I arrived at Lander in August 2016, as a transfer student from Spartanburg Methodist College. If I’m being honest, it was the last place I wanted to be. Ever since I was a senior in high school, Winthrop University has been the school I’ve wanted to attend. I applied then and didn’t get in. I applied again and this time I got the acceptance letter. Only this time, I was “forced” not to go and Bearcat country is where I landed.
I remember during the first week I was miserable. Take that back, my whole first semester there was miserable. I literally woke up crying on the first day of class. I received my first F, ever, in a music class that I had no business being in, especially seeing that it was a 300 level class. Match that F with a D, and a couple of C’s and a B, that equaled academic probation. It was just a tragic time for the kid. But there’s something about Christmas break that refreshes me because when January came around, I was a new person, ready to hit the books. I started and ended the spring 2017 semester strong with an A, two B’s and two C’s. Ya girl was off of probation…for now.
I had to get out of my head that I didn’t want to be there. I started to wake up every morning, taking one day at a time. During the spring of 2017 semester, I joined an organization called UPC (University Programming Council) and being a member helped find my purpose on campus. Aside from UPC, I started my own organization called “Yeah We’re Different”. The purpose was to educate the campus on individuals with disabilities. It was an epic fail, so I ended up changing the purpose to any student that needed a place to belong.
My time at Lander opened my eyes a lot about who I was and who I was becoming. My mental health took a turn for the worst. I’m pretty sure I was depressed and l dealt with some kind of anxiety up until my last semester. There were so many days that I had to force myself out of bed to attend class and complete assignments. It got to a point where being around others turned into an accomplishment of the day instead of the enjoyment I had of being around my friends. I was dealing with wanting to know who I was supposed to be right then and there and the pressures and drama from home, not to mention relationships. It was overwhelming, to say the least. So many times, I wanted to call it quits.
It was Fall 2018, semester. I was enrolled in this class that I ended up dropping. The plot twist of me dropping this class was I’d have to push graduation to the Spring. I was upset in the beginning, but once I came to terms with it, I understood that everything happens for a reason. I needed to be there another semester to give my organization a good start. I needed the extra time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life post-graduation. I needed the extra time to work on myself.
During my time at Lander, I had both good and bad days. It was a roller coaster ride, one that I’d get back on. Maybe just without some of the crooks and turns. Just like Spartanburg Methodist College, I left my mark. They have an organization that I created. They have changes on campuses that I spoke up about that will come in handy for the next student that’s disabled such as, accessibility to the Bearcat Shuttle, access to hallways in the science building and access to the pool. I left there with an award and a couple of articles that I was a part of in the local newspaper, Index-Journal. I made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Academically, I struggled. I was on probation at least two other times. The motivation for me just wasn’t there anymore. But somehow, I found the extra push I needed to finish. On May 15th, 2019 I graduated from Lander University with my Bachelor’s degree in psychology. I thank Lander for the 3 three years they gave me. I learned a lot about the people around me, as well as myself. If you’re a current college student that’s is lost, confused and struggling, I want to tell you to keep pushing because once you walk across that stage to get that diploma, it all becomes worth it.
#stillRising
#stillRising 