UComm's Dave Blanks interviews Appalachian State University students to find out what they are thankful for. The episode features heartwarming mountaineer moments, joyous exultations as well as a cardboard cutout of Mr. Worldwide himself, Pitbull. Now you have to listen!

Dave by the Bell

Sometimes fun, sometimes serious podcast of impromptu conversations with students and Appalachian State University’s own Dave Blanks.

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Transcript

Dave Blanks: Hey folks, what's up? I'm Dave Blanks from University Communications, and this is Dave by the Bell. A podcast where I interview App State students. It's Thanksgiving season, so we're asking students what they're thankful for. Let's do it. Let's talk to people on Appalachian State's campus, come along with me.

Olivia Morgan: I'm Olivia Morgan, and I'm thankful for Savannah Stewart. She's my best friend, without her I probably wouldn't be here.

Dave Blanks: Ah, what's great about Savannah? Olivia Morgan: She is the most non-judgmental person ever, and she's so supportive, and she's just always been there for me.

Shane Dolan: I'm Shane Dolan. I'm thankful for all the friends I've made this semester. I came here with nothing to my name and now I have so many people that I know and love.

Felicity: I'm Felicity. Well, I'm just thankful, grateful for life right now because I'm a senior.

Dave Blanks: Yes, you're grateful you made it.

Felicity: Trying to push through. Yeah, I'm pushing through. Thankful for that.

Dave Blanks: All right, what's your secret? How did you make it all the way to senior? Felicity: That's a good question.

Dave Blanks: You're asking yourself the same thing? Felicity: Yeah. I mean, determination, always pushing through. Telling myself that, you're almost there, you're going to get through it.

Summer: I'm Summer, I'm really thankful to be able to get my education. So...

Dave Blanks: Nice. What are you studying, Summer?

Summer: I'm studying elementary ed.

Dave Blanks: Awesome. Where are you taking that?

Summer: I want to teach a little bit in America and then I also want to teach abroad.

Dave Blanks: Nice.

Ness Wells: My name is Ness Wells. I'm thankful for my friends, and my girlfriend, and they're all pretty cool.

Dave Blanks: Aw, very nice. So what's the secret to making friends in college?

Ness Wells: Well, I'll tell you the way I made most of my friends was with a life size cutout of Pitbull.

Dave Blanks: What? Mr. Worldwide?

Ness Wells: Mr. Worldwide 305, yes. My entire floor collectively got it and that has brought us all closer together.

Dave Blanks: I love it, that is the best secret I've ever heard. Ness, thank you so much.

Ness Wells: You're so welcome.

Dave Blanks: We're going through the free expression tunnel and it's echoey.

Chase Reynolds: Oh yeah! You can't interview in here.

Trianna Trower: I'm Trianna Trower. I'm thankful for my dog.

Dave Blanks: Tell me about your dog.

Trianna Trower: His name's William and he's two. We have the same birthday.

Dave Blanks: It's a pretty formal name. So, when's your birthday?

Trianna Trower: January 30th. I usually get him a little puppacino.

Dave Blanks: Oh yeah?

Trianna Trower: And a pup cake pop.

Steven Cromartie: I'm Steven Cromartie. I am extremely thankful for all my friends, specifically my close ones who I can talk to about anything, because school is very stressful and they have gotten me through a lot. I Just really appreciate everything.

Grey Taylor: I am Grey Taylor. I'm thankful for the community here. I'm from Georgia, and so I didn't know a lot of people coming in, but the community here is very good. They're very open to whoever you are and just to being friends.

Maddie Patrick: I'm Maddie Patrick. I'm thankful that we live in a really beautiful world and that we're blessed by so much beautiful nature. And a lot of the time I don't think humans appreciate all that we have. And so I'm just really thankful for all that we were given.

Dave Blanks: How about this day? Right? Maddie Patrick: I know, the weather's so pretty. I love it. There's not a cloud in the sky.

Dave Blanks: I'm glad you're outside doing something cool. All right. Well back to your slacklining.

Maddie Patrick: Oh, thank you.

Dave Blanks: All right, thanks Maddie.

Drew Neill: I'm Drew Neill. Well, I'm thankful for this beautiful campus we have. Walking to campus in the morning here, I see people, the University landscapers here and I actually really appreciate them. I don't think they get enough love.

Kylie Venticinque: Yeah. I'm Kylie Venticinque. Oh, yes. I'm thankful for Boone, I'm so thankful for Boone. It is so beautiful here and it makes me so happy and I'm very grateful.

Josh Velazco: I'm Josh Velazco. I'm thankful for my new family here, at AppState.

Dave Blanks: Yeah?

Josh Velazco: Yeah.

Dave Blanks: Are they right here? Are these some of them?

Josh Velazco: Some of my family are here.

Dave Blanks: Together that are lingering far away from the microphone? What else are you thankful for? Aside from these guys? Josh Velazco: Just to live life and have the opportunity to further my education, so yeah.

Dave Blanks: Absolutely.

Dave Blanks: Hey, excuse me y'all?

Maura Coldiron: What's up!

Dave Blanks: Hey, what's up?

Maura Coldiron: What's up!

Dave Blanks: I'm Dave. I work for... What's going on? I work for University Communications. I have a podcast called Dave by the Bell where I interview students.

Maura Coldiron: Ask me, ask me.

Dave Blanks: Yeah. Oh, wow. Y'all are the greatest. Can I ask y'all all questions from here on out. Just be like, "hey, doing another podcast, so I need you to be outside"... That sandwich is huge. Holy it's enormous.

Lindsay DeAngelis: It's literally the best thing ever.

Dave Blanks: Did you get it on campus? Lindsay DeAngelis: Yeah, I got it at Central.

Dave Blanks: All right. So what is your name?

Lindsay DeAngelis: My name is Lindsay DeAngelis.

Dave Blanks: All right, and Lindsay, what are you thankful for?

Lindsay DeAngelis: I'm thankful for all my friends I've met here at app state. I'm thankful for my family, the roof over my head. Shout out Bowie Hall, and my boyfriend and food.

Dave Blanks: It's a lot of stuff to be thankful for. I appreciate that.

Lindsay DeAngelis: I love my life!

Dave Blanks: Your friend is thankful for her enormous sandwich. Who is this right here?

Anna Capanola: My name is Anna Capanola.

Dave Blanks: And Anna, you can't say your sandwich, what are you thankful for?

Anna Capanola: Other than my sandwich, I'm really excited to go home and see my extended family for Thanksgiving. Because I haven't seen them in a year and a half.

Dave Blanks: Cool, and lastly the most outspoken one when I approached, who is this?

Maura Coldiron: I'm Maura Coldiron.

Dave Blanks: All right, Maura. Spell your name for me.

Maura Coldiron: M-A-U-R-A is like Laura, but with an M.

Dave Blanks: Coldiron, C-O-L-D-I-R-O-N.?

Maura Coldiron: Yeah. It's like an iron that doesn't work!

Dave Blanks: That's funny. What are you thankful for?

Maura Coldiron: I'm really thankful for my parents and I'm really thankful for all of my friends because they have gotten me through a very rough time this semester.

Dave Blanks: Aw. Hey, Happy Thanksgiving, y'all.

Maura Coldiron: Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you, have a good one.

Dave Blanks: Excellent. Hey, I'm so thankful for everyone that let me talk to them for this Thanksgiving day, Dave by the Bell. I appreciate you all. We will do it again. I'm Dave Blanks. This has been Dave by the Bell.

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About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.