Student Blogger: Markas Brunson

“Just another Week”

After a successful week of midterms, this is the time of year where one can sit back and reflect on the semester. This has been by far one of my busiest semesters. Between three jobs and sixteen credits I don’t know how I have gotten it done, but I guess I can attribute much of my success this semester through the time management skills I learned during my time hear at Guilford. I learned those skills through mentorship through the football program here and trial and error. You never notice how much free time one has when they first come to college and it can be a bit overwhelming and misleading. I still overestimate my free time so no ones perfect, but the major factor is setting up your priorities correctly. Luckily this week I will have extra time so I can enjoy some of the aspect of college life and Greensboro combined. Today we have a baseball game against Greensboro College at the Greensboro Grasshoppers stadium in downtown Greensboro. This is a big rivalry game and everyone is going to be excited to be there. Also we will see a lot of familiar faces due to the fact that we play them every year in football and Greensboro is one of those towns where you’re bound to notice somebody whether you’ve seen them downtown amongst other possibilities. Hopefully we can pull out a win against Greensboro; it’s always a good competition.

Seasons Changing

Guilford is one incredible place in the spring. The temperature is warming up and the whole campus has a contagious attitude of jubilancy and thirst for life. This is absolutely one of the most beautiful campuses that I have ever been on and it’s just a reflection for Guilford’s care for the environment in the many initiatives that are partaken to save our environment and quality of life. That is one thing that I always liked about Guilford and it reflects our core value of Stewardship, which in short means leave it better than you first experienced it. Every year Guilford has made great strides on improving and the improvement is in all areas from athletics, the dining hall, and even academic buildings. One thing I can ensure is that when one comes here by their last year they wish that they were starting over again so they can enjoy all the new perks that Guilford has attained. But the real deal about Guilford is the education we receive here. I know people that have taken classes at other schools amidst hundreds of other classmates and feel like they never really learned anything. At Guilford we have a student to teacher ratio of 19:1, which makes one on one time with a professor easily attainable. Guilford professors make sure you get all you can out of a course, but that also depends on the student. I have taken classes here that have forever changed my worldview and made me a better person. I don’t know where I would be in my development as a person without Guilford, but I know for sure one thing, I wouldn’t be the same person I am today.

Getting to know Greensboro

As I look back on it my freshman year at Guilford was a blur. I was living in a new city, attending Guilford College, and was sharing a room in Milner with a good friend from my high school. It was a time of adjustment, but it wasn’t long until we experienced just ounces of what the city of Greensboro and Guilford had to offer. Guilford is a school with much history and culture. This may be one of the most cultured colleges in America. We have so many students and faculty that derive from different countries and states. I have had many opportunities to associate with people of different backgrounds and each time I have walked away with a new perspective about my surroundings. Also the city of Greensboro is a melting pot of different cultures and beliefs. Greensboro has a very high immigrant population and seems to be a magnet for new and innovative ideas. I wasn’t awoken to Greensboro’s downtown atmosphere until my junior year. I had an internship at Greensboro Housing Coalition; therefore, I worked downtown and was able to learn more about what Greensboro had to offer. I learned the roads like the back of my hand and soon I knew where all of the best restaurants and music spots were, but my home was still at Guilford. Guilford had everything that I needed and there was rarely a reason where I had to absolutely go off-campus. The campus is very active with activities for students to participate due to our excellent CAB (Campus Activities Board) and our array of Athletic teams and Clubs. I am a big sports fan so it was very appealing to see Guilford students compete in sporting events. I remember a day in which we had a morning Spring Ball Practice then soon after we attended a Softball game while at the same time watched both the Men’s and Women’s Rugby teams compete against different colleges. Guilford is quite the entertaining environment and those are just snippets of my experience.

“How I Found My Way”

Before I chose to come to Guilford or better yet, “Guilford chose me”, I went on numerous trips to all sorts of colleges. Originally I was just looking for a place to play collegiate football, but I learned that college was much more than that. Wherever I chose to go I was going to have to be there for hopefully the next four years of my life. College is where I would grow into an effective member of society, my ideals would be shaped, and ultimately I would obtain a college degree that I can truly say will propel myself to success in the future. During my quest of picking the right college I visited many schools but it was my time at Guilford that is most memorable. There are things about Guilford that simply just stood out enough to make it want me to call home for the next four years of my life. I was captivated by the community of Guilford. Guilford has one of the most unique atmospheres that I have ever experienced, fellow students and faculty coexist in a harmonious fashion that should be envied by other institutions. Guilford is a very dedicated institution to excellence in the classroom and that is reflective of the curriculum observed in all of the courses available, but what is also important is the understanding that through all of the work I have done I have grown as a person exponentially. There are experiences at Guilford that I would have never had if I were to choose another college, and I can undoubtedly say that I would be less developed as an individual if I did not engage in the opportunities Guilford offered me. During my time here I have been an active participator on the football team, included in the first ever Principled Problem Solving Scholars, participated with internships and Greensboro Housing Coalition and Wise Guys, and many more activities that have shaped my worldview and spurred my growth as a person. While visiting Guilford I felt it offered me a chance to learn, grow, and give back and everyday Guilford fulfilled its promises. “Guilford chose me”, the community, academic principles, and opportunity to be cultivated into an effective member of society, were my captors.