Finishing up School, Ready for Summer !

By Ben Guska

Well, I am sitting here with one more final tomorrow. It should be a breeze though so I’m ready for summer. This has been one of the most intense, stressful, tiring last 9 months of my life! I am taking time to reflect the last 9 months, and to me a great accomplishment!
I’ve never really been a great school kid. I was constantly walking into the office of my high school with wet shorts, and 3 kayaks on my roof late for class. So going back to a higher education has been somewhat of a challenge, but I have confronted it head to head!

Here is my take on the last school year, and the summer to come!

When I first got to College, I didn’t have a car, a bed, or even a house. I was commuting from Glenwood Springs with a friend LISA BUNKER, who is an amazing person, and devoted student! She is part of the reason I have done so well with Human Anatomy and physiology. (She got an “A”, and I got a “B”) My old boss and good friend was letting me crash on his couch, then wake up and head to school, and then catch a ride back to study. IT WAS INTENSE!

I finally got my new place, but unfortunately it left me with very little cash! I was sleeping on my floor under my clothes for a few weeks until I saved some bank, and had some in-kind donations of a bed given to me. With this in mind, I had also gotten a car in which I’m still paying off, but it’s my total college style car. A 1992 Honda Station Wagon! It’s not pretty to look at but she is a beast at heart! (I call her the white night!)

I started waiting tables to make some extra cash in the first semester. This was super hard with hockey as we practiced 3 days a week, at 4:10 a.m. The ironic thing for me, is that it’s not just only hard to get up at 3:30 a.m., but I was getting up that early to go get hit by guys way bigger than me! It wasn’t very motivating, but it truly paid off!

This year in hockey I finish 3rd in points leading, and was balanced between assists, and goals. I unfortunately lead the team with ejections, and roughing and fighting penalties. I swear I’m not a rough person, but when I hit the ice it’s like a whole new world! I even got an award for the “MOST LIKELY TO TELL A KAYAKING STORY”. I’m very proud of it too!

My spring semester I had way tougher courses which hasn’t left me much time to train in kayaking. I am trying to focus as much effort on my grades, as I do in kayaking. It’s definitely paying off though, as I’m doing very well! This brings me to summer! This is starting tomorrow! I am so so so so ready to kayak, and not look at another book! So this weekend is my first official weekend off with no worries of school! After that I have a very big schedule!

I will be at BV Pro Rodeo, Lyons Festival, Teva Mountain Games, and Fibark. I then have a week with Team River runner, a program to help disabled war veterans out of Washington D.C., followed by a one day rest, then a flight to the Ottawa River. I will be up in Canada for 2 months straight and actually fly back a week late in school! But hey, I’m young, and can make it work right? (Or should I say Eh?)

I honestly can’t believe how busy I get sometimes. But in the end it truly shows how hard work and great effort can pay off! College has been a great experience so far, and a very tricky road. It’s hard to make everything work together in a perfect (well almost perfect) harmony! But I feel I can do it if I truly want it! Im excited for this summer, and I look forward to next fall as well! As I will be back here in Junktown (Grand Junction), hitting the books, hitting hockey players, and kayaking as always!

Signing out of the school year!

Ben Guska-the 22 year old freshmen YES!