Happy Memorial Day!

As we roll into the new week, getting ready for the hopefully warm month of June, we can all take today to step back. Memorial Day is a day to remember and honor fallen Soldiers. While this is an important day everywhere in the US, in a military town there’s more weight on the community as a whole. Unlike other towns, we have a very military-based population—including active, retired, spouses, and of course military brats like myself. In a way, I think that’s especially special of days like this. Clarksville is a community, and in this case, a good portion of the community can speak in a shared experience of loss, mourning, and remembrance of the fallen.

Today, I hope you take the time to remember those Soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice and our Goldstar Families. Remember that you aren’t alone in your loss, that you have a community of shared experience, and maybe pick up the phone and call someone to think about the good times. The best way to honor those who are gone is to remember all the good they did.

Happy Memorial Day, Clarksville! Stay safe under the red and white stripes today.

Silent Sunday 5.30.21

 

Fun Saturday Spot: D&D Mini Golf in 3D

 Looking for something to do on a less than sunny weekend? Take a spin over to 211 Holiday Dr. and check out D&D Mini Golf! This bright blacklight experience includes beautiful fantasy murals, 18 holes, and 3D glasses for every participant. While I've never been one for golf, I've enjoyed D&D Mini Golf every time I've gotten the chance to go! The 3D element makes for extra challenging shots, but it's dizzying fun! At the end, you can even make your mark on the graffiti wall!

With additional attractions such as a laser maze, an arcade, and the 'balladium,' D&D Mini Golf is a great solution to a weekend in need of some extra fun!

Coffee and Fun: Respawn Coffee

Though it isn't right in Clarksville, one of my favorite places to go for coffee lately has been Respawn Coffee Company in Oak Grove, close to the military base. This little shop, of course, wasn't originally on my radar due to the distance-- but now that I know about it, I swing by almost every time I'm in range!

Respawn Coffee Company is a pretty unique place and one that all people interested in video games may want to know about. Respawn has notably strong coffee that seems prepped for a late night of gaming, but there are options sweet enough so even someone like myself, who despises the taste plain coffee, still loves it. Of course, most of the time when I go to Respawn, I usually go for a different drink selection; boba tea is my choice. My suggestion? Any fruit flavor with the yogurt popping bubbles. It is amazing. And of course, Respawn offers a variety of snacks and light meals such as wraps, sandwiches, and parfaits. 

You may be asking by now what makes this place so appealing to the gaming community? Well, besides being conveniently located next to a Game Stop, Respawn Coffee Company is literally made with gamers in mind. With rentable rooms for PC and virtual reality gaming experiences, as well as a pool table and some arcade machines, this place is an amazing hangout-- especially if you don't have the systems to play yourself! I, for one, have been taking full advantage of the pool table whenever I make a trip. 

I highly encourage anyone who likes coffee, gaming, or an incredible cup of boba tea to make their way to Respawn Coffee Company on 208 Segler Dr, Oak Grove, KY 42262. I promise it'll be worth your while!

Campus in Clarksville

For anyone not familiar with the area, you may not know that Clarksville, Tennessee, is home to the Austin Peay Governors. For those of you who are from Clarksville, you have probably at least passed the campus located in the downtown area. Recently I graduated from the lovely school for the second time with my master’s degree, so I can say for a fact that Austin Peay is an amazing place to spend one’s time as a student.

When I first started looking for colleges while I was in high school, most of the students around me seemed to talk about wanting to go away to big, far away colleges. However, my heart was set on Austin Peay—and for a few reasons. The first was simply financial. It seems like many high school graduates don’t take in how expensive college can be, despite the fact it’s talked about so frequently. Just staying at home makes such a large difference in the expenses, which makes living in a college town an amazing advantage—especially if entering Freshmen take advantage of opportunities such as the Tennessee Promise! Another reason I decided to attend Austin Peay was because the campus is beautiful. The school takes pride in planting the campus red each spring, and there are plenty of outdoor sitting areas to take advantage of during warm weather. The buildings are a mix of old and modern, making for an interesting scene while walking across campus, not even mentioning the statues and water features that students enjoy hanging around.

The main reason I decided to attend Austin Peay, though, is because I heard wonderful things about it as a school. And having attended, I can attest that Austin Peay really is an amazing school. While I didn’t have the experience of living on campus, I did spend a great amount of time attending events, classes, and taking advantage of all my college had to offer. I enjoyed several readings by visiting authors, film festivals dedicated to diversity, and even participated in the yearly school pageant of Miss APSU as well as many student-run readings as well where I was able to present poetry and short stories to a small audience. Austin Peay’s capable students, led by compassionate faculty, held concerts and plays each year—my favorite remains the musical production of Anything Goes that I ushered for five nights only to find it was increasingly better.

Unlike some students, I did take advantage of the wide array of classes available, spending time in my undergraduate years in different departments even after I had finished my standard core classes. I went to extra psychology classes and took beginning education classes as well; I went beyond the mandated one year of foreign language and took four semesters of French, attending the off-campus immersion days so lovingly hosted by the French professors. I even took a step fitness course for a credit during one of my last semesters and I still regret not being able to take the scuba diving courses that were offered, or the aerial silks classes. Austin Peay certainly has a larger catalouge of potential classes than I ever expected—and if you don’t believe me, you can scroll through them yourself here!

Of course, my favorite department obviously has to be the one I spent the most time in—the English department. While it is only one part of a much larger university, I feel like the professors that make up the English department show the amount of dedication that Austin Peay has to offer its students. Even as a Freshman, I quickly found the professors incredibly approachable and easy to talk to, but through the years I found myself surrounded by encouraging instructors who all strived to see their students be successful, ones who were honestly passionate about what they were teaching and the act of sharing it with others. These professors saw the ability in their students, and they always helped in whatever way they could. Really, I feel like my experience at Austin Peay was so amazing not because of the school itself but because of the dedicated professors it is made of.

Austin Peay is certainly not a big city college. It isn’t exactly glamourous, our sports teams aren’t on the top scales, and if there are wild parties to mark the college experience, I never heard about them. I know to some people, going to a small-scale college isn’t exactly the dream. I know for kids who grew up in Clarksville, the dream is getting out of a suburban town. However, the benefits of going to Austin Peay don’t just include staying in the beautiful city of Clarksville. Austin Peay is a university filled with unique and incredible professors, with opportunities to explore things you hadn’t thought a smaller scale university had to offer, and a chance to really discover all of the great things Clarksville has to offer. Located in the downtown Clarksville area, Austin Peay State University is truly something that makes this city more incredible.

(Photos taken by Samuel Millspaugh)

Hoppy Wednesday

 

Happy Tuesday Morning, Clarksville!

 

Clarksville, Tennessee. This city has been home to my family all of my life, and really I cannot imagine a better place that I could have grown-up in—especially given it seems every time I look around, the city has grown with me. There is no lack of things to do as was once a complaint among teenage friends. The Clarksville Commons has made our gorgeous downtown area more inviting to stroll through, bringing local eateries and boutiques into full view; the City Forum has opened a wide array of activities to be explored, even on rainy days, with possibilities of go-carting, mini-golf, and hanging out at the arcade; and the numerous parks allow outdoor adventure and hiking on every warm afternoon.

While the weather can be unpredictable, the friendliness of those around you never is. Yes, there are those who choose to have bad attitudes as any town has, but Clarksville is a place where pedestrians walking in neighborhoods wave and a place where people do try to extend a welcoming, helpful hand. Southern hospitality is truly among this mixing pot of a town that brings in not only military families but also college students, making our community the epitome of blended backgrounds—something that truly enhances the experience of who you may meet out and about!

With life swinging back into the normal sway, I will be checking in to talk about life, real estate, and things to do in our gorgeous city, Clarksville! Hold on tight to your notepad to jot down all the marvelous adventures you don’t want to miss out on!

Here is looking forward to a grand summer on this beautiful May morning!