I’m pretty sure that staying in Miami for college wasn’t exactly written in the stars for me, but here I am. All sarcasm aside, my first year of college was actually extremely exciting. Community college, unfortunately, has an unshakeable stigma. However, I have been presented with life changing opportunities through my Honors program at Miami Dade. The Honors College at Miami Dade is meant to enhance academics, global perspective, and leadership skills. The program gives a little more time at home to anyone who feels like they are not ready to move onto a four-year university, while saving money. Of course, money is an extremely crucial part of college. As a student in the Honors College, classes are paid in full for the fall and spring semesters. You also receive a stipend for books and resources on top of any other scholarships you are awarded.

The hardest part of my year was adjusting to my new life/commute/friends. As most native Miamians know, Miami Dade College has several campuses, and I was sent to North Campus in North Miami. For me, that was the equivalent of going away for college-minus all the fun perks. I had no previous friends in this new school, so that meant I got a whole new fresh start, which further meant my rise or downfall.

For the first few months, everything was somewhat routine: waking up, almost getting crashed into TWENTY SEVEN times on the Palmetto, going to class, then coming back home. But then, school started getting interesting. I began to see my program for what it really is, a catalyst for success. Miami Dade College prides itself as one of the most successful transfer institutions in the nation. Thus, they want their students to continue their Bachelor’s degree at a university. Most students in the Honors College later transfer to out-of-state universities, many of them include Ivy Leagues. This is the reason so many special opportunities were presented to the students. For example, we got to experience the King of Spain and Secretary of State, John Kerry, deliver their speeches live.

Another ingredient that is crucial to the Honors College’s recipe for success is leadership. Honestly, at one point I froze in anxiety of just hearing the word, but I am glad it has been strictly implemented. At the Honors College, I learned that it is not the leader that is most important, but the first follower, which is something I never considered. Being the first follower shows signs of leadership because that decision to stand alone with only one other person and accomplish something, attracts others to do it as well. Before the Honors College, I did not see myself as the leader or even the first follower, I’d be more of the5^th follower who makes sure the plan is fool-proof. Now, I see myself actually attempting to make changes in areas where I feel there should be action taken.

When it comes to the cons, I only have one complaint: F.O.M.O (fear of missing out). I usually forget that I actually am in college because it feels like extended high-school. Sometimes, the idea of staying home gets to me because I see all my friends via Snapchat constantly partying; it's like my life is at a pause while everyone lives it up. Having such a close-knit group of friends scattered all over the country can take a toll on my stress sometimes, but we manage to regroup the occurrences in our daily lives.

However, I am so lucky that I found a good group of friends in my current school who have made staying in Miami worth it. They understand my struggles because they are experiencing the same struggles simultaneously. With only two years with each other, we understand that there is no time for ingenuity.