Meet Michael
Name: Michael McKissack
Hometown: Amarillo, TX
Major: Government
Minor: History
Expected Graduation: Spring 2009
What Better Place?
I looked at colleges all over the country, and after visiting UT, I just knew that I fit here. I’ve always been interested in politics, and I couldn’t have had a better opportunity than studying government 10 blocks away from the state capitol.
It Never Hurts…
Pledging my fraternity, Kappa Sigma, was an absolute blast. It provided me with a great group of friends and some memorable experiences that I will always remember.
I have a unique story in that I actually joined a Christian fraternity on campus before switching to a Greek fraternity. While the Christian organization wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, ironically, I made some of my closest friends there (including another guy who went Greek later).
I’m living proof that it never hurts to try things on campus—even if it ends up not being quite what you were looking for, there’s a good chance that you’ll make some good friends in the process.
Michael’s advice on…
Studying
The first thing to do is figure out whether music, talking, etc. bother you when you study. If you like a little noise in the background, the Texas Union, one of the Starbucks around Austin, or Spider House coffee shop are great places to go. If not, I’d recommend the Perry Castaneda Library or the Presidential Lounge in the Texas Union.
Personally, I have a lot of trouble staying on task and focusing if I study in my room—it’s too easy to find things to distract you.
Getting around
Avoid driving to or around campus if at all possible. There’s no free parking during the day, and barely any more at night. Traffic is always clogged, and it’s tough to avoid people on bikes or just walking through the street. The buses that run around campus and the surrounding neighborhoods are a great way to get around if you absolutely refuse to walk.
Help When You Need It
I’ve been very fortunate to be a part of the Liberal Arts Honors program, and I guarantee that my program advisor has been instrumental to my success in that program and UT in general.
I e-mail or talk to him any time I have a question, and he’s been an invaluable resource every time I’ve had to figure out what classes to take. His door’s always open, and I don’t feel like it would have been as easy for me to succeed in what I’ve done at UT if it wasn’t for his help.
More about Michael
Favorites
- Study location: Presidential Lounge in the Texas Union; Cafe Medici on West Lynn
- Place to eat: Texadelphia
- Class: LAH Reacting to the Past
- Books: The Cost of Discipleship, Moneyball, The Tipping Point
- Movies: Top Gun, James Bond movies, A Few Good Men, Memento, The Prestige
- Things about Austin: the Capitol; live music
Thoughts and Ideas
- The best unexpected thing that’s happened to me since I arrived was making so many close friends so quickly and finding people that are so much like me.
- The biggest challenge I’ve overcome during my time in college was dealing with probably the worst roommate in the history of roommates.
Fill in the blank: I can’t _______ without _________.
I can’t study without music.
E-mail Address: michael.mckissack@mail.utexas.edu