I was in a funk. My freshman year of high school had come to a tiresome end and had left me nothing but an uninteresting shell of myself devoid of motivation. Once I made the decision to attend a new high school for my sophomore year, I was beyond ecstatic and even anxiously awaited the days until the start of the semester. However, once my sophomore year began, I quickly learned that my high school would be shutting down due to a lack of funding to sustain the charter program. I was devastated and realized that I was exactly back where I started.

It wasn't until spring that I began searching for new high schools to attend-- a process that I was all too familiar with at this point. However, upon hours of searching, I found an opportunity that would allow me to be a full-time college student as a junior in high school at The Academy at West Georgia, and thus save two years of college. Immediately, I decided to apply and within weeks, I was notified of my acceptance.

In just three months time, I would pack my bags to live away from the comforts of home and start my life as an undergraduate at a university. I would no longer be considered a mere high school student but an individual with a major and countless opportunities ahead of me. The stakes were high, sure, but I was motivated to fit the label of a college student. As a result, I declared majors in film and psychology, participated in undergraduate research and wrote a couple of screenplays.

There's no denying that college is hard work. However, I'd be lying if I said that I spent the majority of my time surrounded by a barrage of textbooks in the library. To be completely honest, my friends and I would spend an absurd amount of time learning the lyrics to musicals, writing bad screenplays and arguing about what it means to be human. The sheer amount of camaraderie that I gained in one year alone seemed unmatched and much more paramount than any other high school or college experience.

For my senior year, I'm grateful to be returning to a place I call home at the University of West Georgia surrounded by passionate and hard-working individuals who have continued to help me grow and transform. Although I may only be here for a year longer, I will always remember the fond years of being an Academy student.