It has been an amazing year filled with late nights, good grades, and funny memories out with friends. I don’t think I can imagine my freshman year any different. College was, at the same time, what I expected and not what I expected. In the beginning, it didn’t really sink in that I was at this esteemed university. But as midterms and then finals came creeping up, I knew then that this was not like those days in high school, where I can get by just looking over my notes, and I’d be good to go. I had to form study groups, study late into the nights, create flash cards, and so many other skills I had not had to do before. But midterms and finals weren’t as daunting any more, when later in the year I discovered a major that highly piqued my interest. It was perfect – Human Biology and Society. It was a mixture of life science and social science, and had a Public Health related focus, a field I’m slowly gravitating towards. In the beginning I was unsure of what I really wanted to do. I wanted to go to college, but then what? All these questions were zooming through my mind – what would I study, where, what, HOW? Fortunately, I have received support from so many people – emotionally, mentally, and financially. Programs such as Summer Search, Gooden College Connection, and Edfund provide me with that extra support needed to get through tough times at school. Scholarships such as the Irene Scully Foundation and the Retired Educators Fund continue to support me in my studies today, allowing me to worry less about my financial situation and more on my studies and future. Instead of having to take up more hours for work, I’m able to take up internships and do better in my classes due to more time dedicated to studying. In the beginning, I was lost and confused, but throughout the year, I was able to discover what really interested me, which in turn led me to the field that I hope to have as a career in the future — public health. Without the support of my family, friends, mentors, and of course the scholarships that I will be forever grateful for, I don’t think I could have had a better freshman year of college. I want to thank everyone who has allowed me to get this far, and who will continue to support me in my future endeavors. Thank you!
