A month has passed since I have written my last post. And what a crazy, fun, busy and interesting month it was. I think back to the beginning of April and how sure I was that Miami was not for me and nothing was there to make it worth staying. After only one month, I am afraid of losing what I found during that last month.
But why should I sit here and worry about a decision that has been made, it can't be undone now. When I made my decision, I had no reason to stay at Miami. I was driving home because I couldn't even be comfortable in my room because my awful roommate. And I was just plain sad at everything I was missing being at Miami and having no one there to share with.
How can one month change my whole idea of Miami and almost make me regret my decision? It really sits in the hands on two people who completely changed my experience at Miami and if I would have met them before my second semester, there is no doubt in my mind that I would still be a Miami student. I owe these two individuals for every good memory I have of Miami. I am forever thankful for the friendships I made with them and the fun times we had.
However, I remind myself that these two will always be my friends. There is no doubt in my mind that I will see them over the summer and next year, so it's not like I'm losing them. At least I can walk away from Miami now and say that I am happy I went there because if I hadn't met them, I probably would say it was one of the worst decisions I made.
But since I can say I am happy that I spent two years as a Miami student, I want to reflect on what I did learn as a Miami student:
1. I learned what it truly means to be independent. When I was in high school, I loved to say that my independence was part of who I was, but I had no clue what that really was until my years at Miami. When you have no one else to rely on, no one to ask questions, to get your food and medicine when your sick, to go on a late night walk with, or to go to a campus event with, you learn what it means to be independent. You learn to not care what others think so that you can be able to continue living and enjoy life regardless of if you're the only there without a friend. I learned that if I want to do something I can do it on my own and have just as much fun. And I learned that taking care of myself, getting my questions answered and going on with life even if I feel like death is upon me, may be a part of life that I can't escape any time soon until I get married and my husband is contractually obligated with God and me to take care of me until death.
2. I also learned that I do not care enough about what others think of me to be a rich person. I will never be able to waste my money on brand name clothes when I get complements on my Walmart jacket all the time. I would much rather shop in my clearance sections of Target and JcPenny and find $2 shirts than buy clothes to try to look like everyone else.
3. And finally, I learned that people do not know who I am until I tell them, so I need to be outgoing so people don't confuse me with just another person who has been blessed in life. While yes, I know I have been blessed many times throughout my life, I have had my fair share of struggles to overcome to get to where I am today. I have learned that my story is definitely unique and I have a right to tell it before being thrown to the side as just another middle American girl.
Miami has left me more confident about who I am as a person. I am sure that I am a good person with the right ideas and morals guiding me through life.
Now as I go to BG, I already have more friends waiting for me there and I have a life back at Miami that I will always be able to share. I was asked by someone what I will say when people ask me later in life where I went to college. I answered that I will say that I went to Miami and then transfered to BG because I think it shows exactly who I am. I love trying new things, embarking on a new adventure and going after what I think is best for me. I am a person who really wants to live life without regrets and I know I would have always regretted not seeing what BG had for me.
So here I am, ready to start a summer at home with my thoughts on what I have left behind at Miami and what BG has awaiting me. I already know I have friends in BG and a position to write for the entertainment section of the BG News, which is better than Miami already! All I have to do is put myself out there at BG, it has the laidback environment I'm looking for so I know I'm going to fit right in.
I just hope I can make up my two years I lost at Miami and still feel connected with my class at BG. After going to Ash's graduation, I was thinking about all the memories of Miami that I won't be able to share with BG students when we graduate. Like the George Clooney, Ryan Gosling week and Green Beer Day!
I don't know what I will think in the future, but all I can do now is look at what I'm excited for at BG (the list is endless) and remind myself that my Miami friends are only a couple hours away and I know I can make the trip to visit them any time and be welcomed with open arms :)
So here's to the end of another school year and hello to a summer of endless fun because BG will just be a continuation of the good times about to begin...
