College is a very different experience than high school and anything else I have experienced. Being able to attend college is truly a blessing and every time I step foot on campus I am overwhelmed with enlightenment. My first semester of college was a very challenging one. It was challenging in many aspects such as the workload, early morning classes and the work itself. I often felt myself becoming discouraged after receiving quiz/ test grades and also thought that I wasn’t good enough. Altogether, I just started to develop a negative mindset about everything I was being faced with. I remember hearing a quote that said, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you cant change it, change your attitude.” Instead of giving up, I began to change the way I thought. I decided to start thinking positively about my situation and took control of my life. I did very things that would allow me to reach a greater state of mind such as attending tutoring, meeting with my mentor every other week, and participating in the Black Student Union.
Within weeks of going to tutoring, I noticed that more of the material was sticking to me and most importantly, I was learning! I enjoyed tutoring very much first semester and its something that I will definitely continue to attend. Also, I made it a priority to meet with a mentor, every other week, which was assigned to me by the Success Mentor Program on campus to help me to be as successful as possible. This program really helped me because it allowed me to have a sense of community and it felt good to be checked on and encouraged by someone who cared more than just about my academics, but as well as my family, how I got along with my roommate, and how I felt about living off campus. Living off campus is not as difficult as I anticipated it to be. It has been a great experience actually, and I’ve met so many cool people in my community.
I also attend the BSU club on campus and it’s been a great experience as well. Each week the club meets together to talk and elaborate on pressing issues that are going on in the community, the nation, and even the world. I enjoy this club because I get to be around many people that are like me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for diversity, but I also feel its important to have the option of experiencing college with those I have a lot in common with.
Next semester I plan to continue attending tutoring and go to office hours more frequently than I did first semester. I think those two things are very important and is something that I definitely understand that I must be responsible for. So far college has been a really good experience and I appreciate everyone who has been so supportive in my journey. I thank the Scully Foundation tremendously for providing me hope and determination. I am also motivated to do the best that I can because I want to make them extremely proud. This is just the beginning of my journey, and I am very thankful for both the Edfund and Scully Foundation for allowing me to pursue my dreams and to experience a beautiful chapter in my life.
