When I was younger, starting school was considered a travesty. It is the opposite of Christmas. Instead of getting presents, you get homework. Instead of rushing your parents out of bed, your parents are rushing you out of bed. Now, as I enter into my 2nd year of college the first few weeks of school are more exciting because I have no idea what to expect from each of my teachers, whereas with Christmas I will probably get some socks, a sweater, and maybe a new coffee mug. Thanks Santa. School is now exciting, mysterious, and a little nerve racking. I look at my semester and wonder what will be hard and what will be easy and just want to get started.

The beginning of the Jazz season is very similar. We sit here weeks before, wondering how our team will do. We can read over the schedule again and again, looking for signs of what might be hard, but the anxiety of not knowing how we’ll adapt won’t go away. We will be well prepared no matter what, but will that be enough? Just like each semester is different from previous one, each Jazz season is different.

I got most of work done last year by staying up late at the 24 hour Starbucks just around the corner from my dorm. Will that work for me again? I don’t know. Will Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams dominate again? Again, it is unclear, but I sure hope so. I just want the season to get started.