Moving on to Bigger and Better Things
There comes a time in most high school graduates’ lives to
move out, and go off to college. For me, this reality came all too soon. Going
off to college, was an exciting, yet nervous adventure. I wasn’t sure I was ready
to leave behind everything I had known for the past 18 years, and start all
over.
Basically, for as long as I could remember, it had been just
my mom, dad, and I at home. My older brother, Ryan, had died at the mere age of
9 from an asthma attack, when I was only 5 years old. From that moment, my
parents and I had become very close. We relied on one another heavily. Unlike most, when
the time came to decide on where to go to college, the choice was quite easy
for me.
I had always known since I was little that I wanted to
attended Ohio Northern University. My dad was an alumnus of ONU, and loved
it. Also, the university was the perfect distance from home, only 40 minutes. I
loved that I could get away and experience living on my own, make new friends,
yet those who mattered most were still very close. However, there was a small
amount of doubt and fear inside of me. I was so nervous about sharing a small
space with someone, since I had never done that before, and I also wondered if
I would make new friends, as great as the ones I had made in high school.
Looking back now, after finishing my first semester here at
Ohio Northern I can’t help but laugh at myself. I constantly wonder what I was
so worried about, and how I thought I couldn’t make new friends. College
provides you friendships that will last a lifetime, and experiences like no
other. Life is short, and every piece of our past, is just a stepping stone to
get us where we are today, and for that I am very thankful. I can’t wait to see
what this semester and the following three years have in store for me. One
thing is for certain, I am ready for bigger and better things to come my way.
My condolences for your loss! Your explanation of the close relationship you have with your parents reminds me that it is important to focus on the positives amidst the presence of tragedy. Additionally, I felt quite nervous about my first year of college too. It was uncomfortable to know that I would be away from my family, friends, and (at the time) girlfriend, but I knew that Ohio Northern was the right place for me to begin the next chapter of my life. Now as I am nearing the completion of my second year here, I find myself looking back and wondering what I would have done if I did not make the decision to come to this place that I enjoy so much!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear that you love it here and that you're ready to take on the challenges of college! I know exactly what you went through when you first came here. I am not always the most outgoing when it comes to meeting new people, so I knew it was going to be a challenge. I am also very close with my family and I'm close enough to them that I actually followed in my older sister's footsteps on coming here. The first day of meeting everyone I only knew her, and she literally threw me into the crowd of band people that I was going to be spending two weeks with and left me to be by myself. I am so very thankful that she did. I met my best friends the very first day of being on campus. I would love to say congratulations to you on finishing your first semester and I really hope you continue to love it at ONU!
ReplyDeleteThat's so inspiring! I mean we have the same name so of course I like to hear what you have to say! I am sorry for your loss, but that is so great that you are close with your parents, because now a days a lot of kids are "too cool" to be seen hanging with their parents. I am so glad you like it here, and I know you have a bright future ahead!
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