(Gubbins, 2017)

The American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas, also known as Victory Park. The AAC is home to the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association and the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. The AAC opened in the summer of 2001, and is also a popular venue for concerts. The AAC holds some of my fondest memories. Many of my first concerts and basketball games were enjoyed here. I also went to my very first Disney on Ice at the AAC. For my first concert, I went to see Chris Brown, Lil Mama, Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, and Sean Kingston with my mother and sister in 2008. I also went to my very first NBA game at the AAC, to watch the Dallas Mavericks play the Houston Rockets in 2010.

The American Airlines Center is one of my favorite Dallas buildings. It is also my favorite venue for concerts. I experienced a lot of my childhood “firsts” at the AAC, and I don’t have one single bad memory there. I will never have a bad thing to say about the AAC, and it will forever have a very special place in my heart.

Globe Life Park is very important to me because of the memories it created for me, my family, and my friends. The stadium was unique for the MLB because it included a patch of grass in the center field stands providing it with a feature that ended up making the building iconic. Each time I drove to the stadium I would start to get butterflies. As soon as I would pass the entrance, the smell of hot dogs, funnel cakes, and sweats would make my stomach growl. Even though most stadiums around the league did not have roofs, Ranger stadium felt different because at night the Texas sky would create a distinct feeling of openness. This would make me forget about everything and just appreciate that I was in such a beautiful and captivating place.

One specific memory I had was when I was 9 at the 2010 World Series when the Rangers played the Giants. My brother had bought season tickets that year and had two tickets for game 5. We sat in right field and I will never forget how loud the stadium was on a chilly October Night. That night, along with the stadium, provided me with my first real experience of electricity in the air. Everything was on the line as the Rangers were down 3-1 in the series. The crowd noise was echoing off the stadium creating a deafening noise. Despite watching the Rangers lose, I owe a lot to that stadium because it brought my brother and I closer together and gave us a memory we will share for the rest of our lives.

(Staff Reports, 2020)

(Davis, 2020)

Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City, also known as Bricktown. Chickasaw is the home of the Oklahoma City Dodgers of Minor League Baseball, who are the Triple-A affiliate to the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball. The ballpark was opened in 1998. Because of my summer internship, I spent almost every day at the ballpark. I could flawlessly give you a tour of the ballpark, while simultaneously telling you fun facts that you didn’t ask for.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. I was able to work events such as Bark in the Park, Oklahoma Brewer’s Fest, Faith and Family Night, and so many more. I was able to meet amazing people like Shelby Kirkes, and the band Rend Collective. The experience and knowledge that I received in this building was invaluable, and I will forever cherish it all. This building will always be the place where I got my start, and will remind me who allowed me to get my foot in the door so that I could work in sports.

I always hated going to the dentist. For me, it took too long, the nurses were rough and hurt my teeth, and it always had a “sterile” atmosphere. It just seemed unnecessary to me. Every time that six month mark came around, I would dread the inevitable dental checkup that my mom would force me to go through.

The dentist office I would go to was called “Dental Depot” (There’s one in Norman, you might have seen it). It’s supposed to resemble a train station, fake train and all. There was even a model train that ran along a miniature track around the whole interior of the building near the ceiling. My understanding is that it imitates this design to appeal to kids and make it more accessible for them. While it helped, this did not work on me.

I appreciated the design of the building itself; I thought the train theme was very unique and interesting. Besides that, though, I still had a burning hatred for the dentist, and this design strategy did not aide me well; I was still going to have to wait in a dreary receptionist room, get my mouth poked and prodded at, and I’d still have to be lectured by the dentist about why I should floss. Overall, while it is a very interesting architectural design choice, it did not do me much good.

My passion for Computer Science started in my high school robotics club. In the club I got to be a part of a group that accepted me for being me. While we were not the most popular group we got to take part in some unforgettable moments. One of which is competing in the Grand Canyon University arena. Our team participated in the West FIRST Robotics Competition Regionals and there we got to play in the arena. It was in the heart of GCU campus and when college students were there too. This allowed us to get to see campus during school but also miss our own class. We won the 2016 competition, which was our clubs first regional win. This went down in history for our club and showed us a whole new side of FRC. We approached the next year’s competition with determination and a new drive to get back to the championship.

The arena offered a modern arena that I have not yet experienced. While the above picture does not look like much it is the exterior that provides a sort of beauty to it. When you are walking outside of the seats and the concourse, you will notice that during the day you can see outside. The front glass exterior provides a great overlook on the outside lawn and is near the concession stand. The lawn outside was always where my friends and I tossed around the football between matches as it provided a great break from everything inside the arena.

Gould Hall has definitely impacted me in a positive way. This semester is the first time I have had a class in Gould Hall, and I have really enjoyed it for a number of reasons. First, the exterior of the building is very unique and aesthetically pleasing, which one would expect for the College of Architecture. However, what I have enjoyed the most is the layout and lighting of the interior. Our classroom for this class is spacious with plenty of natural lighting. Other classrooms on campus do not have as much natural lighting, which is a shame. I think that I am more productive and can focus better whenever there are plenty of windows. I also like the study lounge in the building because there are plenty of nice tables and nooks to study in. Sometimes I will come before class or stay after just to study here.

The Basilica in Washington D.C. is an architectural work I’ll never forget. The first time I got to visit this Roman Catholic Church, I was only 12 years old. At the time I thought it was pretty amazing because of it’s size and artwork. Now as an adult I can appreciate the architecture even more and realize it is a structure that has had a major influence on me. The Basilica was built in the 1920s and is the largest Roman Catholic Church in all of North America. Besides it’s one large sanctuary, the Basilica contains a total of 80 chapels. The mere size of the church is what first sticks out me to me. While walking around inside the church, I felt as though every corner I turned led to a new room or hallway which made the church seem even larger than it appeared from the outside. Besides the size, it was the artwork that was so amazing to see. From the outside the church is a very neutral stone except for the bright blue tiled covered dome that immediately catches your eye. Inside the church, everywhere you turn there are incredible bright colored mosaics and paintings covering the walls and ceilings.

(GSTOP, 2013)

Good Shepherd Temple of Praise (GSTOP) in Fort Worth, Texas is where I spent most of my time growing up. My grandparents have served as Senior Pastor and First Lady for 29 years. I was born into ministry, and continue to serve. As a child, and even into my teenage years, my church schedule was as follows: Monday night service, Tuesday nights teaching praise dance, Wednesday night Bible Study, Thursday night ministering at the local nursing home, Saturday morning preparing the church for Sunday, and Sunday service. Many of the relationships that I hold near and dear were made in this very building. Even though I love this building and have made some of my fondest memories in it, I also resented it as I got older. In my “rebellious” teenage years, I no longer wanted to spend as much time and have as much responsibility within the church that I had always had. Looking back I realize how crazy the feeling of resentment was because I miss being able to go in that building whenever I felt like it, more and more everyday.

The church has continued to be built on, with the last changes in construction being October 2009. GSTOP is the sole owner of all of the land on the block, and even renamed the street to Good Shepherd Way. We have also recently opened a second location on the West side of Fort Worth, in order to efficiently reach more of our members. Overall, this building is hands down the most influential building in my life. If I had not ever experienced the love, family, and anointing within this building, I don’t know where I would be.

When it was built in 1931, the Empire State Building was the tallest building in the world. It wasn’t the tallest when I visited in 2011, but it’s captivating height and beautiful Art Deco design piqued my interest. It is the tallest building that I have visited since.

The building’s original purpose was to be the tallest building in the world, to captivate and inspire, and that it did. Almost the whole time of my stay in New York City, the building was in view or close to it. When we decided to visit the building and I walked up to the base and looked up, I was completely in shock. To me, it just kept going and going. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

The elevator ride up to the 86th was the longest one I’d ever taken; it felt like forever. However, the view at the top was well worth the wait! I could see the whole city and more in 360 degrees. It filled me with a sense of wonder and amazement being so high up above everything else; it made me feel free. Ever since then, I’ve had a fascination with tall buildings.

I tried to take a positive stance on every blog I wrote, but this building just can’t go without mentioning. The Physical Science Center on OU’s campus is a brutal symbol to every student on campus, representing the strongest academic woes of the university experience. The building was literally designed to be a bunker in case of riots. From the giant concrete walls to the foreboding sirens mounted at the corners, to the tall concrete and glass tower in the center, this building invokes a dread in me unlike any other building on campus. I have taken some of my hardest classes here; it’s where I got my first college B. It is a regretful building with harsh memories; I resent it.