Scott Backovich

Anyone who spends time with me knows that I enjoy my occasional visits home to see family and friends. After running around Long Beach and Los Angeles for any extended period of time, it’s always nice to slow down and enjoy the simplicity of my hometown. There is rarely traffic, essentially no need for a crowded public transportation, and the best home-cooked food that anyone could ask for. (more…)

With my third year of college well underway, I’m beginning to see myself settle into a very familiar routine:

Step one: wake up (after a few snooze buttons)

Step two: go to class for the day

Step three: homework

Step four: sleep.

(Eat a few meals somewhere in-between, and repeat). (more…)

Sixteen hours of driving solo characterized my weekend up to San Francisco for a conference known as Expert’s Academy. That’s SIXTEEN hours… one-six. One more than fifteen; one less than seventeen (sorry about that, ozone layer).

Now after only getting home a few days ago, saying that I’m exhausted is a huge understatement. And though I could spend endless blog space filling you in on my weekend and the lessons learned, I feel that it’s more appropriate to talk about something else…you. (more…)

As I continue to balance college and speaking, I notice many similarities between the teens I speak to and the students I attend class with.

A few weeks ago, I audited a speech-based class entitled Interpretive Literature. Essentially, the class consists of a set of 5 oral performances that are drawn from popular literary texts.  Though the instructor selects the text, it is the student’s job to take the written work and attach their own emphasis and emotion to it, bringing it to life. (more…)

I spent a few days this past week traveling to and from Arkansas for a Future Business Leaders of America district conference. I had never presented to any groups in The Natural State, so I was pretty excited to hang out with the students of the area for a while.

The day was definitely a memorable one. After speaking to a group of about 1,500 early Wednesday morning, I headed backstage to talk with a few students and administrators. (more…)

As I woke up this morning, I realized something out of the ordinary. The area on my computer which usually displayed the words “Page Not Found” had changed dramatically. What had been a vacant site was now filled with months of work, frustration, and finally, success.

After doing a small happy dance around my room (which oddly resembled the hokie pokie), I began to reflect upon the past few months that had led to the site being finished. 3 months of constant busy work, emails to mentors, and hours on the computer have characterized my summer away from Long Beach. (more…)