For the past four years, I've called the city of Lexington and the University of Kentucky my home. People always ask me how did a girl from Ohio make her way down to Kentucky? It's a simple answer really. When I walked on to campus in 2011, I fell in love with the campus. That night, I got to experience a UK football game for the first time and though we are not the best at football, that didn't stop the dedicated UK fans to sit in the cold and pray that a win would happen. It would be another 2 years until I got to come back the Big Blue Nation and that's when my decision would be decided.
Lucky for me, my high school gave seniors a skip day to allow us to look at colleges. My dad had already scheduled an appointment with Ohio University, hoping that somehow and someway I would stay in state. He had times set up for me to meet potential professors as well as another tour. The day before we were set to go to Athens, we got the call that Obama was coming to OU's campus, which meant that we would have to go to OU another time. My dad then said, "Well, guess we can go to UK then?" It was very last minute obviously and we had no appointments set up. That didn't stop UK though from giving the best impression.
As we arrived on campus, I actually got to experience campus with busy students running around and actual warmer weather. I was already accepted into the program I wanted to be in, which helped the day run smoother. My dad said why not give it a try and see if we can talk to someone about the program in the Grehan building. Without even an appointment, the UK faculty set me up with a professor that was probably the sweetest southern belle I have ever met. She discussed how close they get with their students as well as bragged about how the program is making a huge change within the college. The big part for me was that she hugged me when I left. My dad and I walked out of the visit and he immediately said, "You are going to UK, aren't you?" With a smile and laugh, I told him yes and there was no way he was going to change my mind.
Now going flashing forward to four years with this university. I went to this school not knowing hardly anyone, but when I say that southern hospitality is real, I mean it's real. It does exist and I've loved every moment of it. While here, I've had a few hardships but that just made me stronger and more determined to succeed. It was nice coming to a college where I wasn't judged with who I hung out with in high school or have high school parents saying negative things. I had a fresh start here and a whole new city at my fingertips.
Though I'm not a true Kentuckian at heart and I still don't say y'all, UK has changed me as a person. The people I've met, the organizations I became involved in as well as the internships I had here. No matter where are I go, UK will always be home and I will always bleed blue. Thank you UK for the great run. I will miss you dearly and you will always have a place in my heart. Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat,