After 13 weeks on the road over the course of the last 18, I cannot help but reflect on my first year of this journey and what it has meant for me. A few major themes have emerged, strengthening my connection to Nebraska, its football team, and its people.
Confluence
As I type this last blog of the season, I am 36,000 feet in the air on my way back to Chicago from the incredible loss at the Capital One Bowl game. I am flying over the confluence where the Mississippi River and Missouri River meet, and I am faced with an interesting confluence in my own life as a result of my commitment to following the Huskers this season. Defined, confluence means “a coming together of people or things” such as the two rivers coming together as one. As Alanis Morrissette would say, “Isn’t it Ironic?”
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| Mississippi River - Missouri River Confluence |
I have realized that what I thought would exhaust me has actually fueled me with more energy than I have ever known. Adding football travel every weekend has helped me to bring together multiple groups of friends and multiple passions into one stream of energy that has inspired me for months now. Reconnecting with old friends and family has been as much fun as meeting countless new friends in my travels across the country.
What I thought was once a full and fulfilled life with my work, my friends and my life in Chicago is not fulfilled without journey outside of and away from that life; it means more when I am away from it all. I’ve learned that to “live life to the fullest,” you might want to try actually filling it with new, unfamiliar experiences that take you outside of your comfort zone and help you more deeply connect with your own self.
So, leaving Chicago and my life here actually helped me to more deeply connect to Chicago and my purpose. Incredible.
Nebraska
Nebraska is more than just a football program, a group of raving fans in red, or a small state defined by its most prominent college team. It is a state defined by a way of thinking about effort and work, a tenacity to be the best, a kindness toward friend and foe alike, and a loyalty to our passions (yes, including football!). These unique traits show up in our undying love and support for our team, our hospitality toward visiting fans, and our sincere appreciation for the kindness of strangers when we travel.
And, boy, do we TRAVEL! I have known this as a general rule all of my life, but I witnessed it with my own eyes this season. The added hype of joining the B1G this year brought people out in droves. How much fun to randomly bump into my college buddy in the middle of the street in Madison or to connect with fellow Husker fans following the same journey as I this season. I have no idea whether other football teams have fans as committed as we, but I’m guessing few 20-somethings like me are starting to devote themselves to their Alma Mater or are investing their earnings into life experiences celebrating their roots. For me, though, it is a no brainer. There is no better way I could have spent money on myself this year, and there is no other group of people with whom I would travel. Nebraskans are something really, really, special.
During my layover in Jackson, Mississippi, before sitting down for this final flight home after the last game of the 2011-2012 season, I was reminded of how special Nebraska fans are during my conversation with my pilot, also a Nebraskan. While exiting the restroom, the pilot stopped me with a “Go Huskers,” and within seconds we were in deep conversation about Bowl Game plays, “our” experience in Orlando, and the fate of our season. It was like we had known each other for years, just as ALL of my conversations with other Nebraska fans have been this season. Once we establish hometown (“I’m from Omaha but grew up in Nebraska City,” says my new friend. “I’m from Chicago but grew up in Omaha,” I reply, and we’re off!), we are talking about everything under the sun knowing that we share the same foundation, the same values, and the same DEEP knowledge of and appreciation for football. I have never met a Nebraska fan who didn’t know their stuff about football. In fact, most people I meet are fairly shocked that a gal like me knows play routes. I always calmly respond to those people, “ I am from Nebraska, after all” with a smug grin.
I smiled as I took my seat, feeling complete that my plane home was being led by a fellow Nebraskan, a friend who bleeds Husker red and who I know takes his work – and his football – seriously.
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| View from the plane departing Jackson, Mississippi, on my way home to Chicago from Orlando. |
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| View on the way home - Chicago - after my 13th Husker game this season. |
Future
Pelini faces incredible pressure as he heads into his 5th season as head coach. Two highly anticipated seasons gone awry in a row, and Husker Nation is starting to get antsy. Our schedule seems slightly more manageable next season, but we are losing so many talented seniors. Today is when we hit the “restart” button, though, and next season brings great promise with the return of our Offensive strength in Martinez, Burkhead and Bell among others.
Shatel’s post-game focused squarely on what’s next for Pelini and the squad: http://www.omaha.com/article/20120102/BIGRED/701029853/1199. We sure do have a long way to go before we can count on a Rose Bowl bid, minus our trip there in September to play UCLA.
For me, next season brings an opportunity for me to continue my journey and to enhance my appreciation for my beloved team. There is only 1 game I will miss at this point, and that is Arkansas State on September 15 at home due to a wedding that I am attending in Italy. There’s a chance I may miss our September 1 game at home if I choose to attend the Michigan – Alabama game at Cowboy Stadium, which would be pretty incredible in the history books. Either way, I will surely make the Huskers 12 other games, so it looks like 2012 will be another season-long journey for me!
You can catch all of the highlights and my perspective here on my blog. The 2012 season starts for me on Thursday, February 23, in Miami when I set sail with Husker Legends for a preview on the 2012 season on the official Husker Cruise with my mom (www.huskercruise.com). That’s 7 weeks from now, and I already can’t wait.
Maybe I’m a bit obsessed, maybe I care too much. Maybe I just love what this journey is doing for me in my life.
One thing’s for sure: Nebraska will always be my favorite school, and the Huskers will always be my favorite team. Go Big Red!
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