“Man, almost four years ago now, I was an eighteen-year-old homeschooled kid in Kentucky. I literally only left my house to work. I was blowing off my online classes and playing video games the rest of the time. It is crazy to look back and see how far I have come not only as a student but also as a person. I never took school seriously and only came to college because I didn’t know what else to do. All I can say now is that coming to Lakeland was the best decision I ever made for myself. I have made so many meaningful friends here, something that I didn’t have much of back home. I also found my passion in creative writing and hope to continue my education with an MFA in creative writing.

I came to Lakeland on a whim because I am a huge Packer fan, but that “dumb decision,” as my Kentuckian mom would say, literally changed the course of my life. If I had never met both Dr. Ligouri and Prof. Mortag my freshman year, I would more than likely still be undecided, or even more likely, I may have dropped out. I can’t thank these two professors enough for helping me find something that resonates with me. I also couldn’t be more grateful for my friends who have helped me get through some pretty hard times in my life. I still have one more year at Lakeland as a super-senior and am excited to see what new experiences come my way.” – Darcyn