Locklearpalooza

The beginning of August brought us the event that we've been waiting for since February... Camp Locklear!! By the time 4DBF (Four Days Before camp... Fish Camp has its own language and set of abbreviations that I am still learning) rolled around, we were all quite excited! Although I was the only Locklear that actually went to Camp, I was so excited and thankful that the whole family was so supportive and even my 2%er husband said he wished we had an earlier session so we could have all gone together.

The Sunday before camp, I worked up the nerve to color my hair PURPLE! I've never dyed my hair before, so go big or go home, right?



Then Cade and I went to the last counselor meeting before Send Off.



It is amazing to look back on these counselors' faces now, and know that I am so much closer with them today than I was when I took this picture. They all wrote very nice letters to each other, and even made me a wonderful picture collage and a CD of songs that made them think of me. So sweet! This was a very bonding and heartfelt evening, and everything would have been all warm fuzzy happiness, except this thing got in my way:



No wet floor, no actual hazard besides the sign itself. And... less than 12 hours later, I was sitting in Central Texas Sports Medicine with an xray, a cracked radial head, and a splint. This was not exactly how I saw Fish Camp (and the end of summer, and the start of a new semester) going, but in hindsight, everything was just fine and I learned a lot in the process.

After a quick dose of Advil, I was ready to meet the counselors and freshmen at Send Off at Read Arena!



I stayed home the rest of that day to help get situated in my new arm arrangement and get my pain under control, and after the kids were happily transferred to Nana and Papa the next day, I headed off to Lakeview. It is such a different experience being there as a Namesake as opposed to a freshman. As I pulled in, I realized how similar the camp looked to when I rode in on a bus in August of 1997 (gah!), but how different I had become. Becoming a teacher and a mom gave me a confidence I never knew existed as 18 year old me, and I was suddenly very thankful for the life that Chance and I have created in Aggieland.



I wish I had a photo of everything that happened at Camp Locklear. Walking freshmen to the infirmary, dancing with everybody at mixers (yes, I was the oldest person there), listening to counselors and campers share their "defining moments" as an Aggie, laughing hysterically at skits, remembering the flame of Bonfire and its collapse as it was remarkably described to the class of 2019, sharing meals (where very nice people opened my silverware for me), and leading the students through a yoga practice were just some of the many highlights of Fish Camp. Side note - the food there is not a highlight. I am so grateful for the student who nominated me as a Namesake and for each member of Camp Locklear. I hope to carry the energy and enthusiasm of our camp throughout my entire TAMU career.