift positions or stand for a bit
  • Keep a healthy exercise regimen

Find your thing, and do it early, because I guarantee you that you’ll have those dozing days! But, the best part of waking up…

Sic ‘Em Coffee!

Brace Yourself to Embrace!

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By Patara Williams

So you’re incessantly counting down the days until you become an official Baylor Bear, eh? Yeah, I was in the same boat some four or so years ago. However, in the midst of all the excitement, I realized that I’m only 47 days from graduation. What happened to the time?!!?!?

Four years later, I find that not only am I “book smart,” but I am also equipped for graduate school, jobs, professional life and all that jazz. Unfortunately, not everyone will be. But, I’ll give you the lowdown…don’t get so consumed in your college career that you forget to do the following:

Foster Community: Choose Something to Help You Get Plugged In

  • Church
  • Residence Halls (especially Living and Learning Centers)
  • Organizations
  • Intramurals
  • Band
  • Choir
  • Missions
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Mission Trip 2011 (Nashville Storm Restoration)..Sorry, it’s a super creepy pic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manage Your Time

  • Have a set of standards and rules for you
  • Establish how much time you should spend in your studies
  • Keep a planner, carry your a cell phone and manage your emails
  • Learn to say “No”
  • Get adequate sleep

Network

  • Never take a single encounter for granted
  • Attend the lecture seminars (at least every once in a while)
  • Take at least one selfie with the Baylor President
  • Go to your professors’ office hours
  • Get to know the people and professors around you (especially in your major)
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Recognize the lady in pink? Tamera Mowry from “Sister Sister!” You never know who may speak at Baylor on any given day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enjoy Traditions

  • Experience a Baylor Homecoming with all of the trimmings
  • Go to Sing or Pigskin
  • Join Student Foundation (winky face)
  • Go to football games and run the Baylor Line
  • Go to Christmas on 5th
  • Enjoy Diadeloso (Day of the Bear)
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Hanging with Hager! Sic ‘Em Baylor Football!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I had known half of these things when I came to Baylor, I would have maximized my opportunities to carry out these actions. The above is merely a glimpse into the life you’ll live. Your four years here will truly fly, so make the most of it. Maximize your ability to learn and live. Good luck!

Sic ‘Em Bears!

Opportunity Knocks

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By Patara Williams

My heart leapt.

I whispered, “Praise God!”

I got the interview.

Let’s backtrack a bit.

I am a Pre-Med Sociology major who is slightly hesitant to go to medical school. I just don’t think I am ready to commit to another four years of rigorous course study…yet. So, right now, I’m considering graduate school or going directly into the work force.

I graduate in December. So, I need to know my plans for the future by about….YESTERDAY.

But, that’s not how God operates. My plan never goes as I planned.

Have you ever told someone that you’re a Sociology major? If you have, you’ve heard at least one of these:

  • What the heck are ya’ gonna do with that?
  • Is that the same thing as Social Work?
  • Social Workers are the best!
  • You’re definitely going to graduate school.
  • Good luck with finding a job.
  • Yikes (followed by the person ambling away awkwardly).

In lieu of this, I decided to take up an offer I found in one of my Baylor emails [READ THOSE] and went to the HireABear Career Fair at the Waco Convention Center. Dressed in my best pencil skirt and blazer, I approached dozens of companies, handing out copies of my resume to every recruiter.

There were more than 150 different companies there, so the job opportunities were endless! I had never entertained the thought of working immediately after college…I honestly didn’t know I could.

I left the fair feeling very optimistic about my future and less worried about what I desired to do. I realized that as long as I enjoy doing whatever it is I’ll be doing…I’ll be absolutely fine!

Fast-forward six days: I was notified that I was chosen for one of the most coveted interviews for recent graduates. The rest…is history in the making.

In all things, be willing to explore your options and when opportunities knock, at the very least, peek through the peephole.

Wish me luck!

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HireABear Career Fair 2014

94 Days…Until Life Begins

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By Patara Williams

Where did the time go?!

On Friday, I will be attending my last After Dark (all university talent show) as an undergrad.

On Saturday, I will be taking the GRE (Graduate Records Exam), a glorified SAT-type test that is required in order to apply for Graduate School.

Next Wednesday, I will be attending a HIREABEAR job fair. Paying for one’s own rent is not fun, but it is a segue into grownup-hood.

In 94 days, I will be graduating from Baylor University!

Last week, I dreamed that I was staring into a mirror with my cap and gown on…anxious much Patara?

I’ve recently found myself overusing the phrase, “If I knew then (freshman year), what I know now…”

I was the epitome of stubborn as a freshman. I knew that I would never change my major, I knew that I would maintain with a 4.0 GPA, I knew that I would go to a Texas medical school and I definitely knew I would graduate in 8 semesters.

I knew wrong.

My four and a half (yes, I’m elderly) years as an undergrad have slapped me in the face on innumerable occasions. The personal timeline that I drew out for myself told me what I would do, when I would do it and how I would get to the point where I wanted to be. However, it didn’t control for the learning experiences that I would inadvertently encounter.

Along the way, I have learned what I do not: like, agree with, believe in and so on. The Patara that I knew freshman year is totally different from Patara that I know now.

She now knows that life will throw curveballs at you, really fast ones.

She now knows that her life may not work out the way she planned, but will eventually end up magnificent.

And she now knows the essence of a Baylor education.

So, she tells you to:

Embrace your time as a student. Challenge yourself with opposing viewpoints. Question what you believe, so that you can know why you believe it. Learn to listen to others; it means much more than just giving advice or empty feedback. Don’t be afraid to spend time getting to know who you are because you’ll be forced to reckon with the perceptions of the rest of the world. Enjoy your time here because pretty soon you’ll be saying, “If I knew then what I know now.”

Speechless

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By Patara Williams

I’m never speechless.

Never.

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But as I approached a white-washed pedestrian bridge overlooking a glorious river, I was. Until now, I had never seen the Brazos displayed with such grandeur. Glorious. Thousands of things crossed my mind:

Since when is the Brazos blue?

Is it blue?

Is my mind playing tricks on me?

Will this bridge fit 40,000 people at one time?

Of course not Patara, that’s preposterous.

WHOA. What’s that?!

As if it were rising from the dead, the McLane Stadium rose from the waters majestically, and then there was a flood…of tears.

I began to recall all of my experiences at Floyd Casey Stadium…my Baylor years flashed before my eyes.

More than 45,000 people gathered last Sunday to witness the Bears take down the SMU Ponies, and boy did they do it!

With each sack, with each run, with each interception, my heart raced, and my blood pressure soared…and I loved it. I was making history. There are 300 million people in America, and I can say I was one of 45,000 to experience Baylor’s first game in McLane Stadium. Why does that excite me so much?

Maybe, it’s because the Bears haven’t been ranked so highly in pre-season since 1957!

Maybe, it’s because I can recall when the stands were far from full, and the people in the stands before this Golden Era were equaled to the current number of Baylor freshmen.

Maybe, it’s because I feel so delighted and so spoiled by God to be able to experience Baylor at a time when it’s unparalleled.

But maybe, it’s just because I love football.

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The Count Down

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By Patara Williams

Classes are over!!! Whoo-hooo! Just one more semester of undergraduate courses, and then I’m off to the real world!

We have now entered “dead days”– days designated for students to prepare for finals

So, as I sit here trying to calculate the outcomes of each of my courses, I try to avoid any feelings of angst. Yes, no more class = joy! But the fact that dead days are in effect = scary…finals begin in a mere 5 days. So, I have two options:

  1. Freak out now and become consumed by my fear of inevitable tests…BAD
  2. Prepare now and utilize every moment for test exam preparation (no cramming)…GOOD

Being prepared for finals is not so much about studying as it is being organized. But studying is important! I find that my finals go better when I am on top of my schedule.

So, because finals begin in T-5 days, today is a great day to get organized. Here are my To-Dos:

  • Remind myself of the days and times of every final
  • Do any of my finals conflict?
  • If so, do my professors already know? (give them an early heads up)
  • Set a bed time and a breakfast time for finals week
  • Allocate rewards
  • If I complete X #hours of studying, I can: 1) see a movie, 2) Have dinner with a friend, 3) Take a Nap, 4) etc.
  • Start a summer countdown on my phone
  • Set aside times for meditation, prayer, worship and/or Bible reading
  • PRAYER DOES WORK
  • Figure out where I are going to study
  • Have a back up spot

Things not to do:

  • Fear
  • Become overwhelmed
  • Squander time
  • Go to sleep late
  • Skip breakfast

Obviously the week of finals is a bittersweet time since it means we soon must depart from our sweet Baylor and head home away from all of our Baylor buds. But, it is also a time of rejoicing because we are reassured that the light is always shining at the end of the tunnel, though sometimes we might forget in the midst of the storm. We must hold on!

Philippians 3:14

Sic ‘Em.

Finding Home Away from Home

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By Patara Williams

Every once in a while, I need some soul food, aka momma’s cooking. Every once in a while, I need to jab my brother in the stomach – sibling love. Every once in a while, I need to escape the worries of assignments, papers and tests.

As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes…I just need home.

I thought I had it made…my family lived 90 miles away. Not too far. Not too close. Just right.

In my earlier years, when I needed a taste of the home-life, it only took an hour and a half to get there. But for some of my friends, their issue of family and spatial proximity was not as fortunate. Three-day long breaks aren’t enough time to go home to Colorado let alone Nigeria or China to see mom, dad and siblings.

That forced them to figure out ways to fill the distance and feel the love, like:

  • Skype, FaceTime, Oovo, etc.
  • Call with that good ol’ fashioned telephone
  • Spend time with friends and their families during school breaks
  • Snapchat
  • Write letters….
    • Who does that anymore? Email…

My little brother (who I call Little Brother) caught me taking a selfie while on FaceTime…awkward.

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Or you can have your parents do what my mom did last Thursday….

Move to Waco O_o

Now don’t get your panties in a bunch. Living a few miles from mom isn’t that bad. Now that my mom and little brother are right here in home sweet Waco, I can look forward to good cooking, sibling rivalry and five mile drives to get away from the worries of college life. So, when finals week rolls around and I can’t find a study portal in the library, off to Mom’s.

Finding a home away from home won’t be a difficult task. The challenge will be allocating time toward family and friends and maintaining contact despite a hectic and exciting life away from home!

Embrace your years as a college student, but don’t neglect your family and old friends. It’s far too easy to become overwhelmed and consumed with the college life. Cherish family. Cherish friends. Cherish home.

I hope that Baylor will be your home away from home.

Sic ‘Em

Stompfest = EPIC

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By Patara Williams

“AYYYYYYY. 1-9-6-9!”

Choreography.

Contagions.

Jumping.

Yelling.

Stepping.

Stompfest.

Each year, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. hosts a phenomenal showcase of Baylor students competitively stepping. This annual event contributes to not only Zeta Phi Beta’s philanthropy, sickle cell anemia, but to that of the winners’ organization as well, in my case…STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS.

…interested?

Preparation

It’s pretty intense. Within my particular organization, the majority of us have ZERO experience with stepping. Ergo, we are paired up with the best of the best steppers as coaches, who are members of a sorority or fraternity within the Divine Nine (these guys really know how to step).

Yep. So we spend hours on top of hours each day learning not only how to step but also how to:

  • Maintain rhythm
  • Recognize cues
  • Perform with confidence
  • Be aware of our bodies

Alone, none of these tasks seem too monumental, but whooooa! When they are amalgamated…it becomes much more difficult.

Performing

Waco Hall, the place where you’ll more than likely experience chapel, Sing, Freshman Mass Meeting and so much more, is the setting of this event. This venue holds more than 2000 people, so any timidity cannot be tolerated. Once the lights hit the stage, all fear must be stifled. All muscles must have memory. All precision must be insurmountable. Excellence is key. Stepping is about confidence.

The Show

Each year there’s a theme; this year, it’s JukeBox, and our genre is Motown. So, in addition to stepping, students are required to concoct a plot/storyline that parallels the theme. Students pour their hearts and souls into their performances and pray that they yield success.

This is my second performance, and I must say that performing has not only increased my confidence but also given me a stronger sense of accomplishment and persistence.

I hope that you have an opportunity to experience the greatness that is Stompfest, whether watching or stepping.

Sic ‘Em Steppers!

2013-2014 StuFu Steppers | Theme: Michael Jackson | Song: Bad

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