Mike Garcia

Growing the Creator 

Major: Electronic Media
Hometown: Houston, TX
Email: mdg157@txstate.edu

The tattoo quoted across Mike Garcia’s left arm reads, “Burn. Burn. Burn.,” as a homage to one of his life’s heroes, Jack Kerouac. The script across his flesh speaks to his spontaneous spirit and creative nature. 

Mike Garcia, 26.

Michael Daniel Garcia, 26, a student of Texas State University, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Media with a minor in History. Growing up five minutes from downtown Houston, Garcia was always creating fun times for himself and his friends. He was able to escape the big city on numerous road trips, though his trip to Yosemite will be his first time actually camping.  

When it comes to “escaping,” Mike finds joy in the journey. Noticing the little things, like taking time to throw rocks as far as he can across a fence at a rest stop and starting a chain reaction with friends that seemed so childlike.  

“It’s always something kid-like like that… just me and my friends throwing rocks like for a good solid ten minutes. And it’s never always throwing rocks,” he chuckles. “When I think about what my favorite moments about traveling, or you know going out, are those moments where you can reminisce and kind of just be okay with being a kid again.”  

While he’s anticipating finding those kid-like moments traveling through the wondrous Yosemite Valley, he is also envisioning the growth he will experience as a person. Garcia is looking forward to learning from two seasoned professionals as they mentor him through this journey.

“For the most part, I really want to see what comes out of this…” he says, “I really want to see exactly the outcome.” 

As for that Kerouac quote, the beginning reads, “the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved…” 

By: Audrey Renae Garcia 

arg136@txstate.edu

June 13, 2019