MUST DO's (before I die:)

I don't have a 'bucket list' directly for my years at Iowa State, but more for my goals and aspirations for my entire life. I hope and pray that every single one of my experiences at Iowa State University will continue to provide me with a fulfilling, successful life. I perceive college, not "class by class" or "going to get a degree", but "experience by opportunity to advance and propel myself farther in life". I don't see my time here as, "spent at school", but instead I see this as "my life", because that is what it truly is. So without further ado, Steven Brockshus's Must Do's Before I Die (a.k.a. bucket list):

+Solve the Rubik's Cube

+Travel to a foreign country(besides Canada)

+Be in a movie

+Own a business

+Do something astronomical for someone else without them knowing it was me

+Travel to outer space

+Save a life

+Go sky diving

+Go bungee jumping

+Go rock climbing

+Climb Mount Everest

+Shake the President's hand

+Get married

+Have children

+Run a marathon

+Play guitar and sing a song at the same time

+Dance in the rain

+Ride an elephant

+Own a pet turtle

+Drive a Lamborghini

+Travel to all 50 states

+Catch a squirrel

+Go deep sea diving

This is an ever-growing list. This is a list of concrete achievables, and I can not even begin to think of all the unmeasurable aspirations I have for my life.

Overall I want to impact others and make a difference. One crazy idea I'll share with you (while you're reading) is to spur an 'energy revolution'. With oil a great resource, but no longer sustainable, we must find an alternative to it, or a new source entirely. We, as a human population, must change our way of thinking, step out of the past and grow up. Every single person must stop complaining and keeping their thoughts to themselves. We must stand up and take initiative to save this Earth that God has given us.

With my life, I want to and will strive to impact others and make a difference.

An Experience at my BEST

A time that I was at my best... I would have to say I was at my best was during the fall season at Sibley-Ocheydan High School last year.

During the fall season I am a very busy person. Not only do I have football practice and musical rehearsals, I am also preparing daily for marching band competitions, learning show choir choreography and drilling my scales and songs for all-state band tryouts. I have my day scheduled out precisely so that I can maximize the use of my time.

I got to school in time to get a good workout in before marching band practice at 7:00. School started at 8:15 and we went back outside for marching band at that time too. Then I had my regular classes until 3:15. Throughout the day I always practiced all-state music during my lunch hour. After classes got out, I hit the locker room for football. Practice usually went until 6:00-6:30. This gave me time to get cleaned up, get some food in my body and practice my lines a little bit before heading to musical practice.

When 7:30 came around, we were all set up on stage and ready for our rehearsal. On times that I wasn't on stage, I just chilled with my peers or went over my lines. After practice got out at 9:30 I went through my all-state music one last time before calling it a day.

While reading this, you may think,

"How can you not go crazy?"

I often thought about this, but I loved being busy and always having something productive to do. I never got burnt out, because I had all of my time prioritized and while at each activity, I had the mindset that this is what I was doing. I wasn't thinking about band when at football or vise versa.

Of course this time was hectic, but hey- it was FUN. Fun is what it is all about! Applying everything I physically and mentally have to a team or cause, to pursue a goal, is the greatest feeling in the world.

At the end of all of this, I felt accomplished and excited about what I had done. Not only did I have success as an individual or as a team, I had great life experiences that I will never forget. I created many memories with those around me that I will cherish forever. I did something with my high school career. I didn't just sit and be a bump on a log. I did something with my life in those four years.

All of those high school experiences can and will carry over into my everyday life. My college life. My career life. Time management, work, and social aspects from all my experiences fall into their place. You must be able to organize and structure your life in some way. Whether that be down in pen on paper in a planner, written on a calendar, or on sticky notes piled up in your locker. You have 24 hours in a day and you always use them, whether you know it or not. For me, I had to maximize the use of every single minute of my day. This was fun because I enjoyed what I was doing and concentrated my entire focus on what I was doing at that exact moment. I hope to continue into college with that same mindset and hopefully my actions inspire others to do the same. Put your best foot forward and GO FOR IT.