Rio Nicholas - Remembrances

Excerpt from Sigep scholarship essay by Jimmy Snyder, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Co. Spring 2003

...But there's more to being balanced: Juggling your other activities and making time for a healthy social life. Rio was a person to know; I find people everyday that knew him for his great personality. I admire how Rio was known so w ell for such good reasons in such a short time. I've learned from Rio to become acquainted with different types of people, not restricting myself to one clique; which goes along with staying balanced in all facets of life.
Two memories of Rio stand out in my mind. Each semester the older guys douche( soak with water) all the new Sigmas in one massive forty-man brawl. I was being carried out onto the front porch (where the actual douching happens) by the older guys when Rio came charging in to help me out. We knkew the odds and obvious outcome, but neither of us were about to give up an inch. We fought a great battle, actually managing to get a couple of the older guys soaked. Granted, it ended with us sopping wet, lying in puddles on the front porch freezing in the cold night air but too exhausted to care. I thanked Rio, and he said, "You're pretty scrappy for a little guy", I grunted and told him I wasn't too little to kick his ass when I found the energy to sit up. We cracked up until we couldn't even laugh any more. We'd joke about who was going to show who up when IM soccer came. Because we both couldn't stand to lose and because Rio was a goalie and I was a striker we had some really fun spats. Sadly, I never got to play soccer with Rio, but to make it up to myself and Rio I keep the "losing is not an option" attitude both n sports and life. My time with Rio definitely taught me that quitting is admitting defeat, and whatever the odds you should be able to respect yourself and your effort afterwards.
The other time Rio's character really stands out was during our Halloween dance party at the house. I was bummed about a girl and was sulking while taking my turn watching the hallways. Rio was me all gloomy and sat down to take my turn with me; not caring he was missing out on the party. He helped me with his infinite wisdom and experience with the ladies (which it really seemed like he had at times). He could make you feel like YOU were a stud and could really help a brother pick himself back up and get back on the "playing field". Sometimes I feel like I can make it seem like Rio never left and make him live on by passing on that wisdom and compassion to other guys that are having troubles in that department. I do my best to help those guys out and give unquestioning of my time to a brother in need.
Humor has always been a strong point of mine; Rio always called it my "greatest weapon against the ladies' defense". Humor can keep a student sane at this school and allow him to remember the important things in life. I used to send huge joke lists to the house, but now I just put some in the minutes every week. Rio and I would discuss practical jokes, and I even used one Rio taught me. I hid an opened can of sardines in a guy's room, making him deal with the stench for a week until he tracked down the smell.
I know I'll never break away from the crowd as much as Rio did just because I'm not that rebellious. He never could convince me to get even one tongue stud, despite how much he claimed the ladies loved it....