Just stay home. It will cost less. You can go later. The classes will be just as enriching. Go somewhere local. You’ll be able to catch up. You won’t be able to do this on your own.
Some of these thoughts on college came from my loved ones, some came from within me; all the same, I was hesitant about the path that awaited me after high school. Heck, I had no idea how I was going to be able to afford college, not just financially, but emotionally. Leaving my little brother and sister at home, my newborn niece, my best friends, and my complicated but loving parents, seemed like a weight I would be unable to manage. I applied to one of the best engineering schools in the state of Texas and was accepted. All that was left was for me to decide to go. So I visited Aggieland for the first time.
My first time on campus felt like someone had taken me out of the shade: I bloomed. I was exhilarated to engage in meetings with advisors and tours and drink up all of the glistening, hot summer air across all of campus. My dad may have been wiped out by the end of the day, but I felt energized. Here, I could grow far beyond the extent I had at home. Here, I found a sense of independence that I had never before experienced, yet at the same time everyone I met was entirely eager to help their fellow Ag. I wanted to be a part of that “spirit that can ne’er be told.” I wanted to be engaged in the service and be surrounded by people driven to make the world a better place together.
The nightmares of drowning in debt and drifting apart from my parents, who did not have the chance to experience college, were still there after coming back to North Texas, but a rope of hope had emerged in my quicksand of fear.
Hatching out of this comfort zone, I took a leap of faith and accepted the pursuit of my engineering degree at A&M. And slowly but surely, the dialogue changed.
Create a new home. This will benefit you. Go now, and you won’t regret the friends you make. Get involved locally. You won’t be able to do this on your own but the good news is that you aren’t alone. Reach out, and someone will be there because we are the Aggies, the Aggies are we.
There are many opportunities within the College of Engineering for you to get involved. Find the perfect fit for you.
