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Friday,
April 16, 2004 |
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Venture
outside the classroom
Co-News
Editor Crystal Forester
is a senior news-editorial journalism major from Fort
Worth.
I have
been a TCU virgin.
Until this year, I have never adventured outside the classroom
environment. I never ate at the Main, Edens or Sub Connection.
Although this may seem trite to you, they are things every
TCU student has to experience. I had not eaten at any
of the local hangouts, like Perrotti’s or Fuzzy’s
(which I still refuse to eat at because of the name).
I had never walked around campus just to take everything
in. I had never been inside the frat houses. I had never
been in a drunken haze with the TCU community. I had never
taken advantage of my professors’ connections and
knowledge, and even the “great” metaphors from
one in particular. I had never even been to the Pub until
this week.
I came to TCU from Texas Woman’s University two years
into my college life. Those first two years were the craziest,
so far, of my life. I definitely had some experiences
that I would not have had inside the TCU “bubble.”
The people I met at TWU helped me find my personality.
The friends, sorority sisters and teachers I had showed
me how to be a strong and independent person.
When I transferred into TCU, I felt excluded and almost
unwelcome, most of the time, because I didn’t find
my place inside the infamous bubble. I indulged in schoolwork
and my job. I never went out near TCU or Fort Worth, I
always stayed in Denton, my safety zone at the time. I
spent my first two years like this, not making close friends
at TCU, being very uncool and not myself.
Over the past year, I’ve started to find my place
inside the TCU bubble. The friends I have made are making
me experience TCU and the community around it.
During one of my first times recently, I was told I don’t
seem like the type of person who is worried about what
people think about me. But when I’m confronted by
people I feel are better than me, I buckle, which doesn’t
seem like me. Every day since then I have thought about
that statement, and I realized it is so unlike me to do
that, but I do. Although I have not fully found all of
my strength, I’m working toward that point.
During my first two years at TCU, I lost myself, but as
I have crept into the bubble I have started to become
more confident and comfortable with myself. I guess my
point is just to say “thank you” to everyone
who has helped me become myself again.
My advise to you is not to become engulfed in the TCU
bubble, but don’t exclude yourself either. Have the
wild and crazy times, laugh at yourself when you fall
down the stairs (everyone does at one point or another),
don’t let people tell you who you are or that you
can’t do something and most importantly, be comfortable
with yourself.
OK, here is my standard college statement. It is so true
I had to say it again: Make the most of your college experience
by getting involved on campus. The people you meet will
be friends for the rest of your life. |
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