Once adjusted to Meredith I didn’t hesitate to jump into trying out all the school had to offer. By winning the election for vice president I met more girls from the class of 2012 than I thought possible. I discovered what Cornhuskin at Meredith College really was “all about” and did my part to be involved. I helped see Meredith College’s first habitat house go up and worked with MEA and my freshman class to plan events on campus. I declared my major in interior design and found out that students weren’t lying when they said that you will stay up all night for interior design projects. I learned how much it takes to put on a dance performance after putting in many hours of practice for an amazing and packed weekend of dancing. When I wasn’t stuck in a book, at a meeting, at dance practice, or in the interior design studios, I was with the amazing girls of second Barefoot. It seems that all the girls on my hall quickly “clicked” and became friends. I now have new life-long friends, like my roommate Megan Adkins, my future suitemate Jodi Von Jess, and my partner in crime Betsy Graves. That doesn’t even begin the list of amazing women who have touched my life, and taught me so much about myself. All of these experiences helped my fall more in love with Meredith College, Raleigh, interior design, and dance.
Because I wasn’t at home anymore, I felt that the relationships with those left behind or far away was going to be tested, and they indeed were. Some relationships lasted longer than others, but sitting here a year later I can say that I am so happy for each person from home that is still close to my heart. I left behind my Friday night football games and weekend long guard competitions, but still carry the memories I had with my “cheetah girls” and instructor Lynda. Amazing that after almost five years now, us “cheetah girls” still all keep in touch and remain close. The test of distance was also thrown upon my family as I left my home of eighteen years on Coble Drive. There my mother and father raised me into the young woman I am today. My parents and sister have challenged me to be stronger than I ever thought I could be, and achieve more than I ever thought I would. It is there support that got me through difficult times and now to here in Italy. My friends no longer resided in Laurinburg but in Raleigh, Wilmington, Greenville, Boone, and even across the country in California. Distance challenges friendships, but the ones that were meant to remain always do, and have for me. Being across seas from the ones I love presents a challenge, but also a realization that no matter the distance, true friends will remain.
Leaving home also meant leaving the church I grew up in. I was determined to find a Presbyterian church in Raleigh but the Lord had other plans in store for me. It was his plan for me to find the amazing community I have found at Vintage 21, a non denominational church in downtown Raleigh. The day that my friend Jodi took me to Vintage for the first time, I was scared about how I would feel. I left the church feeling renewed from the worlds that Pastor Tyler spoke, and still get the same feeling every Sunday that I leave Vintage now. Once I was in love with Vintage, I had to find a community group to be a part of. I was led to Hannah Mohr’s community group and the endless amount of love I have felt from all of them truly made my time in Raleigh even better. It was because of this amazing community that I have had a renewal in my faith. That same faith has gotten to me to Italy, and through hard days here.
Upon leaving Raleigh, and the amazing year of growth I had there, I was off for another adventure in the mountains o f North Carolina. Little did I know that I was about to meet many amazing people, and fall in love with the mountains while being at Holston Presbytery Camp. Because I had never even been to Holston Presbytery Camp, I was taking a big leap of faith to spend my summer there. I loved the camp, but more so the counselors I worked with and the weekends we spent together at my cabin in Blowing Rock. It was this summer that I learned how to relax and enjoy the beauty that surrounds me, because in any situation there is beauty. I found beauty in the mountains and in each person I met.
I took that lesson and brought it with me here to Italy. The mistakes I made, which led to the lessons I learned, which led to the choices I made, which led to this; the best decision I have ever made. Coming to Italy was a spur of the moment decision. Since my start at Meredith my study abroad mind set was for me to be in Africa somewhere, which I now know is South Africa. Because this opportunity in Italy sounded like one I shouldn’t let up on I chose to apply. After being accepted I realized “this is real! I’m going to Italy.” Each girl in the Palazzo Alberti was brought here for some certain reason, but one of those had to be to touch my life. I was worried to be away from my family and friends at home, but I have learned this is my new family. These girls are like my sisters, each here to teach me something. Dr. Webb and John Rose act as my adopted parents for the semester; here to teach me not only correct grammar, but many more lessons on life I am sure will be remembered for a long time. I am thankful for another year of life, another year of lessons learned, and another year of experiences to have had! If so many amazing things have happened in my eighteenth year of life, who knows the amazing things coming my way for year nineteen!
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