Hey! My name is Brett Drake and I'm a senior Public Relations major with a Classical Culture minor. I'm from the small town of Wagoner, Oklahoma (if you've heard of it, chances are you're also from northeast OK!) and while I've enjoyed my time here at OU, I can't wait to graduate in May. I want to become a graphic designer in the OKC area after graduation and help local businesses build their brands. My favorite class last semester was Digital Design (surprise, surprise) as it allowed me to really hone my skills as a designer across all different types of media.
Last summer, as I talked about in my favorite place post, I was able to study abroad in Italy for the month of June, allowing me to finally travel outside of the country for the first time in my life. While traveling abroad had its ups and downs (I arrived in Rome running on a good 3 hours of sleep and had lost my luggage), overall it was an amazing experience that I hope to have the privilege of doing again one day. Surprisingly, it wasn't even the highlight of my summer, as I also proposed to my girlfriend of 6 years upon touching down in OKC (don't worry, she said yes).
Outside of class, I have quite a few different hobbies. I'm an avid OKC Thunder fan who loves to watch basketball at any level. I trained in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu for two years and have even competed in a few tournaments. I've played Dungeons & Dragons since high school and would recommend it to anybody looking for a good time. I'm on the OU Esports Super Smash Brothers team, and I also love cooking and bartending. My favorite food is definitely a tie between tortellini pasta and gyros (I can make a pretty mean chicken gyro), and my go-to drink is a Dark & Stormy.
I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about me! With this class, I hope to have a lot of fun and learn some new things as I ready myself for my transition into the "real world."
Me at the Coliseum: Photo by a friend
Last summer, as I talked about in my favorite place post, I was able to study abroad in Italy for the month of June, allowing me to finally travel outside of the country for the first time in my life. While traveling abroad had its ups and downs (I arrived in Rome running on a good 3 hours of sleep and had lost my luggage), overall it was an amazing experience that I hope to have the privilege of doing again one day. Surprisingly, it wasn't even the highlight of my summer, as I also proposed to my girlfriend of 6 years upon touching down in OKC (don't worry, she said yes).
Outside of class, I have quite a few different hobbies. I'm an avid OKC Thunder fan who loves to watch basketball at any level. I trained in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu for two years and have even competed in a few tournaments. I've played Dungeons & Dragons since high school and would recommend it to anybody looking for a good time. I'm on the OU Esports Super Smash Brothers team, and I also love cooking and bartending. My favorite food is definitely a tie between tortellini pasta and gyros (I can make a pretty mean chicken gyro), and my go-to drink is a Dark & Stormy.
I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about me! With this class, I hope to have a lot of fun and learn some new things as I ready myself for my transition into the "real world."
Hi Brett!
ReplyDeleteI'm a mechanical engineering major here at OU! I'm also excited to finally graduate in May from what feels like an eternity. I've enjoyed all my learning and college experiences, but I am looking forward to transition into the real world!
I'm also from a small town in Oklahoma that not many people know about so I know how it feels transitioning to a busy college town like Norman!
Best wishes and congratulations on your engagement!
Hey Brett!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the engagement! I'm jealous that you got to study abroad because I haven't had the chance to travel outside of the United States. I plan to go to Europe this summer after I graduate with a couple friends though. Graphic design is awesome. I have always been interested in it and even did some for fun during my freshman year of college In my free time. Best of luck this semester!
Meanwhile, I am guessing you will be able to channel your Dungeons and Dragons energy into the work for this class in all kinds of ways. Maybe you can do your North American beasts as a kind of game! If you're interested, the amazing thing that is Twine Threads awaits you (with getting started steps in the Tech Tips: it's surprisingly easy... and a lot of fun too!). Someone did a D&D-inspired project here that might give you some ideas: Dungeons and Decisions (that's Twine embedded in a WordPress site, and you can embed it anywhere: blog post, webpage, etc.)
ReplyDeleteWhoops: comment got split in half, ha ha. Here's what was SUPPOSED to be the first part:
ReplyDeleteOh, yay for Classical Culture minor, Brett! I originally came to OU via the Classics department. I've ended up with this very different job teaching online, but I'm still addicted to Latin, ha ha; this is my Latin blog, with Latin LOLCats of course: Bestiaria Latina. I'm embarrassed to say that I have no graphic design skills to speak of, but I am very good at exploiting tools like cheezburger etc. to make things for fun to use in class.
And congratulations on your engagement: that's a very good reason to come on back home and leave the delights of Italy behind... until you (plural!) get to enjoy a trip there together!
Hi Brett!
ReplyDeleteI got to study abroad in Italy two summers ago, and I can relate to the lack of sleep at the beginning! I was awake for 37 hours straight because my flight left in the morning and landed in Italy at 7am their time. Looking back, I do not know how I made it that long without crashing! However, I did not have to deal with losing my luggage! I wish you the best of luck with graduating, getting married, and starting your career!
Hi Brett,
ReplyDeleteMy whole family is from Italy, so I would love to go and visit one day. As I am no stranger to the greater cuisine because my grandfather is from Mazetto. When he came in they changed his name to Endriss. My italian last name is Endrizzi. Congrats on being engaged and see you at graduation in May!
Hi Brett!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the engagement over the summer! I too am a graduating senior and very ready to be done. I hope you can land the job you are looking for in OKC. I love how much OKC has grown over the last ten years and people like us staying in OK will only help it continue to grow. I went to Italy once for a couple of days and it was awesome. I hope I can go back again soon!
Hey Brett!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like we have a lot of things in common! I'm also a Gaylord major (PW) and I come from a small town in Oklahoma that no one seems to heard of. I've never studied abroad, but I have gone to Italy, and I got to stand in the very same spot that you are in your picture. I loved every moment of that country and I hope to travel back to it someday. I also play DND, and I happen to be the DM for our campaigns. It's so much fun to play.
Hello Brett,
ReplyDeleteI would like to start off by saying congratulations on your engagement. It must feel like you have hit a milestone in your life when she said yes! It is very neat that you had the opportunity to go and study abroad in Italy. I have always wanted to go to Rome and just travel. I am also a huge Thunder fan. I for sure thought that our team was done for when we let Westbrook go, but now we are looking like a playoff team.
Hey Brett!
ReplyDeleteYour horror microfictions brought me here to your introduction, I guess it's better late than never! Congrats on almost graduating, I am also graduating in May, I'm super excited! I have never left the country, it is definitely on my bucket list! My six year old just got a switch for his birthday and he requested Super Smash Bros, I had never played before. I think it is my favorite game so far to play with him. I didn't know about OU ESports, that is really cool! Anyways, have a good last semester!
Hey Brett! Congrats on graduating and on the engagement! (Best 2 things that have happened in my life!) I am wanting to take a Europe trip but I just have not forced myself to get on a plane that long! I too love to cook and I would love to get into bartending (outside my house haha) I cant wait to read some of your post! Good luck man!
ReplyDeleteHey, Brett!
ReplyDeleteIt is so great to meet you. Congrats on your engagement and your graduation, how awesome! I bet that is super relieving. I was planning on going to Europe this summer, but that plan is sort of falling through unfortunately. It is super cool that you got to go to Italy though. Good luck on this new chapter of your life!
Best wishes,
Mikayla
Hey Brett!
ReplyDeleteAs a fellow, graduating senior I feel your excitement and can't wait to get out into the world of my major. Also what a summer you must have had with travel and the proposal all in one season. I see you're a member of the OU Esports Super Smash Bros team and as an extremely longtime player myself I was wondering which iteration you all play on and who your main is? (Mine is Link or K.Rool) Anyways can't wait to read what you come up with going forward, love the stories so far!
Hi Brett!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your engagement! I'm in my last semester of the BA/MA program at CIS and, like you, I'm so excited to get out into the world and start putting the knowledge I've gathered to (hopefully) good use. It is so cool that you got to go to Italy; I've always wanted to travel to Europe, but the insane airline prices for those kinds of flights have kept me on this continent. I'm also a big fan of tortellini and gyros, but I've never been brave enough to try and make a gyro. You should post your recipe sometime! Good luck this semester!
Hi Brett! Congrats on graduation! I’m also graduating in May and very excited about it. It’s great that you want to help out local businesses. One of my favorite things about Oklahoma are the abundance of small, local businesses. There’s some great stuff out there. D&D is a long-time love of mine! I’m always glad to run into more people who enjoy it! It sounds like you have a lot of very fun things going for you! Congratulations on the engagement! I hope your semester goes well!
ReplyDeleteHey Brett!
ReplyDeleteI also love Super Smash Bros! My roommates and I used to play a lot, but I've gotten a little busy for it recently. I don't really have a main, although if I had to choose one it would probably be Ridley. Congratulations on the engagement, and I hope you have a great semester before graduation and entering the real world!
Hi Brett! First of all, congratulations on your engagement! I hope you are your fiancée will have a beautiful wedding and a lifetime of happiness together. I'm so happy you got to study abroad in Italy, it must have been an incredible experience, especially since you have a classical culture minor. I actually studied abroad in Italy for two years myself and it was an amazing experience. I love how diverse your hobbies are, from martial arts to cooking all the way to D&D, I love it when people do not fit into the regular stereotypes society gives us (can you tell I study sociology lol). Anyways, it was great to meet you and I hope you enjoy your last semester at OU!
ReplyDeleteHey Brett!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your engagement and upcoming graduation! I'm also "walking" this May (however they decide to do that now), and I wish you luck on your transition into "real life". If this weren't an online class, I'd bring my Switch and play a round of Super Smash Bros against you! And lose terribly since I'm actually really bad at it. Great to meet you!
Hi Brett,
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a great summer and that is so awesome! Congratulations on your engagement! A few months ago, one of my coworkers convinced me to join his Dungeons and Dragons campaign and I love it!! It is my first time playing, but I have so much fun. I love playing after a stressful week where I can just wind down and have some fun with friends.
Hello again!
ReplyDeleteIf I had found this pre-pandemic I would have been ecstatic with you about graduating this May. But guess we're gonna have to that over a webcam. My old roommate would play Smash all day long so I picked up a few tricks while I lived with him. I still however to this day cannot beat him in SSB.
Hi Brett! So I have read a few of your stories throughout the semester and am a big fan of your Microfiction horrors! I also wanted to say that I have always wanted to try different martial arts as a fitness routine and wondered if you might have any advice on which you like best? I think it is cool that you are part of the Esports team here and love playing super smash bros myself. Hope your quarantine is going well and hope to see you in the virtual graduation ceremony!
ReplyDeleteHi Brett!
ReplyDeleteI loved reading your introduction and learning more about you. Fun fact, I am from Muskogee so I know Wagoner well! I love meeting new people from my corner of the world. :) Also, congrats on your engagement, I wish you and your fiancee well! I myself am getting married to my boyfriend of almost 4 years later this year, so I know how exciting it can be! Good luck in your last finals week and congrats on your graduation!