I gave myself one year. That's all.
One year to find out if attending college was truly what I wanted from my life. And what a year it has been. Before starting, I found every scare tactic on the Internet posted by people who just had horrid college experiences. I got so nervous sending in applications, wondering if I could do this. But I quickly came to realize the one thing these people had in common is that they did go to college. They would not have formed their opinions, one way or the other, of the "horrors" of college or the uselessness of an expensive university education if they didn't actually go. So I decided I needed to attend for one year. And I can truly say, I'm so glad I did.
From K-Week to my first football game, I felt right away that UK was the place for me. The campus seemed like a land full of opportunities. Almost on a whim, I got a job working for the student newspaper. Classes kicked off smoothly, and even in moments where I felt lost, I got lucky enough to be assigned to the greatest adviser ever, and she helped me figure out my life without melting down.
But here's why I'm really grateful to have spent my first year in Lexington. Over this school year, across the nation, students have been rebelling. Some for positive, life changing reasons. In other instances, like Oklahoma's SAE chapter's racist chant, rebellious behavior led to a group of men receiving a detrimental reputation and the closing of the chapter. And everyone knows about how University of Missouri's president chose to step down after allegations of him blatantly ignoring offensive actions against black students on campus were brought to light by a graduate student.
I thank God that UK is where I ended up. Not saying that UK hasn't had its share of controversies or racially charged issues. It just seems that our students and administration were so much more willing to work towards a suitable end-goal.
A group of black and African-American students addressed issues black students face on campus by approaching UK administration with a list of grievances. On the top of that list were things like the lack of minority representation in UK’s faculty. The students sat with President Capilouto, were well received, and though they have yet to see any of their problems completely fixed, there has been a promise of change.
When the daughter of the publisher for the Herald-Leader wrote a letter to the editor about how black students should be more involved on UK’s campus, Kentucky Kernel writer Lee Mengistu gave the clapback of the year, telling Ms. Friday that we simply did not need her to speak for all. It wasn’t a heated argument on Twitter or an anger-fueled post on Facebook. It was an educated black woman showing another educated black woman that she could grow by listening. That’s the kind of environment UK encourages and that’s the kind of people that attend this college.
So thank you, UK and Capilouto, for being open-minded in situations where others would see only complaint and whining. Thank you, to our BSU, Underground Perspective and the LSU for showing me that this campus can, in fact, be diverse. Thank you Kentucky Basketball, both men’s and women’s, for giving me a season of sports I’ll never forget.
They say your first year is the hardest, but I don’t have any complaints yet.
Go Big Blue!
