Temple University Athletics
Travis Manger Blog: May 6
5.7.08 | Football
May 6, 2008
Senior Travis Manger (Newtown, Pa.) is concluding his academic career at Temple University. Over the next two weeks, the tight end will share his thoughts twice each week about classes ending, final exams, and graduation. His blog will appear each Tuesday and Friday.
LAST DAY OF CLASSES! Wow! It's been a day I've personally been thinking about for about a year now. After awhile, the routine of college has gotten pretty old to me. This spring semester has been a little different, because it's been the first semester in college where I was not an athlete any longer. The whole finality of not being a player finally set in on that first day of classes back in January when the team had its first workout in the weight room, and I no longer had to be a part of it. But it really didn't set in until I realized that I could suddenly get away with sleeping in for more than one day at a time. This semester I was also able to participate in intramural softball and dodgeball, two things I definitely wouldn't have been allowed to do if I was still playing football.
Having said all that, this semester has been hectic regardless. I'm obligated to tell you that I am the proud, once overly stressed, now completely euphoric owner of 24 credits this semester. I know, I know; I'm absolutely nuts. The first question out of anyone upon finding that out is "how is that even possible?" Let me tell you, it took some serious convincing of my academic counselors despite having the grades to prove that I could handle the work. One professor called me nuts. Another one of my professors asked me, "why the heck would you want to do that?" It's quite simple; I just want to graduate already! Even despite taking these 24 credits, I am still three credits shy of graduating, therefore I will be taking a stress-free class, such as yoga, come Summer Session I.
I wish I could tell you that 24 credits were the only things stressing me out at this point, but I'm like every other guy or girl getting ready to graduate; I'm trying to figure what's next in my life. At some points in this semester, I've wondered what's stressing me out more, school or thinking about the future. Sometimes I wish I could just be like two of my roommates, Willy and Joe, who choose to make their money playing online games at all hours, subsequently keeping me up all night. Ah, that would be fun. I'm lucky, however, in that during this semester along with class, I've also assisted our coaching staff here at Temple football through winter workouts and spring practice. To say it's been an eye-opening experience would be the understatement of my life. Seeing how the "dark side," as coach Golden jokingly refers to it as, works has been fascinating, insightful, and a lot of fun for me personally. I'm looking forward to continuing to learn from this outstanding coaching staff in the upcoming summer months and season. This IS going to be a very special season to be a Temple Owl, I promise.
Coaching is something I've been thinking about for two years now. When two of our tight ends, Steve Maneri and Marcus Brown, were both true freshmen, neither of them knew what they were doing on the football field. Having already been in the offense for some time, I tried to help them out as much as possible, despite the fact that they were competing for the same position as me. Watching them progress as players on the field after answering any questions they had made me feel a sense of satisfaction that I didn't feel even when I made a good play. Besides, they're both 10 times the player I could ever hope to be. This feeling was reinforced when freshman Matt Balasavage came in this past fall. I just found that I liked helping the young guys out with anything they needed, and it was last fall when I absolutely decided coaching was for me.
In any event, back to the present. I picked up my graduation tickets the other day, and yesterday I picked up my cap and gown. Talk about weird. While walking out of my last class in Barton Lecture Halls over to the bookstore in the SAC to pick up my cap and gown, I couldn't help but reflect on these past years. I caught myself thinking about all the amazing people I've met here. This place opens you up to people you never thought you would be friends with, it really does. I honestly cannot believe I'm about to walk. I can honestly say I love this place. I was born right up North Broad Street at Albert Einstein Medical Center, and I feel like this will always be home to me even though I don't think I'll be spending the rest of my life here. But, it's like the bumper sticker that says "Temple Owls are everywhere!" They truly are. I feel blessed to have gone here and feel that I was truly meant to be an Owl.
Travis picks up his cap and gown from Lisa at the bookstore.
Picking up my cap and gown, I couldn't help but realize how many different types there are for each different major and concentration. The absolute worst thing I could have done was pick up my cap and gown when I did, because I still had to go back to my house and write a 10-page paper and a four-page paper that were all due today. Talk about senioritis and procrastination; how about trying to write 14 pages in less than 24 hours with your graduation tickets and cap and gown sitting right next to you! One way or another, I got those papers done. I do have one more story to write before I can relax before finals start, and ironically enough my last paper in college is about Coach Golden for my sports writing class. But with that story not due for a couple of days, and no finals for me until Friday, I'm going to take this opportunity to relax and have fun for a day. This bit will be welcomed news to my roommate, Chuck, who has taken to calling me "stale" of late for not going out as much I used to-- 24 credits, my friend; that's what it does to you. You know the characters in Saving Private Ryan and how they always said, "Fubar," whenever something bad happened. That's how I felt all semester long when someone would ask me to hang out; "24 credits" would be my response. Hopefully, once the grades come out, all those nights of staying in and doing work during my last semester will have not been in vain. Ah, no worries for now, time to enjoy the night's festivities.
At the moment, I'm trying to get a pickup softball game organized along with my roommates, some of the athletic trainers, and some of my other friends here. After that, I'll probably head down to Kelliann's on 16th and Spring Garden. I swear, if you want the best wings in the fighting city of Philadelphia, just go there, seriously! Philadelphia Magazine named their wings the best in the city a couple of years back. Softball and wings sounds like a great night to me.
Have a great night, Owls fans! Until next time: Fight, Fight, Fight for the Cherry and the White!!!
