--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first got to college, in my mind…" description: "\"When I first got to college, in my mind, I was going to end up playing professional football. When I tell people this story, they always end up laughin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/jovan-adepo-25096_american_when-i-first-got-to-college-in-my-mind-i_66570.jpg" --- # When I first got to college, in my mind, I was going to… ![“When I first got to college, in my mind, I was going to end up playing professional football. When I tell people this story, they always end up laughing, and I chuckle about it at my own expense. I was a big fan of American football; I played in high school, and I ended up earning the opportunity…” quote by Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/jovan-adepo-25096_american_when-i-first-got-to-college-in-my-mind-i_66570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/jovan-adepo-25096_american_when-i-first-got-to-college-in-my-mind-i_66570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aed/jovan-adepo-25096_american_when-i-first-got-to-college-in-my-mind-i_66570.jpg) > “When I first got to college, in my mind, I was going to end up playing professional football. When I tell people this story, they always end up laughing, and I chuckle about it at my own expense. I was a big fan of American football; I played in high school, and I ended up earning the opportunity to play in college.” [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker recounts a youthful ambition to become a professional football player, now viewed humorously as a misjudged dream, highlighting how expectations shift over time. **In simple terms:** A past dream now seen as a funny miscalculation. Key Takeaway Ambitions evolve; humor softens hindsight. Themes self‑reflection humor career expectations identity growth Mood nostalgic light‑hearted reflective Type personal anecdote humorous confession When to use this quote - talking with friends about past goals - career counseling sessions - motivational talks for students Key Concepts personal narrative sports culture college experience Practical Applications - illustrating the unpredictability of life paths - using humor to ease discussions about unmet expectations Questions to Reflect On - What does this story reveal about how we view our younger selves? - How can humor help us accept changed trajectories? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-football/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [High school](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-school/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) ## Related quotes > [My parents always raised us with the idea of having college in mind. You sort of need a college education. It's part of life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ringwald/my-parents-always-raised-us-with-the-idea-of-having-college-in-mind/) [Molly Ringwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ringwald/) > [By the time I got to college, mind expansion had lost its appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tucker-carlson/by-the-time-i-got-to-college-mind-expansion-had-lost-its-appeal/) [Tucker Carlson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tucker-carlson/) > [I wanted to go to a good college, and my mind was set on Wellesley.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjory-stoneman-douglas/i-wanted-to-go-to-a-good-college-and-my-mind-was-set-on-wellesley/) [Marjory Stoneman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjory-stoneman-douglas/) > [“Tell him my girl comes before football. Tell him my girl's breakfast comes before football.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/tell-him-my-girl-comes-before-football-tell-him-my-girl-s-breakfast/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [The best thing about college football, to me: You can tell when you're on campus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-ponder/the-best-thing-about-college-football-to-me-you-can-tell-when-you-re/) [Samantha Ponder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-ponder/) > [Ozil is a quality player, and he really enjoys playing football. I always tell him to enjoy it and not get too worried about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-sanchez/ozil-is-a-quality-player-and-he-really-enjoys-playing-football-i/) [Alexis Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-sanchez/) > [There'll be a little metal fleck in the football, so you can tell for sure whether the guy with the ball got over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tex-schramm/there-ll-be-a-little-metal-fleck-in-the-football-so-you-can-tell-for/) Tex Schramm > [I was a New York Jets fan growing up. My dad said I used to sit there at a very young age and watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/i-was-a-new-york-jets-fan-growing-up-my-dad-said-i-used-to-sit-there/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [You've just got to have it, man. Like, in this game of football, you can tell when you look at film who's more passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierre-paul/you-ve-just-got-to-have-it-man-like-in-this-game-of-football-you-can/) [Jason Pierre-Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierre-paul/) > [I was set to go to Oregon to play college baseball and football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harmon-killebrew/i-was-set-to-go-to-oregon-to-play-college-baseball-and-football/) [Harmon Killebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harmon-killebrew/) > [If you play college sports, it's not like you have to - the next step in your career is another sport. You don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lashley/if-you-play-college-sports-it-s-not-like-you-have-to-the-next-step-in/) [Bobby Lashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lashley/) > [Being 5' 10, I was supposed to be too short to play college volleyball. So that gave me the hunger and the fire to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-altice/being-5-10-i-was-supposed-to-be-too-short-to-play-college-volleyball/) [Summer Altice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-altice/) > [My plan always was to play college football, hope to get a few snaps in and then go on to medical school. As I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-cousins/my-plan-always-was-to-play-college-football-hope-to-get-a-few-snaps/) [Kirk Cousins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-cousins/) > [Well, if I hadn't have been an actor I would have gone on to play college sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-manganiello/well-if-i-hadn-t-have-been-an-actor-i-would-have-gone-on-to-play/) [Joe Manganiello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-manganiello/) > [I was supposed to be too short to play college volleyball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-altice/i-was-supposed-to-be-too-short-to-play-college-volleyball/) [Summer Altice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-altice/) ## More by Jovan Adepo > [I want to have a lengthy career. I want to play interesting characters. I want to tell beautiful stories, complex stories, deep stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-want-to-have-a-lengthy-career-i-want-to-play-interesting-characters/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [I felt that politics was one place where I could possibly have a career in arguing, debating, and getting to write papers. I almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-felt-that-politics-was-one-place-where-i-could-possibly-have-a/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [You may not understand your parents' interpretation of love and what they think is best for you, but you have to trust it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/you-may-not-understand-your-parents-interpretation-of-love-and-what/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [Denzel had made it apparent that he wanted me to bring my own interpretation of 'Cory'. I was definitely aware of Courtney B. Vance's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/denzel-had-made-it-apparent-that-he-wanted-me-to-bring-my-own/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [Denzel, one of the biggest stars in the world, comes into town, everybody knows about it, and they're ready. They got lawn chairs outside,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/denzel-one-of-the-biggest-stars-in-the-world-comes-into-town/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [I've seen such great material, and now I'm more picky with the type of jobs that I take because it's gotta be there. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-ve-seen-such-great-material-and-now-i-m-more-picky-with-the-type-of/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [For me, as an actor, it's always about getting out of my own way. I can put so much pressure on myself to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/for-me-as-an-actor-it-s-always-about-getting-out-of-my-own-way-i-can/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [When you're younger, you're trying to understand and make sense of what your parents are trying to instill in you, which is ultimately life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/when-you-re-younger-you-re-trying-to-understand-and-make-sense-of/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [I moved to California in 2011 to be a writer. A family friend told me to take acting classes so I could do commercials…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-moved-to-california-in-2011-to-be-a-writer-a-family-friend-told-me/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [I've always been a fan of movies well before I got involved in the industry. 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My mom was born in London, and my dad was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-was-raised-in-maryland-my-mom-was-born-in-london-and-my-dad-was/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [I'd done plays in middle school, done some for the church in high school, but I had no intention of ever being a professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/i-d-done-plays-in-middle-school-done-some-for-the-church-in-high/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [All young men can relate to that moment where they have to - or, rather, attempt to - stand up to their dads with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/all-young-men-can-relate-to-that-moment-where-they-have-to-or-rather/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) > [The first time I mentioned publicly that I had known Viola for some time, many people took it like Viola got me the job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jovan-adepo/the-first-time-i-mentioned-publicly-that-i-had-known-viola-for-some/) [Jovan Adepo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) [Explore all 23 Jovan Adepo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jovan-adepo/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. 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The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I first got to college, in my mind, I was going to end up playing professional football. When I tell people this story, they always end up laughing, and I chuckle about it at my own expense. 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