First semester as a Geography Professor (while the DCC making the team season 6 aired simulations)

Thanksgiving is over, and all the students are now sluggishly trying to kick-start their brains to get through the last two weeks of the semester. As a first-year college professor, on the other hand, my thoughts race as I try to keep my “lead” and finish my last few lectures. What I mean by a “lead” is somewhat of an academic joke, especially for first-time professors. Daily, I am consumed with filling my PowerPoints with exciting and important information coupled with maps, pictures, and graphs that help visualize the information. Nothing is provided to new professors to accomplish this. So you must create every PowerPoint, every quiz, and exam “as you go,” and hope you can maintain your “lead.” I have nightmares of not getting tomorrow's lecture done in time, and there have been plenty of close calls. More than once, I have pressed the save button, ripped my flash drive from my office computer, and run across campus to deliver the lecture I just finished in the nick of time. Each PowerPoint has been painstakingly created after days of pouring over my notes, book reading, data collection, and NatGeo image searches.

I love what I do, and I truly believe the information I am presenting to my students benefits their education and development and the future of our country. That may seem like a grandiose statement, but when I open up my lecture by asking, “What is going on in the Middle East/North Africa” and no one can tell me about the governing transition of multiple countries, such as, Morocco most recently, Tunisia, and more than likely, Egypt, I realize how important my responsibility is.

Embracing this obligation to bring faraway images of shanty towns in Mumbai, population decline throughout Europe and Russia, human rights issues in the far west of China, new economic prospects in Southeast Asia, political change in the Middle East/North Africa, and loss of biodiversity in the Amazon and Madagascar, is a passion. To do this well, I have continuously stayed glued to my desk until well past 1 am every night this semester to make these, and many other real-world phenomena, understandable to my students. My greatest delight is not only bringing the issues to light my goal but also helping my students find their geographic thinking skills and see how these phenomena affect other seemingly unrelated issues. We would not have the Amazon without the Sahara’s fertilizing dust being swept across the Atlantic and supplementing the poor Amazonian soils. It is essential to understand Africa’s lack of internal transportation networks in hopes of finding solutions to its crippling poverty. When students have an “a ha” moment by relating Arctic oil to US foreign policy or EU development, I have done my job.

I am ready for Christmas break. I can not wait to take a deep breath and relish in completing each lecture (even if only moments before delivery time), saving me from having to fake an illness to avoid an awkward “I didn’t get it done” moment. I have learned so much from this semester and cannot wait to edit and add to my now semi-composed lectures covering the world with its incredibly unique regions. 

 

Geography in action! Venice, Italy 

PS. I entered this stage of life as Season Six of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making the Team Aired. 

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Back in the Uniform + Back in Kelli’s office

Being fitted for the DCC Uniform is like trying on your wedding dress in front of your fiancé. There is no one you want to impress more than your love, and you can only think of what will run through his mind when he sees you. You have no idea how the starless shorts and blouse will look on you when you walk out in front of Kelli, barefooted and completely vulnerable. No one’s opinion matters at that moment except Kelli’s. The first time I tried wearing the uniform, it was euphoric. It is incredible to stand there in that stunned moment when you see yourself in one of the most treasured icons of TEXAS, the NFL, and the US to thousands of Cowboys fans worldwide and a greatly anticipated sight to hundreds of troops abroad. The second time, however, was less fairytale and more like seeing your __(fill in the blank with childhood dream)___ hanging off the edge of a cliff, knowing you could lose it with one false move (no pun intended). 

The best part of uniform fittings this time was talking to Kelli face to face, the first time since the Final auditions. At the end of every practice, I always expected Kelli to emerge from her office and call me in; I was strangely beginning to feel left out. I was pleasantly surprised our conversation revolved around my career and even more taken aback when she ensured all the crewmen and passer-byers knew I would be starting as a geography professor in the fall.

A week after uniform fittings, we had another “performance night.” Suppose you wonder why I am hardly shown with my group or dancing. In that case, it is because the CMT setup (a couple of cameras, a couple of crewmen, etc) was always set directly in front of me to get the majority of the studio in the shot. It was unsettling to have the cameras only a couple of feet directly in front of me, but the most unfortunate result was never having the advantage of seeing myself in the mirror. 

There were plenty of gut-wrenching moments when the routine would call for me to look to my right, and I would see I was off. This night was one of those. Finally, being called into the office was honestly relieving.  I was always aware that I would be the weakest dancer in the room, but not having Kelli and Judy call me into the office and, for the majority of the time, them not commenting on me after we performed was unnerving. This was starkly different from 2006, when I was called into the office after every “performance night” and always had a hefty load of comments made after the music stopped.

By week three this year, I was feeling overlooked. My first time in Kelli’s office this season was encouraging on the one hand, but it also weighed heavy on my heart. I was grateful to have Kelli and Judy stand behind me and assure me they wanted me on the team, but knowing they were supporting me was oddly unnerving. In other words, to have the people holding your dream in their hand and saying, “We want to give this to you if you will just bring your A Game” is more overwhelming than going for your dream out of the blue and with courage (not knowing what you are indeed up against) like my first attempt at joining the ranks of the DCC. Making it to training camp, experiencing a glimpse of the memories and friendships you could make as a DCC, then being sent home is heartbreaking. Trying again, knowing it could be taken away, is even more stressful on your emotions. I have the utmost respect for women who have done this and succeeded, you truly are role models (xoxo Candice, Natalie, & Ray).

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Back at Training Camp.. well sort of Kalli Fullerton Season 6 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making the Team

It was an honor to be invited back to the DCC training camp, but to say the least… things have changed. First of all, I have been running on the beach with my dog for the last four months on a nightly basis to get ready for the mile (or more) run I had come to hate before every practice in 2006. I have never been a runner; jogging and walking, on the other hand, I love and are a daily activity. 

Those grueling laps around Valley Ranch have been a faint memory for a couple of years. Regardless of how happy I was about the missing running requirements, I truly was confused about the remaining workouts that were a huge part of training camp last time. I was mentally prepared for an hour of workouts with Jay, then a couple of hours of dancing, and heading home about 12am. We were still getting out at 11pm or 12am, but workouts had no impact on that late departure. This leads to the next change from 2006 to 2011 training camps.


Starting on the first night of training camp, we learned a new dance EVERY NIGHT. The amount and the speed of learning new material was double compared to my first experience. I am still shocked at how true dancers can just pick it up! Several days I would have to bite my lip when someone would say, “I didn’t practice, I hope we review,” or “once I do it again I’ll know it.” These women are genuinely meant to do this! It is amazing... that has never been me. After practice, I would go home, eat, try to sleep, wake up, and practice from 10-3:30 on the previous night’s routine. Take a quick shower and head to practice. A small group and I arrived at Valley Ranch around five every night (actual practice started at 7).  We rarely took time to review during actual practice, instead moving right along to the next dance (thus, the reason we arrived early… review, review, review).  Comparing 2006 and 2011, the speed and amount learned in 2011 were not anticipated and are still unnerving (the mile run in tights would have been better).


Regarding learning so quickly, the number one fear should have been performing those routines every night for Kelli and Judy. The last time I was in Training Camp, as soon as we learned a routine we were shaking in our poms knowing it was time to perform in rookie groups for Kelli and Judy. It still shocks me, but this is not how this summer turned out to be… at all. 

Kelli and Judy were hardly at practices, and if they were, we sparingly saw their shadows behind the tinted glass from Kelli’s office. Before the last week of Training Camp, we had only performed in front of them about four times. You would think this would be a good thing, but it only put more and more pressure on us each time we were caught off guard by an unannounced performance night. You only have a few times to get it right, and all hopes of “at least they have seen me on my good night” were out the door, leaving you with a hit-or-miss situation.

1st meeting 2006

1st meeting 2011

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DCC Final Auditions 2011 Kalli Fullerton's second season

Final additions are always the most exhausting.


6am: Shower, double-check your bag (suitcase full of essentials for the day) and get all dolled up.
7:30: Arrive at Cowboys Stadium and wait in line for an hour (or more). It was incredibly hot and intensely humid this year, so all the time spent curling our hair that morning was in vain.
9:00: Get to fluff and puff (redo hair and makeup after it all went downhill while waiting in line).
Spend the rest of the morning reviewing your solo routine (and trying not to see everyone else practicing their routines that always look better than yours, not to mention those props and costumes!).
Once we are in our seats and the solos start, everyone is cheering each other on and secretly quivering at the incredible talent and skill you have put yourself up against.


I started dancing when I was in 8th grade and continued taking dance classes once a week throughout high school. I was never a part of the “competition” group, but I was usually lucky enough to score a second-row spot for our recitals in town, and I was happy with that! In high school, I was a cheerleader down to my megaphone bumper sticker, and I loved it. I was a much better cheerleader than a dancer, so sitting and watching hours (yes, hours) of professional and natural-born dancers performing unbelievable routines for the judges was quite intimidating. After the first solo, my hands started to sweat. It is obvious who the veterans were, and their solos propelled my nerves up a level!  My seat was only two rows from the last, so I was one of the “lucky” ones!


 I had to try not to forget my routine while genuinely cheering on my competitors, as their talents far surpassed my own. Then, a few hours into this part of the day, I realized my shirt was a little wet, my bangs were sweaty, and there were only three rows of solos to go. So, I ran to the bathroom to try and clean up. The mirrors remind me of the number of times the humidity had affected my overly hair-sprayed hair, now resembling “beach hair.” I ran through my solo one more time away from all the beautiful faces about to size me and my routine up. "I am ready," and I ran back to take my place in line to step on stage. I was next to go, but I couldn't get the stress out of my hands from the hours I had been sitting in my chair with every muscle tense and my hands in tight fists, breaking apart for sporadic applause.




As I headed out to the center of the stage, I glanced at an encouraging smile from both Kelli and Judy and bowed my head, waiting for my music to start. I was happy with most of my routine. Of course, I forgot my favorite part and had to get back on track awkwardly with a misplaced turn, but that is the game's name (don’t stop!).  Overall, my performance was fine, and I tried to quickly move on to focus on the routine we had learned in the semi-finals.




Solos were finished, and we had more fluff and puff time (much needed), but most of us spent the remaining time running the routine. We were about to grace the biggest HD TV in the world. Once we got onto the field, going through each group of women was slow. The day has already been so long, and unlike the other two audition rounds, your mind isn’t allowed to shut off halfway through. We were still trying to keep focused and stay upbeat (regardless of our solo fumbles) and smile for the judges so far, far away in the stands as they focused on our HD strengths and weaknesses.




When we were done, done for real, and our muscles started to uncoil a little, we waited another couple hours to hear our decided fate.  This day was mentally stressful trying to remember your solo and the new routine, but the physical fatigue was staggering. After being tense and nervous for hours, dancing with all your energy more than a few times, and then finishing the day off with performing the kick line next to a veteran, is enough to require a hamburger, fries, milkshake, big fluffy bed, and 12 hours of sleep just to regain your sanity. Yet, if you are one of the blessed ones to make it into training camp, you must be happy with only the last two and grab a box of Junior Mints at the gas station.

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