Let’s face it; we’ve all been there: high school.
Did you wince while reading that? Or maybe you cringed back at your high school self and thought, “Wow! I’ve come a long way since then.”
In the movies, high school is portrayed as this glorious fairytale, especially among young women. The popular cheerleader dates the hot quarterback. They go to prom together and win prom king and queen. They live happily ever after within their high school cliques as they reminisce about their fantasyland. Seems perfect, right?
This is the dream that every little girl wants to achieve when they walk through the doors of high school. However, in reality, this is not the case.
It took me a while to realize that this so-called “dream” meant peaking in high school. My mom always warned me, “Don’t peak in high school,” and I was not sure what this meant until I actually experienced high school for myself. I realized that high school is certainly not the end-all-be-all. I worked hard, powered through it, and made the best of it. Senoritis really kicked in, and I could not wait to begin my next chapter.
TCU came along out of nowhere. I did not even consider going to a college so far away from my home in Richmond, Virginia. Once I kept looking into TCU, though, the more I started to fall in love. I slowly started adding more purple into my wardrobe and wore TCU flare around my hometown. If I had been this interested in a school without even seeing it, I knew that I had to go and check it out. Next thing I knew, I hopped on a plane with my parents to go to Fort Worth.
Stepping out of the DFW airport for the first time, I already felt so welcomed by the subtle Texas charm. I was surrounded by cowboys in tall boots, jeans, and wide-brimmed cowboy hats. Still in awe, my parents and I rented a car and made our way over to TCU’s campus.
After touring, I got the very feeling that everyone talks about when finding the right college. I felt seen as an individual and instinctively knew that TCU was my new home. As an indecisive person, I can confidently say that my choice to apply early decision was hands down the easiest decision that I have ever made. When I got accepted, I was on cloud nine. And, well, the rest is history.
Freshman year felt like a blur. If I could sum it up in one word, I would describe it as rejuvenating. Every day was full of newness and excitement (not to mention the amazing football season). I was surrounded by like-minded people who turned into some of my closest friends. I was thriving, and the world finally felt like my oyster.
Now, as a sophomore, I have continued to grow in countless ways. I feel like I found my bearings when it comes to navigating college life. I am continuing to surround myself with people who bring out the best in me. In the wise words of Michael Franti & Spearhead, I learned that the simplest thing you can do as a college student is to “work hard and be nice to people.”
College taught me that there is so much more in the world than silly little high school cliques. The best decision I ever made was going far beyond my comfort zone and finding myself. So, during this Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for TCU. I would not want to be anywhere else in the world except for Fort Worth, Texas.