Going to a University is really scary. Like, hella scary, but it’s October so it’s kind of expected. I started off my journey into adulthood going to a community college for two years. This was mostly because I had a lot of anxiety whenever I thought about leaving my family and living on my own. Even though I have worked through my anxiety, I don’t regret this decision since it was a great way for me to ease into being more independent. After making it through those first two years, I decided to transfer to Stephen F. Austin for several reasons. First off, my sister graduated from SFA in May 2018 so I felt like I had a great resource for any questions I may have. I am also here with my best friend in the entire world which sometimes is the only thing that makes me happy.
Photo By Amanda Lyons
Although I am constantly surrounded by students and supportive people in my dorm, there are days I feel agonizingly alone. On the first weekend after class, I called my dad to fill him in on my first week of class. We had a great conversation and it was mostly positive, but I knew I wouldn’t be happy until I went home. Every weekend since I go through a phase of being extremely homesick. Every time I explain this to someone, they always say the same thing. “You just need to find a group you like” or “Why don’t you hang out with so-and-so from highschool?”. Well, it’s not that easy. I consider myself an “Extroverted Introvert” which by my definition means I prefer to be by myself, but I can be social when I want to be. I also didn’t have many friends I felt I could reach out to that also went to SFA. I know I can always count on my best friend, but she has her own life, and I can’t just follow her around like a puppy dog. Because of this, I had a lot of problems trying to find an organization on campus that really spoke to me.
Screenshotted from SFA Her Campus Instagram
My goal when searching for a group included a couple of things. I was interested in joining a group that would allow me to be me, a group that has a strong and supportive community, and a group that represented something that I believe in. One night my roommate was talking about how writing for HER Campus had a therapeutic effect on her life. I have never considered myself a writer but being a part of an online newsletter entirely run by women made me feel like I could do it without being judged. Before committing to anything, I attended one of the weekly meetings. At first, I didn’t know what to expect, but I quickly realized how incredibly diverse and encouraging these women really are. As a very tall plus-size woman, it’s hard to feel comfortable, but for some reason it was easy with the HER Campus gals. I felt like all ideas could be heard and discussed without belittling each other. I am so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of something so unique and encouraging.
Since being here at SFA for almost two months, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. I was constantly afraid of being “annoying” while trying to find a friend to do something with, even if it was just getting lunch. Since then, the anxiety I created around different relationships seemed to disappear while my confidence and overall trust in my abilities grew and continue to grow. Being a part of such an empowering organization has only strengthened these qualities in myself. I cannot wait to see what the future holds, and I hope that you find something that helps you the way HER Campus helps me.