This is my first of many articles I will write as a creator for Odyssey at the University of Miami. Now would be a great time to introduce myself and share not only why I accept admission to UM, but how I believe I have found a platform to write my own stories and share my thoughts.
There are hundreds of colleges and universities in the nation, and each institution has hundreds of student organizations. So if you do the math, you know that there are thousands of roads I could have chosen, all of them would have been fun and exciting for this eighteen-year-old college freshmen. Who's tasting a new sense of freedom for the very first time. As my drive is set to begin shortly, I am confident I have found one with perfect harmony between attractions and distractions.
Growing up, I always thought ahead. Even as a little kid, I realized that if I ate my piece of candy right away, or spent that twenty dollar bill from grandma immediately after receiving it, like many kids would, I would be left empty handed later. I could not keep my mind off the future. As I slowly got older, I continued to act according to the future; as I went to the annual college fair at the local mall as an eighth grader, even when my older friends, two or three years closer to a life alert, told me that I was ridiculous and way too focused on gaining “useless” information for myself.
Who knows, maybe they had a point. Still I just did me, and ultimately, I don't regret diving so deep into the college search early on.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, “a long and eventful or adventurous journey or experience” is known as an odyssey.
I spent years on an odyssey, searching for a university, an adventure, trying to figure out which one was perfect for me. It was a blast. My family and I would travel to new and exciting places on all corners of the country, finding myself.
Then came May 2016, when I visited the University of Miami. Everything clicked, driving down US-1 and Ponce de Leon on such a warm, sunny, summer day, being greeted by the tall palm trees on Merrick Drive, and by the friendly tour guides inside the sparkling University Center. Seeing the beautiful Lake Osceola and Foote Green, the iconic “U” statue, the refreshing air conditioned Club Richter (whoops, I meant the library), and the wonderful lobby in the Hecht Residential College.
Conversing with the students also let me know this was the right place for me. They came from all backgrounds, many places around the country and even the world, and all followed their passion by finding something they could excel at on campus. When walking around the Comm School with my Dad and younger brother after the tour, a second generation Cuban student on the debate team took time out of his own day to show us around and make us feel welcome and familiar with the place. His knowledge was invaluable and if he is somewhere out there reading this, I want to thank him profusely.
I immediately put UM at the top of my list and applied Early Decision. Even if I got a full ride or close to that at any other school, I would have to waive the money and head south to UM, but I had to get accepted first.
When I got my decision email, my heart-pounding self-delayed looking at it for as long as I could stand, only about ten minutes. When I saw the word “Congratulations” written in big bold letters, I went to my room, looked in the mirror, and stared into the beaming face of a Cane! I'm not the one for screaming and shouting celebrations, but me and my family couldn't help but let out a few loud “wahoos!” I immediately went to Facebook and found the official class of 2021 group and began to meet my future classmates for the very first time. What an incredible feeling! Greatest feeling of my life, absolutely no question.
Just because I had found my school and ended my search did not end my odyssey. In fact, it is still just beginning. I have a roommate, friends made already, campus job applications already sent in, and a good idea of what I want to be involved in on campus for the next four years.
During my four-year odyssey, I am going to want to have a place to settle down, relax, and express my thoughts, opinions, and adventures to the tired eyes of college students across the country just like me, staring into their laptop screens at 3 a.m. because why not. I want to work with like-minded people who write not only to get A’s on papers but to unwind, share and tell stories about life's moments, challenges and adventures.
My odyssey will see me write articles for, you guessed it, Odyssey. I will be sharing my memories on the internet for the world to see, and I will meet lots of new friends from all over the country and world, who will become my family in my home away from home.
I have already gotten a warm welcome from the UM Odyssey team and I am excited and proud to begin writing with them.
Here's to the next four years and an odyssey of storytelling.