Just to let you all know, and some of you will laugh and say NO WAY! I was such a baby when I first left home and went away to college. After I first thought of this topic, I reflected back on why I was so homesick. This was my first time away from home. This was my first time away from my parents and this was the first time away from my best friend. My best friend, Robyn, was a total nut. She wants to claim that all the things we did together were my idea. I would have to agree with her on some of them but not all of them. Maybe the one where we skipped school, went back to my house, smoked some stuff and then went to play a basketball game. I was fine but Robyn actually scored a lay-up for the OTHER TEAM.
I remember my RA Debbie coming into my room after about a week of totally crying because I missed everyone so much and tried to guide me on how to live away from home. I had a bunch of high school pictures up, my class picture, all 660 of us, and a bunch of pictures of my friends. Well we took those down, just for now, I was told. They never went back up though. That helped for about a day and then I called home and I remember the conversation I had with my dad as if it happened yesterday.
Here is how it went: Hi, honey, hi dad, What is wrong? I just miss everyone so much. Well, I know but softball will be starting soon and that will keep you busy. Yea but..... and that is when he became the man I had known all of my life. He then went on to say, if you want to come home and go to school at Prairie State Community School, I am sure we can arrange for that to happen. Well that stopped me fast in my tracks!!!!!
I did not want to go to Prairie State. I did not want to live at home and listen to my parent argue. I did not want to give up my scholarship that meant so much to me. I was finally proud of myself for getting into a college and being able to get a softball scholarship. Just to let you all know, my high school years were not the best, by any means. I struggled in school ALOT.
This also meant a lot to my parents. I was the last one to go to college and we were all very fortunate to be able to have some scholarship to help us pay for our schooling.
Back to topic, I ended up sucking it up, started practicing with the team and learning how to really study. Another amazing feat for me was to finish my first semester with a 3.8 out of 4.0. That was incredible!!!! I couldn't wait to get home for winter break and show EVERYONE how well I had done first semester. Let me give you a little back ground on this subject. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia when I was in the 5th grade. What did this mean to me? It showed me that I was not stupid. It showed me why I was struggling so much in school. It allowed me to understand why I was reading 3 grade levels behind my class. There is no wonder with that, if you skip whole paragraphs, it is a little hard to comprehend the material. So when I went back home for the first break, I went to my high school and thanked the special education teachers that took the time to teach me to believe in myself. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of LONG days and even LONGER nights with my parents that helped me get back up to speed.
What was the turn around from high school to college? I truly believe it was because I was 8 hours away from home and I could not get in a car and drive home, whenever I felt like it. It made me study, work hard and enjoy the time away from home.
Playing college softball was a huge motivator for me, no doubt. I don't think I would of been able to handle 4 years of college without that as my outlet. Thanks Columbia College, you helped me be the person I am today.
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