The Kentucky Governor’s Scholar Program is well-known around this area and if you are fortunate enough to receive admittance into this amazing program, I implore you not to take it for granted. I can honestly say that this summer changed my life and who I am so much. I know that sounds scary. You wouldn’t think that five short weeks can affect your life in so many ways, or maybe you have no desire to change. But please, just keep an open mind about this program. I attended GSP in 2013 at Bellarmine University and was fortunate enough to meet some of the best individuals in my life. When I received my acceptance letter, there was a part of me that just wasn’t looking forward to sitting in a classroom for another five weeks. I expected the focus to be on the academics and to learn an enormous amount of information about a subject of my choosing. I couldn’t be more wrong. I took a class on journalism and mass media, led my Mel Coffee, which proved to be an absolutely amazing look into a world I had never experienced. My other “class” was contemplative practices, aka meditation. Trust me when I say I am not the meditating type of person. I cannot touch my toes without some pain and the thought of yoga and other similar activities was frankly terrifying. Though the class wasn’t always my cup of tea, I got to make a complete fool of myself in front of other students who were just as scared as I was. I came to absolutely love these class periods and the other students quickly became my close friends. It was hard at first to be open about trying some honestly weird practices, but I learned so much about being a free spirit and being willing to try anything. Learn from me and accept the activities your teachers will try to get you to do. I promise it’s all worth it, no matter how weird you think it is.
For anyone who attended the Bellarmine campus, we all know about the word “community.” Honestly, we were all incredibly sick of hearing it after the five weeks were over, but it really did describe the environment there. We were a community of learners, a community of friends, and a community of students ready to try something new. We created an environment that loved learning, and not just learning for a grade. We were all happy just to try something new and see how we did. It didn’t matter if we excelled; there was no pressure to be the best at everything. I tried ball-room dancing (not a good thing for me), meditative practices, new sports, brand new card games, quidditch, and so much more. I gained an experience to explore who I was and who I wanted to become, without the pressure of my parents or friends at home. Being without my cell phone for five weeks, which I know probably sounds terrifying to you right now, gave me quite a refreshing feeling. It allowed me to focus completely on my experiences at the program, rather than the latest gossip from home. I was challenged to think in ways that I had never thought before and to try different things that were way outside of my comfort zone. I learned to be the best version of myself and will always value our little community.
Our community gave me some of my best friends. The relationships you will make here are ones that will last, and I promise they’re some of the best you can ever have. For anyone who knew me before GSP, you know that I was incredibly shy. I hated social situations and couldn’t stand the thought of not knowing anyone in a room. It was honestly terrifying the first couple days. I was forced to ask strangers if I could sit with them at meals, and attempt to find a group of friends to click with. This forced me to learn to trust myself and trust random strangers around me. These strangers became my best friends, whom I knew I could tell anything to. In those five short weeks, I found people I could cry, laugh, and make a fool of myself with. I found people I could confide in about anything and everything and learned to embrace awkward situations and just let loose. I could talk about my group of friends for hours and hours upon end (ya’ll know who you are). We had some of the best times and some of the most downright awkward times. I can’t tell you how many times I played euchre in those five weeks (for those of you who don’t know, it seems to be a northern Kentucky card game). I wouldn’t trade those long talks, dances, card games, or attempts to try new sports together for anything. Though we all live at different points across the state from each other and attend colleges across the country, we still keep in good touch and I see most of them any time they are home. These friendships are beyond valuable and worth putting in the long distance effort. These intelligent individuals will always be there to pick you up when you’re at your worst and congratulate you when you’re at your best. Focus on friendships during this summer. Focus on finding that group of people who you want to tell your life story to. I promise you’ll find them and then ask yourself how you could have ever lived without them. When you do find them, don’t let go. They’ll be there for you forever and you will be able to share an incredible bond with them even after the summer ends. I wish more than anything that I could go back to this program, as I learned more about myself then I ever could have imagined. I made lasting friendships with other students who valued education and thought the same way as I did. Treasure this experience and embrace everything it has to offer, because trust me those five weeks go by way too fast.
