Honestly, I won’t lie, I went to college for the experience! I was so eager to experience college life and all that that meant. I was so inspired by the TV show, A Different World and Facebook post from cousins and friends who were a little older. I saw how much fun they had but also how in their 4 years, they seemed to be more mature, cultured and cultivated by their experiences. They seemed cooler and I wanted that!
I knew my now sorority was for me, I wanted to make Christian friends. I wanted fun, wanted to party some, maybe even turn up a little (covers face). I wanted to see all that life had to offer me in those 4 years.
But honestly, I thought this was a bad thing; that it was bad that all I wanted was experiences. Everyone else seemed to know what they wanted, what they wanted to study, I mean, even what they wanted to do long term. I could talk a big talk about how I wanted to be an accountant but boy was I storying. I wasn’t passionate about it all, I wasn’t even good at it if you want the truth. But what I really knew was that I wanted to live, to be!
Well I became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. I helped Co-Found a campus organization, Civil Rights Activist. Through this, I protested issues I was passionate about and I worked on multiple community service projects. I took a trip to New Orleans to help rebuild the 9th ward that was effected by Hurricane Katrina and to my surprise, 10 years later, there was still so much work to be done. I sang with the Gospel Choir, I stayed in church, didn’t quit God because I was “free” from home. I even dibble and dabble in the dating/talking to people thing; so not for me but that’s a story, a blog for a different day, maybe even a subject for a book. I partied a little and learned that the club wasn’t really my scene but that I do like to get dressed up for ANY reason. I served others, made genuine friendships, and loved myself. I worked multiple campus jobs, learning the value of a dollar and I experienced some serious struggle days as a broke college student. But through these jobs, I learned professionalism and how to balance working with many different people from many walks of life.
And then, of course, I went to class. From Accounting to Business Management, finally landing in Mass Communications: Public Relations, I learned! I learned! I learned in classes from all 3 fields. I learned what was taught from the books and then I observed and interpreted certain things for myself. I learned to work hard, I know that much.
So in total, I learned from my experiences! Experiences in class, with my sorority, at church, in the choir, at work, in the club; I learned. My list of accomplishments may not be the longest but I experienced life and all that it had to offer in those 4 years and I wasn’t wrong. I graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communications: Public Relations and I came out cooler! My goal was to see what life had to offer, what it was going to teach me and well I soaked up every minute of it; it wasn’t a bad thing!
Life is all about perspective! I wasn’t wrong! Your goals, your dreams, the things that excite you in life; they aren’t wrong so go for it!
Cordelia Paris is Optimistically Maverick
CordeliaParis 