Brady Helmink Q&A
Posted: Monday, January 14, 2008
The Helmink family shows their Husker pride at a Nebraska football game last fall. From left is Fred, Kathy, Kenzie, Kylie, Brady and Kristen. (Submitted photo)
Students and their parents reflect on their first semester in college. Here are their comments:
Brady Helmink says ...
Q. How have you changed since college?
I think college has made me into more of an independent person. Some of that is forced upon you when you go off to college, but I have learned to function on my own. I feel that I have also grown in my Christian faith and have become more mature as a young adult.
Q. What influence do you see your roommates having on you?
Being around them every day, each roommate has a different effect on me. What I have found this year with Nick, Troy and Derek is that I can talk to each of them about anything. When I’m having a rough day, any one of them is there for me.
Q. What do you miss most when you’re away at school?
The thing I miss the most is the time I had to spend with my family. I consider myself a big family guy because I truly enjoy just relaxing at home on the couch, watching a movie with the family. I know it sounds cliche, but I love my family and am so thankful for the values and beliefs my parents have instilled in me.
Q. What are your hopes for the second half of the school year?
I have another busy semester coming up, with three labs. Plus, I’ll be playing basketball and in charge of Fellowship of Christian Athletes on campus. I hope to continue enjoying being a part of one of the best basketball teams Morningside has had in its history. As you know, we are No. 2 in the nation and 17-0. I’m also very excited to be able to watch my younger sister, Kylie, play on the Morningside softball team and can’t wait to see how she does this year.
Q. How do you factor into your parents’ lives at this point?
I am very close with my parents, and I seek advice from them daily. I have been blessed to have learned so much from them growing up, and that makes me want to continue getting encouragement and help from them. They are both huge role models in my life, and I have so much respect for them.
Q. What has surprised you the most about your college experience?
The thing that has most surprised me is how many people that I have come to know. I came to Morningside knowing that I would meet lots of people, but what I didn’t know was that I would make so many new friends. Sioux City is a fairly big-size town compared to my hometown, a place in which I know mostly everyone, so I didn’t know how well I’d fit in here. But I found my place at Morningside, and everywhere I go on campus, I see someone I know and am friends with. And that is something that I truly appreciate.
Fred and Kathy Helmink say ...
Q. How has your student changed since college?
Brady has always been a very responsible young man, but since starting college he has grown and developed into an even more mature individual. He enjoys his independence but is also very appreciative of the value system his family helped him establish.
Q. What influence do you see the roommates having on him?
Coming from a family with three sisters and no brothers, Brady has enjoyed having other males to bond with and, as he puts it, “do manly things with.” We think they have mostly been a positive influence on him, but it is our hope that he has also been a good Christian example and influence on his roommates.
Q. What do you miss most when he is away at school?
We miss having him around home and being able to talk to him face to face about any issues or problems he has. Now that his sister, Kylie, has joined him at Morningside, it is quieter at our house and we miss all of their activities, noise, friends and sibling interaction. His father also misses not having another male around the house, as when Brady is off to college, the females outnumber the males three to one.
Q. What are your hopes for the second half of the school year?
We hope that Brady continues to work hard at his studies and at basketball and that both are enjoyable and successful experiences. Most importantly, we hope that Brady and his roommates continue to get along well and are considerate of each other. We often tell him that people won’t remember how many points he scores or what his grades were, but they will remember how you treated them.
Q. How do you factor into his life at this point?
We are very close to Brady and our other children and talk to him nearly every day. We want to be a big part of his life without interfering. We trust that this relationship will carry on throughout his life, that we will continue to be positive Christian role models for him.
Q. What has surprised you the most about his college experience?
Probably the most surprising thing about his college experience is how quickly it has gone. Brady is a junior and is now thinking about his future career in pharmacy and applying for graduate school. It seems like only yesterday he was starting high school.
Brady Helmink says ...
Q. How have you changed since college?
I think college has made me into more of an independent person. Some of that is forced upon you when you go off to college, but I have learned to function on my own. I feel that I have also grown in my Christian faith and have become more mature as a young adult.
Q. What influence do you see your roommates having on you?
Being around them every day, each roommate has a different effect on me. What I have found this year with Nick, Troy and Derek is that I can talk to each of them about anything. When I’m having a rough day, any one of them is there for me.
Q. What do you miss most when you’re away at school?
The thing I miss the most is the time I had to spend with my family. I consider myself a big family guy because I truly enjoy just relaxing at home on the couch, watching a movie with the family. I know it sounds cliche, but I love my family and am so thankful for the values and beliefs my parents have instilled in me.
Q. What are your hopes for the second half of the school year?
I have another busy semester coming up, with three labs. Plus, I’ll be playing basketball and in charge of Fellowship of Christian Athletes on campus. I hope to continue enjoying being a part of one of the best basketball teams Morningside has had in its history. As you know, we are No. 2 in the nation and 17-0. I’m also very excited to be able to watch my younger sister, Kylie, play on the Morningside softball team and can’t wait to see how she does this year.
Q. How do you factor into your parents’ lives at this point?
I am very close with my parents, and I seek advice from them daily. I have been blessed to have learned so much from them growing up, and that makes me want to continue getting encouragement and help from them. They are both huge role models in my life, and I have so much respect for them.
Q. What has surprised you the most about your college experience?
The thing that has most surprised me is how many people that I have come to know. I came to Morningside knowing that I would meet lots of people, but what I didn’t know was that I would make so many new friends. Sioux City is a fairly big-size town compared to my hometown, a place in which I know mostly everyone, so I didn’t know how well I’d fit in here. But I found my place at Morningside, and everywhere I go on campus, I see someone I know and am friends with. And that is something that I truly appreciate.
Fred and Kathy Helmink say ...
Q. How has your student changed since college?
Brady has always been a very responsible young man, but since starting college he has grown and developed into an even more mature individual. He enjoys his independence but is also very appreciative of the value system his family helped him establish.
Q. What influence do you see the roommates having on him?
Coming from a family with three sisters and no brothers, Brady has enjoyed having other males to bond with and, as he puts it, “do manly things with.” We think they have mostly been a positive influence on him, but it is our hope that he has also been a good Christian example and influence on his roommates.
Q. What do you miss most when he is away at school?
We miss having him around home and being able to talk to him face to face about any issues or problems he has. Now that his sister, Kylie, has joined him at Morningside, it is quieter at our house and we miss all of their activities, noise, friends and sibling interaction. His father also misses not having another male around the house, as when Brady is off to college, the females outnumber the males three to one.
Q. What are your hopes for the second half of the school year?
We hope that Brady continues to work hard at his studies and at basketball and that both are enjoyable and successful experiences. Most importantly, we hope that Brady and his roommates continue to get along well and are considerate of each other. We often tell him that people won’t remember how many points he scores or what his grades were, but they will remember how you treated them.
Q. How do you factor into his life at this point?
We are very close to Brady and our other children and talk to him nearly every day. We want to be a big part of his life without interfering. We trust that this relationship will carry on throughout his life, that we will continue to be positive Christian role models for him.
Q. What has surprised you the most about his college experience?
Probably the most surprising thing about his college experience is how quickly it has gone. Brady is a junior and is now thinking about his future career in pharmacy and applying for graduate school. It seems like only yesterday he was starting high school.
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