This is the current place/building that I live in. It’s the Beta Theta Pi house in Norman, Ok. It’s located at 800 Chautauqua Ave.  It was built in the year 1928. This place is special to me for many reasons. It holds a positive influence on my life.  First I want to talk about the house physically. This house sleeps, eighty guys and one house mother. The house in the front is my favorite part. The six pillars are very cool looking to me. Something that also makes it better is that each of those pillars stands for something, as well as the six steps in front of those pillars. Many people always say it looks like the White House, but I think that is only because of the pillars. Another very fascinating thing about this house is that it is registered as a national historic landmark/place. Anyways, this place holds a special position in me. The people who I have encountered from this place has had an impact on me. I have learned from them, many have become close friends with me, and I have also taught them in ways as well. This place has also given me opportunities that are hard to explain over typing on a computer. My first encounter with this house went like this, “Woah, this house is awesome”. I still hold that view of the house every time I look at it, and it reflects the people who live inside it. They are all awesome.

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is located in Berkshire, England and it is the largest occupied castle in the world. The construction began in 1070 with timber, and it was replaced with stone in the 13^th century. Windsor castle remains a working palace, and the Queen still spends time during weekends. It is considered one of the biggest residence in the world and has about 1,000 rooms. The castle looks resistant and durable but at the same time it is elegant and beautiful. When I first saw this castle, I was overwhelmed by the size of the castle. I loved the castle so much I went back the next day.

Neuschwanstein castle

Neuschwanstein castle is also known as the Disney castle and it is located in Schwangau, Germany. The construction of the castle started in 1869 for the king and when the king died, the castle was open to the public for tours. The castle was under renovation, so I did not get to see one side of the castle, but the castle was still massive and beautiful. I was so happy to finally see the castle that inspired the Disney castle. The castle was so beautiful, I didn’t want to leave.

In my home town of Rockwall, Texas there is a courthouse I pass by sometimes that I really enjoy the looks of. I’m very conflicted by this courthouse because the outside of it is beautiful but the inside seems like a really inefficient use of the space. The outside has these greek pillars and the building looks huge and very impressive. But once you come inside, the center of it is hollowed out and looks very nice but it seems like such a waste of space. The rooms are very small and it just seems like an overall mistake with designing the building. I really think that this courthouse is an interesting building but I can’t help but be annoyed by the inside and it’s waste of space.

Anne Frank’s House

Anne Frank’s house is the most memorable building I’ve ever been to. Knowing the stories of Anne Frank, I was depressed before I got to the house, and I was even more depressed when I saw the rooms where Anne Frank hid. From the front view of the building, you would never guess there are hidden rooms in the back. I heard that because the building was surrounded by other buildings, no one suspected that there are hidden rooms in the back of the building. This is the most memorable building for me because the exterior looks like any other house in Amsterdam, but inside of the building, you can see how crowded the back rooms was, and the building has such a sad story behind it.

Founder’s Plaza at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is an observation area where you can watch planes land and take off. I use to go there weekly and still consider it my favorite “thinking spot”. There is something so relaxing about the openness of the area  while still being able to see the bustling DFW airport in the background.  You can also see the new terminal D being built which is exciting!

Bizzell Library

Bizzell library is where I spent most of my time while attending University of Oklahoma. The building was built in 1928, designed by the architecture firm Layton Hicks & Forsyth. I first encountered Bizzell during the campus tour, and I was astonished by the details and the size of the building. I like this building because it is grand, and although it was built a long time ago, it doesn’t look outdated. I have so many memories I made from the library, this building will be the first one to remember when I think of my years in OU.

When I visited Chania, Crete. I wondered upon the oldest lighthouse in the world, supposedly. It was built by the Venetians and renovated by the Egyptians. This structure has meaning to me because I had never seen anything like it before. I do not like to fly, so traveling this far was scary for me. When I think back to the emotions I was feeling when viewing this structure I cannot help but feel a little overwhelmed. The whole trip I was a little stressed out about flying back home. This structure is extremely historic in my eyes.

The first time I visited the Union was around the age of ten, while my brother still attended OU. At that time I had only every been in the Molly Shi Boren Ballroom and my favorite part about the whole place was the red telephone booth outside. Once I came here, I was able to learn more about it. Especially as a food worker and UPB member, I get to see places of the Union that are typically restricted to the public. One of the cool places is the “hidden” floor between the first and second floors where plenty of cleaning supplies are kept. It’s not pretty or fascinating, but the concept itself is pretty cool. There is also the really old giant elevator that requires special instructions to work. It’s super creepy but also very gross. The basement itself smells awful, but has plenty of stored supplies. The newer section of the building is the Conoco, which just happens to have completely no janitor closets in it, making it incredibly unfortunate for the janitorial staff. There is also a room in the actual clock tower that I hope to visit someday with Ms. Tontz. The Union also happens to have a minecart in the basement with a tunnel, my hypothesis is that it connects to Monnet Hall, but I can’t confirm this.

I have no personal experience with this house. That being said, the home located on Avondale Ave. in the Colonial neighborhood of Fort Worth, Texas has become oddly important in my life. This is a home that represents many of the goals in my life. It is a home that encompasses humility and prosperity in a fluid relationship. I used to drive by this house everyday on my way to school and would dream of living and raising a family in a house similar. It is a large two story house perched on a hill that has arguably one of the best views of Fort Worth. It has a beautiful front yard that is littered with wide oaks and simple landscaping. It is a relatively large house but nothing about it is obnoxious or showy. It is a humble house that seems to embody the spirit of Fort Worth. I strive to one day build a house that is similar in nature and for that reason alone this house is very near and dear to me. The home, locally known as the Minor House, was purchased by Texas Christian University and houses the active University Chancellor. The home is host to a number of parties and events and is well received within our community. I think that all homes that are substantial in size should be built in the way that the minor house was. It is elegant both by nature and by choice.