Up to this point, I have been going to school my entire life. From lower to middle to high school and now college, I have always tried to identify myself with the institution I am a part of at the time. There has been no school that I have been more connected to and now happy to be involved with besides UT. Since I can remember, I have dreamed of being a University of Texas student, wearing burnt orange on game-day at DKR, joining a sorority like my mom, learning more than I could ever imagine scholastically, and living in Austin, Texas. In every single one of those aspects of this new college life I am living, I have had close encounters with country music. At tailgates before games, country music is always on the loud speaker. When I am road tripping with my sorority sisters, the playlist we make is always an assortment of our country favorites. Walking from class to class, I can usually squeeze about three of my favorite Rascal Flatts songs in, and that is why I sometimes take the long route on purpose. And of course, Austin is known as a musical hub for artists of all kinds, but especially country.
My passion for UT and the Texas Longhorns started on the steps of my Aunt Pearl’s house in Austin, Tx in 2000.
Despite all of these wonderful aspects of the college community I have entered, there are definitely times when I feel challenged. School work can pile up faster than I ever imagined, the stress of finding a real job one day always seems to be looming in the all too near future, and honestly some days are just plain hard. Weekdays can seem endless sometimes, and a weekend break is all I can think about to motivate me or at least remind me of why I do love this place so much.
The song “Crushin’ It” by Brad Paisley reminds me so much of how I feel sometimes while I am in college. The song starts with Paisley saying how nice it would be for some reassurance from others or overcoming a dry spell. For him, his weekend is his opportunity to kick back and enjoy the smaller things that he appreciates. Weekends are his comfortable constant in life. Despite the problems he deals with during the week, he knows that eventually his Friday night and beer will be there for him. In the same way, the comfort of country music and all the aspects that I love about the University of Texas community are “the weekend” in my life that make me feel like I am “crushin’ it” too. It’s about looking forward to what you know you love and embracing every aspect of those things.
Kaki, I love how relatable this post is to so many of us at UT right now. Reading this the day after tailgating for a UT football game makes me think you read my mind! So many experiences as a student in Austin can be described with country music as a part of it, like it is the background to so many fond memories.
I can totally relate to the feeling of loving the University of Texas and the city of Austin; pretty much the only part that differentiates me is that growing up I thought I would go to A&M (I know, don’t hold it against me!). I come from a coastal town where you’d think country music would be a big deal, but in actuality country fans are few and far between. When I moved to Austin I immediately felt at home because I could constantly hear country music being played whether at a restaurant or a tailgate. I take the same approach you do and listen to country music between classes. Also, I love your taste in music! Rascal Flats and Brad Paisley are two of my all-time favorites 🙂
Kaki! I loved your blog post because, like most songs in country music, it is relatable. One of the reasons I love Country music so much is because it’s an escape from life’s hardships, whether it’s “squeezing it in” on the way to class or listening to it on a Friday night. You picked the perfect song to represent not only you, but those like us who need to let loose after a long week.
Kaki, I really enjoyed reading your post! I have enjoyed country music for my whole life, and I agree with you that out of all the schools I have attended, I feel most connected to UT and I think music plays a part in that! Country music is such a presence here at UT, Austin, and Texas as a whole that we are constantly surrounded by it. Country music is perfect for the experiences we are all going through being in college and going through a big transition in our lives. I got to see Rascal Flatts at the iHeart Country Radio Festival in Austin last May, and it was amazing to see how “Life is a Highway” is still such a popular song and never gets old!
I, like Caitie thought that I would be attending A&M growing up as well- I actually paid for housing before I saw the light! I’m a little late in the game when it comes to UT football, the Rice game was my very first one after three years at this place (I know, it’s shameful) but I totally get what they’re saying and Crushin’ it definitely correlates with the tailgating and football atmosphere. I am really glad I made it out here to austin to sport burnt orange with the rest of y’all, even if it’s not my best color.