Returning Home

by Brett W., Panther Blogger

This summer, I spent almost the entirety of the time from May 1st to August 26th back home with my family in Richmond, Virginia.  I attended a couple classes at the local community college to pick up a few credits when I could, and worked a couple jobs in retail and the restaurant business.  Living with my parents and my three younger siblings, life at home this summer was hectic yet boisterous.

Yet after my seeming four-month vacation to visit my family back in Richmond, in late August, I was able to finally return home.  Starting my third year here at Ferrum College meant that I was finally considered an upperclassman and that was something I could not wait to take advantage of.  First off, that means that in my upper-class 300 and 400-level classes, I am no longer seen as the weird freshman taking harder classes.  It means that now I am on my way to being at the very top of my major and having the feeling of all that is under my belt is incredible.  Second, after four months, I FINALLY got to see my friends again!

Going through high school, everyone kept telling me that the friends you make in college you make for life.  Being the moody teenager at the time, I shrugged it off thinking "yeah right, college is not going to be any better than high school."  Well, three years later, I can easily and honestly say that everyone was right.  I have made friends in this short amount of time that I know will last forever.

Third, and maybe even better than seeing my friends again this year, is that Ferrum is a community where as an upperclassman, I can finally be myself.  Going through high school was a mix of being told who I was supposed to be and struggling to figure out who I really was.  Coming to Ferrum was probably the best decision of my life because now, three years later, free from the pressure of everyone telling me who I am, I have finally figured it out on my own and can be supported and thrive in this beautifully small, private campus.

It isn't all rainbows and sunshine though. Being an upperclassman comes with a lot of hard work and new responsibilities, such as being an Active Sweetheart in the sorority Zeta Chi Epsilon, as well as being on the Executive Board for the Ferrum Greek Council, and all the other plethora of activities - including the Boone Honors Program - that being a successful, involved college student requires.

I cannot wait to see what this semester and year have in store, but I know one thing:  it'll be something to never forget!