Final Reflective Essay
“Everything has seasons, and we have to be able to recognize when something's time has passed and be able to move into the next season.” –Henry Cloud
I’ve always been fascinated by the seasons, particularly how the earth can move through completely different stages in such a short amount of time. I am also amazed over how each season has a set purpose and defining characteristics that can be compared to nothing else. For example, I can think of no sight more beautiful than when my family and I drive up north for an Ohio State football game in the middle of October and witness the miles and miles of fall leaves sporting their beautiful colors of red, yellow, orange, and brown. A few weeks ago, I was reading my Bible and stumbled upon a verse from Ecclesiastes that reads; “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven.” After reading this verse, I realized that life too has its seasons, and this past fall, I entered one of the most monumental seasons of life: college.
I like to think that my journey through the “college season” began the summer before my senior year of high school when I first toured my top two colleges: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Clemson University. To say I fell in love with each school is an understatement and, in my mind, I would be preparing to attend one of those schools the following year. In essence, I would consider this phase of my journey the “summer”. I was care free, optimistic, and my future seemed perfectly laid out in front of me. Then the “fall” came and changes that offset my plan began to take effect. I was deferred from both Chapel Hill and Clemson and while I was slightly nervous, I still had hope of being admitted at a later time. Little did I know, an icy “winter” was in my near future when, after being waitlisted multiple times from both schools, I finally made the decision to abandon my dreams and look at other universities. I was devastated, but, as always, God knew exactly where I needed to be and allowed me to transition into my “spring”, a time of new hope, rejuvenation, and rediscovered happiness, when I toured the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
You can guess where my story goes from there; I fell in love with Charlotte for many reasons. For starters, the campus was breathtaking and only a short forty-minute drive from my home and family. Students on campus seemed friendly, and I could picture myself making Charlotte my home away from home. God continued to open the door for me at Charlotte when I was accepted to both the University Honors Program and the Leadership Journey Learning Community. In addition, my best friend was also accepted to Charlotte and we had the opportunity to be suitemates. The Charlotte door was wide open. All that was left for me to do was walk through it. From the moment that I did, I can honestly say it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made as my first semester at Charlotte has helped me to begin to grow into the individual I was meant to be.
While many changes accompanied the start of my college career such as moving away from home, being separated from some of my closet friends, and, of course, an insane amount of work, my first semester has been nothing short of wonderful. God has blessed me with amazing suitemates and other friends who are some of the kindest individuals I have ever met and who encourage me in my walk with Christ. In addition, I have formed strong bonds, developed leadership skills, and had the opportunity to challenge myself academically through the Leadership Journey Learning Community and the University Honors Program. Through both programs, I have also had the opportunity to partake in life-changing community service events such as the Charlotte Dance Marathon and various events with the Center of Hope in Charlotte. These volunteer opportunities have reminded me how blessed I am to have the life that I do through seeing others who are not as fortunate. By working with individuals from both of these organizations, I have realized I want to enter a career field in which I am making a constant difference in the lives of others; thus, I am considering becoming a teacher or a psychologist. I have also had the opportunity to explore the UNCC campus and Charlotte area through events such as City As Text, Venture, Pilot, and Wellness Passport.
When I look back on my first semester of college, it is astonishing to think of how, like the seasons, I have changed in such a short amount of time. As cliché as it may sound, I truly have found myself in college. I can say that for the first time, I feel 100% confident in who I am as an individual. Through my classes, involvement in various organizations on campus, meeting and becoming friends with diverse individuals, and being pushed to discover what I want to do in my life, I have begun to take the next steps that are preparing me for the future seasons of my life.