Wednesday, June 23, 2010

An Experience Of A Lifetime

LEAD -- an acronym for "Leadership in a diverse world," "Excellence in all endeavors," "Achievement through academic success," "Diversity as a core value in education and society" -- is modeled after several successful programs designed to boost retention and success at other flagship research universities.


Lead is an experience in itself. The goal of Lead is to transition us from high school to college and to prepare us for whats ahead in the fall. But ive learned that and so much more.
Ive learned just to be myself and follow my full instincts. Ive built a friendship with this girl name Jasmine Hendrix and she's taught me many lessons in itself. Ive learned also that im the little fish in a big pond. That means to me that im not home any more and that its my brand new start. I dont want to burn bridges with people or even has that excess drama with me, its just not cool.


Ive had the oppurtunity to do so many things I wouldnt have imagine I would be doing. Lead has to took me white water rafting, 3 special dinners, the movies to see Karaate Kid and Toy Story 3(which was the bomb!!!), baseball games and even did community service. These all will be memories that I will cherish, things like this dont happen everyday for me so when I get the chance to do things I take them and run with it. My experience with white water rafting was life changing and so great. I wouldve never found myself doing that activiy. I even rode the bull, fell out the boat, and got to float around in the water, thats something I could never forget. Toy Story a great movie, might I add, told the happy ending of the toys! I SO CRIED LIKE A BIG BABY!! The community service was a great lesson and rewarding experience. Me, out of all people, I got the dirtiest and wasn't afraid to mess up m nails. I even designed the flower beds for them!!! With Leads help we changed a lot and made a big difference to them. I know all these memories will be the ones to stick by me.


What Ive Learned?


Ive learned a lot through this experience. I know it may sound repetitive but its true. Its know been 3 weeks and let me be the one to say they have been jammed pack. I promise you, ive had my reality check real quick. Ive learned things from friendships, relationships, people, school work ect. Lead gave me the opportunity and I'm appreciative it. I know now that complaining isn't gone change the situation so I have to take my lemons and make lemonade!

2 comments:

  1. What a great attitude! I was also proud of you both for the work you did at Tribe One for the Freedom Schools program. I know that Dr. Hill and the FS staff are very appreciative of all the time and effort you put in that day! And I saw you that weekend, so I know how dirty you got! Lol!

    The things that you mention you have learned from the UT Lead program are exactly the things that you were supposed to have gotten out of the program. Although you will have other great experiences in life and in college, you will never have another experience like this one. UT is not filled with other African American or minority students so make sure to take advantage of the friendships and interactions you have with others who look like you while you can. You all have to support one another and you already have an advantage over other incoming freshman because you already have an established network of friends! As you said...take the lemons that are your fears and anxieties about college and make them into lemonade! You are just that tenacious and spunky to do it!

    CNW :-)

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  2. Thank you for replying to my post first off. I feel so special :))

    Two..i will going to Ignite this weekend really helped open my eyes to what u where saying about not just being around African Americans because the school really is full of other people so i surely will do that

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