OU Club of Houston Scholarship Recipient Emily Akins Steps Into Sooner Spotlight
Clear Lake High School product Emily Akins not only garnered a scholarship from The OU Club of Houston, but also earned a spot on the OU Pom squad.
She talks about her busy first semester at the University of Oklahoma
Q. How did you feel when you learned you were receiving an OU Club of Houston scholarship?
A. When I won the OU Club of Houston Scholarship I felt honored. I read the bios of some of the students that have received this scholarship in prior years and knew the standards were high. The scholarship and people I have met along the way are a huge blessing to my family and me.
Q. What was it like going off to college?
A. I left for Norman permanently on August 6th. The experience of leaving home was definitely difficult, but so far it has only helped me grow as a student and a person. Leaving my parents was extremely tough. I have a great relationship with both and they have always been my biggest support system. It has been a difficult but rewarding adjustment so far.
Q. You’re a member of the OU Pom squad. Talk about that experience.
A. I began working with the OU Pom squad April 21st….the day after I made the team! We had a big meeting where all the new members were introduced to all of the traditions and rules of the OU Spirit Program. There is an enormous amount of preparing to do for the season. Because the season is year round, we practice 4 times a week, every week. Although Pom Squad requires a lot of hard work, dancing for 80,000 people on the sidelines game day makes all of the early practices totally worth it!
Q. What’s Game Day excitement like from your perspective on the field?
A. Being on the sidelines for the first game was an experience unlike any other. It was a feeling of accomplishment because you work your whole life for an opportunity like this! It gives me so much energy to be doing what I love in such an intense setting. A moment that stood out for me was watching the football intro video on the big screen. It gave me chills because of how real everything became in that one moment.
Q. What courses are you taking this fall?
B. This semester I am taking a 12-hour class load, strictly because of my practice schedule. For the first semester, I decided to only take 12 hours so that I did not overwhelm myself with an impossible schedule and having 24 college credits from high school allows me to do this. I want to be able to be as successful as possible in the classes I am in. The biggest challenge for me in school is figuring out the different study habits that work best for each class. Each class I am in requires significantly different study techniques. My favorite class so far has been my Introduction to Ethics class. It is really interesting for me to read excerpts from famous philosophers and relate their opinions to everyday life.
Q. You got to take a Saturday “off” when OU played at Notre Dame. Were you able to enjoy your free time?
A. For our specific Pom squad, we only take 6 girls to away games. Girls are usually chosen based on seniority. Because Notre Dame is such a huge game, the 6 girls who were chosen by our coach were all of our oldest girls. I definitely wish I could have made the trip to Indiana, but it was exciting to watch my teammates and cheer on OU’s historic win over the Irish! As for the rest of my “day off,” I spent most if it studying, running errands…and napping!
Q. What’s your take on the recent controversy involving the OU marching band?
A. Since I have lived in Norman, I have learned that OU football fans are some of the most passionate fans I have ever met. My understanding is that this year, the Pride got a new instructor who decided to change up pre-game for a more modern sound. This really upset many of the fans because this school’s spirit is built on its many traditions, including the football pre-game. It is definitely different to hear pre-game now, but as an OU Pom member our team fully supports the band and whatever decisions they make. We trust that the decisions they make are best for the band, and the school.
Q. Anything else you’d like to add?
A. To everyone in Clear Lake; thank you so much for being an awesome support system! I had a great senior year at Clear Lake High School and can’t wait to have the best college experience thanks to all of you! The University of Oklahoma is the perfect school for me, and each day I grow to love it more! Thank you again for all of your love and support!
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