Hey Homegirl,

As you may know, I have lived in Spartanburg my whole life. I knew girls who went to Converse and friends who attended undergrad at Converse, but honestly in the 17 years that I’ve lived in Spartanburg I knew very little of the school that would eventually become my home.

I chose Converse a week before my high school graduation. For those of you who know, the college process is a struggle and it’s an even bigger struggle when you don't know where you going to school weeks before you graduate. Every time I would be in a big group setting I would do everything I could to avoid the uncomfortable question of where I was going to college. In that last month of high school I was CONFUSED. I hate being confused especially when it comes to my future.

On my visit to Converse, I realized this was the place for me, honestly for one main reason.

It felt great to be a woman. I did not come out of my tour hating men or anything like that, FYI. I just felt a huge sense of honor to be around such educated, successful, and genuine women.

Even though I had realized Converse was the school destined for me I still was uneasy about it. I was uneasy, because three years ago I had already picked the college I would be going to, but a month before graduation I would realize that was not the college God wanted me at and sometimes God’s plan for our lives isn't what we expected and that makes us feel uneasy.

Soon enough orientation would come around in June. Other than the meetings we had to sit in for hours in uncomfortable chairs it completely assured me that Converse College would be my home.

Why? because…

1. I met six other girls that literally made orientation 100 times better. Quick S/o to Casey, Hailey, TA, Erica, Hannah, and Kelsey.

2. I realized that I’m going to school with DIFFERENT girls. When I say that I don’t mean like weird or anything rude. I mean I’m going to school with girls that have different values, different opinions, different styles, and come from different families than mine. I totally dig that. I don’t want to be around people who are all like me.

3. I left orientation empowered. I felt proud to be a woman. My educators and fellow classmates made me feel like I could do anything I wanted to in this “Man’s World.”

I’m so glad I can look back on the last month of my senior year and even though it was hard, scary, and uncomfortable God was seeing me through it.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.” Isaiah 55:8