Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to the BUP Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson and joining me today as my co-host is Alexis Jackson. Hi, I'm Alexis Jackson and we have a table full of recent Highland Park grads joining us to talk about their summer and what they're looking forward to as far as going to college and all sorts of things that Alexis is going to ask them. Lots of questions.

Speaker 2: 0:27

So I have a few of my friends joining me and they're going to introduce themselves for you.

Speaker 3: 0:32

Hi, I'm Gracie Brainer.

Speaker 4: 0:33

I'm Will Mabus. I'm Cameron Jones.

Speaker 5: 0:36

And I'm Brooks Baker.

Speaker 1: 0:37

So I want to know what it's like like you guys came off quite the. I mean I want to say hi, because the last couple of months of high school it's like nonstop parties and like it was all about the seniors. And then summer happened and it was nothing and I can tell by my own child, alexis, over there, that it's just been awkward. She doesn't really know what to do with herself now. So how's your summer been going? Will we're going to start with you?

Speaker 6: 1:05

It's been going really good. I got a job and I'm kind of out there doing stuff with friends and spending the last few moments we have with each other. So we're kind of going out doing everything and taking time to the fullest, I guess.

Speaker 1: 1:16

What is your job Tell?

Speaker 6: 1:17

us what you're doing. I teach kids how to flyfish Like elementary school kids kind of all over the place. It's a lot of fun. You get a lot of experience and leadership and all that stuff kind of getting ready for college, I guess, and kind of later on in life and you get to know everyone, get to meet new people and then put kind of the word out and you get to get kids looking forward to school and all that stuff and tell them stories and all that good stuff about middle school and high school and rest elementary school for them.

Speaker 1: 1:45

Well, I think that's wonderful. My son loves to fish and I think it's great that you're out there teaching and like spending time with the kids, because sometimes the dads don't feel like going out there and fishing, so it's good that you're being a role model and doing that.

Speaker 6: 1:57

Yes, of course.

Speaker 1: 1:58

So, Cam Ren, what are you doing this summer?

Speaker 4: 2:02

Well, I got grounded for the first bit. So I have a job and I just kind of worked and went on trips with my family for the first bit of summer.

Speaker 1: 2:11

What is your job, bandidos?

Speaker 4: 2:13

Bandidos. I'm a server.

Speaker 1: 2:14

I have seen you there.

Speaker 4: 2:15

Yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 2:17

Lots of money. I have a very nice amount of money, but what do you feel like being a server has taught you.

Speaker 4: 2:26

I'm a pretty good conversationalist, sometimes in good environments, I guess.

Speaker 1: 2:32

Well, I never worked at a restaurant and I think it's a very hard business because people, especially in our neighborhood, can be a little bit demanding, wouldn't you say?

Speaker 4: 2:40

Yeah, but it's okay. I mean, people just kind of do their own thing, I just kind of let them be.

Speaker 1: 2:45

I think so. I think you're absolutely right. I actually think everybody should work at a restaurant or in retail just to learn how to serve other people and just learn how to deal with challenging people and to. I think that that's an important skill set. Gracie, tell me what you've been doing this summer.

Speaker 3: 3:03

Well, I went to Cabo with my family and then I've just been nannying a family, which is super fun and getting to spend time with those kids, and then obviously hanging out with all my friends and going to dinner and going to the pool and stuff like that, just enjoying each other's presence in the last couple weeks.

Speaker 1: 3:21

Bricks. What have you been doing this summer?

Speaker 5: 3:23

So mine's been a little different than everyone else's. I worked during the school year for a while. I was on the Clay Target team at the high school and I was a coach out there, so I'd go out and shoot with little kids from like seventh grade to kids like in our grade, and I did that because I knew my summer was going to be busy with traveling. And so far I've gone, haven't really been spending much time in Dallas. It kind of sucks because I can't see most of my friends before I go to college. But I've been going to Arkansas, where Will Cameron and I will be attending next year, and just getting to know people, going to events, getting a feel for like what it's going to be like next year, and then I've also just been out and about like going on random trips with my family to Florida and Texas, around here and doing lots of fun things.

Speaker 1: 4:12

So, yeah, Well, you said that you haven't been in Dallas much. Where are you doing the Clay shooting?

Speaker 5: 4:18

Oh, the Clay shooting was in Dallas during the school year so I'd shoot around here. It'd be like Elm Fork, which a lot of people go to, and then a private club in Waxahatchee called Ellis County, and we'd go shoot out there Tuesdays through Thursdays and then Saturdays and it was just a really good job, to have a lot of fun. It made me really appreciate like the little kids getting to hang out with them and having someone to go to if, like, they don't. It gave me an opportunity to like let them talk to someone if they didn't have anyone around, because I know it's scary to be you know little. So it was fun to get to know a lot of people.

Speaker 1: 4:53

Well, I have actually done some clay shooting at Elm Fort before, and it Took me like two hours to finally put a little chip in the the end of the Clay thingy.

Speaker 5: 5:04

It's a little hard, but it's very hard. It's nice to like teach the kids like good skills about like Falling through with what they're doing and not quitting so easily. And then, once I get the hang of it, it gets pretty. It gets pretty fun. It's kind of addictive when you get the hang of it. I have a friend.

Speaker 1: 5:19

That is literally. She started just a few years ago. She's now a world champion.

Speaker 5: 5:23

Yeah, I don't know she absolutely loves it. Some people around here are just so good at it and it's really cool to see like kids I've been on the team with since seventh grade grow up and get really good. So it's a lot of fun.

Speaker 2: 5:35

So I know another big part of all of our summer has been summer school, just trying to get up some credits for our classes, and I know will and Brooks have done some summer classes as well as I have, so will. What's been your experience?

Speaker 6: 5:50

My experience of doing some summer school is kind of like I didn't need it but I wanted to do it to get ahead. I also did a little bit of it with my tutor and doing that kind of gets like you get someone like one-on-one teaching you how to do it and Kind of getting like a little bit ahead and understanding it, more than being in a big lecture room in class of people.

Speaker 5: 6:08

I'd be complete opposite experience. Mine was miserable. It was so boring. The only good thing that came from it was that it's nice to not have to take so many credits next year. When we went to orientation they told us the suggested amount is 13 to 16 hours, but since our RV, I've already knocked out three through this summer school. They said I don't need that many, so it's kind of nice and it also eliminates some classes that I would have to potentially take next year, which is also nice, but it was super difficult to do on your own. I guess will had a little help.

Speaker 1: 6:44

I didn't have any help.

Speaker 5: 6:47

It was a little challenging and but it was a good little Preview at what next year is gonna be like, with all this work and staying focused to make sure you can get the grade to get the points, alexis how was your summer school.

Speaker 2: 7:00

You know I actually really like summer school. My classes have been super easy so far. They're just really tedious. I I Hate the days, but you know I can knock out two weeks work in a day, so it's really not that bad in my opinion, so I agree with everything that they're saying.

Speaker 1: 7:16

Back in the 1800s, when I was in college, I myself did summer school just to get ahead, so I could lighten my load during the course of the semester, and I found that to be very beneficial for me, because I was not so great at juggling a lot of demands and hours. So I think it's great that you guys have all participated in summer school.

Speaker 2: 7:36

So we kind of talked about this earlier on our own time, but we were just talking about what it's been like now in the summer since we haven't obviously had all these graduation Parties and just school dances to look forward to and what it's been like just not seeing as many people's were used to, and not In coming off of the hive, all the senior events, and I just wanted to see what all of y'all thought about that now that it's Basically the middle of summer.

Speaker 4: 7:57

Well, so for the first like, or for the last two months of school, it was like super fun doing a ton of stuff. Every weekend you had something to do and in class you barely had to try because you didn't have exams or anything. But then you graduated and you had like a super fun Party at the like the last day on your graduation night. But then, like the nap the the week after that, you kind of just like at least I did I just kind of sat there and didn't do anything, because you kind of just sit there and you don't know what to do because you you just kind of realized that you're going to college and you're leaving everything and it was. It was kind of hard for the first week. But then after I've kind of accepted it and my mom has like bought in all my stuff to move in and my brother has like Told me everything, that's gonna be fun. So I'm not really worried about it anymore. But I was in the beginning.

Speaker 6: 8:46

Yeah, I feel like the the last little bit of the school year we kind of like I mean everyone was going out pretty much every night. I mean we're all hanging out or else someone's house doing something, going to dinner, everything. And then you know like usually, like the summer's past, you kind of get to the end of summer but and then you're kind of tired and burn out a summer and ready to go back to school and I feel like you kind of get a head start this summer and Like you get like a literally like a month head start on your summer pretty much. So you're going out and all that stuff. So now I mean I'm kind of like you know we got a month left to summer.

Speaker 6: 9:15

I'm pretty much ready to I don't know, not ready to move away, but I'm like I want stuff to do. You know I don't want to. Like you know now there's not much really to go out, like you're going out once a week or something like that. So now I'm kind of ready to be like back in the classroom and Well, so how's everyone feeling about leaving home for the first time?

Speaker 1: 9:33

Obviously, when you're 18, you're like kind of like wanting to leave, you're kind of like wanting your freedom and whatnot. But, gracie, how are you feeling about actually leaving home?

Speaker 3: 9:43

I'm super excited to move to college and kind of have that freedom to kind of make my own decisions. But I also think it's gonna be hard like not leaving like my parents and stuff. But like more of like the comfort of like knowing what I'm doing, like knowing who my friends are and like knowing what I'm Gonna do the next couple weeks or whatever it is. But I think that it's more like an anxious, excited like kind of figuring out what I'm gonna do with all this freedom that I have now.

Speaker 1: 10:11

Brooks, how are you feeling? I'm interested to hear how a boy feels like about leaving home. Oh, I'm pumped, I'm so.

Speaker 5: 10:20

Yeah, it's been crazy like living my parents for like 19 years, going like every day with them, I guess, but uh, sometimes I get on my nerves. So it's gonna be a little exciting to do my own thing and see how I can live as like a normal human by myself and, I guess, cameron because, cameron, I'll be rooming in the other next year- oh, that's my next question.

Speaker 2: 10:38

Yeah, I was gonna ask y'all how you'll feel about having or living with your hometown friend.

Speaker 5: 10:44

It's gonna be fun but terrible at the same time. So many all these new people are gonna meet are gonna know so many things they shouldn't know from. Cameron.

Speaker 6: 10:53

Or vice versa tired of each other in a week?

Speaker 5: 10:54

Yeah, no, I think we'll be fine, we got. We got some good. We got some good cameras.

Speaker 4: 11:06

Yeah, I'm pumped to leave home. Like Brooks said, my parents get on my nerves and I'm just kind of nervous on how to like do laundry. I Don't know how to like do my laundry. I don't know how to make your bed. Yeah, I know how to make my room it's I mean.

Speaker 4: 11:30

No, but I'm also Super excited to live with Brooks, because we have two other roommates, so if Brooks does get on my nerves, I can just like live with them instead of him, and and we also have an upstairs so I can just like avoid them whenever I want.

Speaker 5: 11:44

It's kind of nice to having someone who came from the same place, though, because we kind of grew up doing the same things and we're gonna experience like different things together, so we kind of both know, like what our comforts are and what our like difficulties are. So it's gonna be a lot of fun and I think we're gonna benefit from each other's weaknesses, because Cameron, like you said, does not do his laundry. We have I've been doing my laundry my whole life. There's things Cameron's really good at that I'm not good at, so it's gonna be nice to like be on my own without my parents having to help me, but Getting to learn how other people besides your family can really help you and benefit you and shape you into a new person.

Speaker 1: 12:21

So is anyone looking forward to like meeting new people and maybe getting a different perspective of life Beyond the bubble?

Speaker 6: 12:29

Yes.

Speaker 5: 12:30

Yes, 100%.

Speaker 6: 12:32

I'm excited to meet new people and like experience what, like what you said, life is like and I want to like know, like other things, how they do stuff and like I had. You know, I had friends here at our house. We had an event this week, this past, I mean maybe a week ago and these guys were doing some other stuff and I was like wait, like you do it, like that, or you like I don't even know, like they were doing stuff completely different than I have done it, or like like saying things different and I'm like they called queso cheese sauce.

Speaker 5: 13:00

Through me off yeah because, uh, we had this. It was a rush event for a fraternity at the University of Arkansas and they came to stay with us and it was crazy seeing all these kids from like small town Arkansas coming to visit and never seeing like the big buildings, for example, or the the crazy traffic around here, and it was weird taking them out and letting them see the town a little bit and they were just Completely blown away about Dallas to something to us would just seem normal. To them it's like a different planet. So it's pretty cool to see that and it's gonna be cool like going to Arkansas and kind of Moving from the city life to more rural and Country life, I guess.

Speaker 5: 13:42

I know it's a little city still, but it's gonna be a change, but a lot of fun and Gracie, how do you feel?

Speaker 2: 13:47

because I know you're rooming with people you've never met before before.

Speaker 3: 13:50

Yeah Well, I moved to Highland Park in high school so it was like all brand new to me and it's so weird to see like Highland Park and how people act and like all the stuff, like all the clicks, all the front groups, all the stuff. So I'm like super excited to get away from all that and like meet all brand new people and like basically start all over, kind of.

Speaker 1: 14:18

So you guys were talking about Rush and fraternities, which I don't know a lot about because you know. All I know is about sororities. What can you share about the experience, because I know that there's a lot of recruiting going on before school even starts, whereas for sororities it happens right before school starts.

Speaker 6: 14:35

I don't want to talk about this I think, a big part about it is meeting people and going and expressing yourself and just being who you are Like. If you go and be someone else and they like are like accepting you for like someone else that you're trying to be, then you're not going to like it. Like, if you're out there being who you are and everyone else is like really good friends with you and all that stuff, then you're going to have the best sororities your life. You know like they're going to be the most fun people, everything like that. It's going to be a great time and like I mean we, some of these guys that I've met, I'm like all right, these guys are going to be like lifelong best friends, like they're going to be super cool, love all of them and all that stuff.

Speaker 6: 15:10

And then, but I mean, and just getting a head start is huge. Getting a big head start is massive. And going and like meeting friends before the school starts Like I've already met dozens of people throughout the, throughout all the events we've been to and all that stuff, and it's just like it's a good and I know like moving in, I know I've got a ton of people to go hang out with. I'm really looking forward to it and I know I'm not going to be sitting there in my dorm alone Like not knowing people, not having a hard time meeting people, because I've already met people.

Speaker 5: 15:36

It's really nice too, because a lot of people, when they think of going to college, you get all scared about making new friends and whatnot. But it's actually really easy because everyone who's going to college is in your shoes. They need to know new people. They don't know anyone, so they're all looking to make new friends. So, like what Will said, at these events you just click with people instantly that you never would ever think of meeting and it just is really cool to see like friendships being made now that, like what Will said again, could last for a lifetime, and it's a really cool thing to see. So a lot of people are stressed out about it, but to me it hasn't been.

Speaker 5: 16:11

You were stressed out about it. I was stressed out a little bit, but then once you go to your first few events, you understand, you're like wow, it's pretty fun, it's not scary at all, it's entertaining and it's really cool to see all the new people and then all them are in the same stressed out boat as you are. Yeah, so it really calms everyone down for the most part after that.

Speaker 2: 16:29

So I know we're all going to three different colleges and I just wanted to hear from everyone why they chose their certain college.

Speaker 5: 16:35

I chose the University of Arkansas because my brother goes there, my parents went there, I got tons of family up there so it kind of just worked out for me Seeing my brother go up there. It was cool seeing all the support he had up there. While he's still away from our parents and whatnot, you still have family around, which made it kind of easy for him to do simple things like laundry and get a nice meal and get rides, which most people wouldn't think of, but it's actually super helpful around there. So I decided it was a perfect fit for me. I've always grown up an Arkansas fan so I really wanted to just join that and I'm excited to see how my next four years will go there.

Speaker 4: 17:18

I didn't know what Arkansas was until I moved to Dallas. But then I met Will Mabus and all he could talk about was oh, I want to go to Arkansas, that's where I want to go. I want to go up there and ride bikes. So then he got me into biking and I kind of wanted to go to Arkansas. And then I started like looking into Arkansas when I got to high school and the more I looked into it, the more I actually wanted to go, because it actually seemed like a great environment and a great place. And then my brother chose to go to Arkansas as well and he's there. He's having a great time. Like Brooks said, tons of support. I mean, I don't think he knows how to do laundry yet, because all this stuff is like bright pink. Everything, all those white socks, they're bright pink. But I'm excited. I chose it because of Will and because of my brother.

Speaker 6: 18:09

Oh yeah, I chose Arkansas part of the time. Like part of it is because me and my dad used to race mountain bikes very competitively in. Bentonville is like one of the headquarters of that right now, and me and my dad, like years ago like five, you know, five years ago we'd go up there and ride around. And he was like dude, there's a college 25 minutes away, like you need to go here and like you'll be able to ride like in, like every single day of school. And I was like, oh my gosh, that sounds awesome.

Speaker 6: 18:33

And then, like years went on, kind of hadn't, hadn't been racing bikes competitively. And then I went up last year and visited a few, like a few friends and all this stuff and I was like all right, like this is where I want to be, like I fell in love with it. The the I mean the people there are amazing and all that stuff, and a few of my buddies are going there and I was like you know what? That's going to be? So much fun, like we're going to have a ball and Guess, that's pretty much it.

Speaker 3: 18:59

Well, college was a really hard decision for me because I fell in love with multiple schools. But I think the reason I chose Baylor was because of the academics, for sure, and then the community probably.

Speaker 5: 19:15

You think like it was fun and my mom and dad went to Baylor, so yeah, Alexis, why did you choose your option?

Speaker 2: 19:24

I chose to go down to Austin next year just because I have grown up going to Austin and, even though my mom went to OU, I just fell in love with the city of Austin and really liked all of the benefits that comes with living in Austin. Just there's a lot of great connections and there's so many businesses moving down to Austin. I just felt like I would have a lot of academic success and have a lot of other options to do after I graduate.

Speaker 1: 19:48

Well, even though I went to OU and I have a lot of people say, oh my god, what do you think of her going to UT, I'm totally on board with it, because I could not see you being a Norman. I couldn't see you at any other school, so I'm completely supportive of it. So there's been a common theme that several of you have brought up, and that is laundry. A lot of you don't know how to do laundry, even though you're 18 years old. What are you going to do about this laundry?

Speaker 6: 20:13

Pay me to do it. Put the whites and the whites and then put everything else in the washer and just get it started, put the detergent in there and then flip them in an hour.

Speaker 4: 20:25

My mom's teaching me how to do it soon, and my grandma tried to teach me when I was with her, but I didn't really listen.

Speaker 6: 20:32

Clearly.

Speaker 5: 20:34

It's hard, it's the easiest thing on the planet. You press like four buttons and then you're done and you just fold the camera.

Speaker 2: 20:41

Well, there's a good reason. You're living with each other next to you, do we?

Speaker 4: 20:43

have dishwashers in our dorm room no.

Speaker 1: 20:52

I like what Will said. He knows how to separate and that is like a key point of doing laundry. Alexis Jackson.

Speaker 2: 21:00

I have a different experience because where I'm living next year, there's actually an option for taking out your laundry. So if I wanted to, I could send it out through a service.

Speaker 1: 21:10

And then you also have a washer and dryer inside your apartment where you're living, so why not?

Speaker 2: 21:15

learn how to do it and embrace it. Yeah, that is true.

Speaker 6: 21:18

And you get to stay more organized when you do it?

Speaker 2: 21:20

That is very true. Does it cost money?

Speaker 4: 21:22

Does it serve us.

Speaker 2: 21:23

It does it. Just you want to come down. I also have a dishwasher, but think about how much time you would save if you sent out your laundry to do other stuff. That's what I was saying, and it comes, you just push the button and the machine does it for you. I know, but folding your laundry, especially as a girl, takes so much more time because all our stuff is like air dyes or like cold water, only there's so many special instructions for certain talks and whatnot.

Speaker 1: 21:48

So what kind of advice would you give to other parents Like I have a second child so I have a second opportunity to do college tours and whatnot, but what would you say is the best way for parents to help their kids decide on the new college?

Speaker 6: 22:02

I would strongly suggest going on tours with everyone and like doing go to a tour with all, like to all the colleges you want to go to, but then let your kids go up for a weekend and hang out with the kids, because they can't get an experience on how they like, how the college would be, without like being up there with the kids itself. Because colleges about academics is like obviously, but it's also about like your community and all that stuff and you really don't get to experience the community just on your basic tour with your family.

Speaker 1: 22:30

I would agree 100%. There was at least one college we took a Lexis to during a summer and there was no students there, so she didn't get a feel of the energy and the vibe and she definitely did not like it. And she may have liked it if we had experienced it when it was in full force.

Speaker 5: 22:47

That's another thing too is like the parents. I feel like as people get older, their interests mature a little bit and the last thing an 18 or 19 year old wants to do when they visit a potential school is go look at sculptures and landscaping and stuff and learn about and hear about boring lectures and history. All the kids want to do is kind of go out on their own, meet new people and go to parties. Go to parties yeah, do what kids would do by themselves. So, like what Will said, for me I think it would be a good idea. If you're really looking at a school is like send your kid down there, maybe with a few of his friends, and just see how they like it, doing the college scene as a teen in a way, anything to see it for themselves, how they could see themselves for the next four years.

Speaker 2: 23:37

Oh, I have different advice.

Speaker 5: 23:38

Whoa send your advice.

Speaker 2: 23:40

Oh, okay, mine is, I would say, not only do the tour but also visit as well, because I know on several of the tours I went to I learned about more of their academic part like a big thing. That stood up to me, for example, was TCU offered a lot of tutoring services for writing and math and that was just really important to me, just to have some sort of support. But when I went down to visit with my God's family I saw the school like in a different way. So just to make sure you not only know about the academics but also you get to experience the environment as well, I agree. So we're wrapping up our new episode and just thinking to our future selves because in say, in four years we're listening to this podcast. What do we hope that we look back on? What do we hope that all of our goals and dreams are for the future in college?

Speaker 6: 24:25

I hope for the next four years that I make plenty of great connections and meet people that can really like help me succeed in after college, because and then you know, I don't know. I want to be I want to be meeting people hopefully parents as well that get me a job signed or get me a job lined up and stuff like that an alumni that would help me further proceed in life.

Speaker 4: 24:50

I'm with Will. I also want to make a ton of friends, a ton of connections, but during college I want to, I hope, to study abroad at least one semester or during the summer. Brooks's brother went to Spain, right, spain, yeah, and he had a great time, I've heard. So I'm hoping to study abroad and then also just pass college, get like an internship somehow, and hopefully end out with a job.

Speaker 3: 25:17

Yeah, I would say the same thing as Cameron. I have an opportunity to study abroad in Europe in a couple summers, which I think will be so fun. And then also I'm just excited and looking forward to like meeting my best friends like obviously your high school friends like have such a special place but like your college friends, I think are probably going to be like your best lifelong friends. So and also like meeting other people that can help me further my career but also like better myself as like a person.

Speaker 5: 25:53

Yeah, what Will and Cameron both said make as many connections as possible, make some friendships and try to be successful with the people around you, especially like close friends, you know. Try something new after college, maybe start a business, but definitely make connections and get a good job. Try to move back to Holland Park. It'd be really cool to move back here and see how much it changes after these four years and, yeah, that'd be my goal.

Speaker 2: 26:23

And then, as for me, I just really hope that I make the most out of being down in Austin and all the opportunities that come with it and as well as meeting a bunch of people and just really learning more about myself during the whole process, and maybe we'll take lessons I've learned about myself and just life in general from college and start applying them to the real world.

Speaker 1: 26:43

Well, I'm super excited to see where you guys all go and what happens next, and I really hope you guys all learn how to do laundry besides Will and Brooks. So everyone, thank you so much for being here. You guys were so awesome. Good to talk to you. Alexis, do you have any parting thoughts?

Speaker 2: 26:59

I just really wanted to thank everyone for coming on out here today and, just you know, thanks for doing this for me.

Speaker 6: 27:06

I enjoyed it. Thank you for the invite.

Speaker 5: 27:08

Thank you, it's been a lot of fun. Thank you, alexis.

Speaker 3: 27:11

Thanks, Alexis and Mrs Jackson.

Speaker 5: 27:13

And Mrs Jackson as well.

Speaker 1: 27:14

Yes, that's been another episode of the Bubble Lounge. I'm Martha Jackson and I'm Alexis Jackson, and we'll catch you next time.