Going to college was always on my radar, but I thought I would be a surgeon or a chemist one day. I spent years of my life wanting to be something that was labeled as “difference maker,” but I wasn’t the kind of girl that could be happy focusing on one topic for too long. Growing up in a super small town didn’t expose me to the many options that I had for my future. I always thought of humanities as “hobby jobs” or it took a really special and creative someone to be a writer, or director, or full-time artist.
I came to Lakeland as a Psychology major, and I love Dr. Kalmar, but facts and statistics give me a headache. I knew I needed to find something else that I actually enjoyed, and writing fell right into my lap. My first semester of my freshman year I had Composition I with Dr. Alexis Piper, and she had so much faith in me as a writer. I had always loved writing creative non-fiction, but I couldn’t have been more uneducated in the world of writing. I had my first meeting with my advisor, Jodie Mortag, and that was when I knew I needed to make the switch to creative writing. Mortag was so supportive and encouraging. She saw potential in me and, I believed her, even though my self-confidence was embarrassingly low. I was a writing major for maybe a month, and I was already reading an essay at an open mic for Great Lakes Writer’s Festival. I was terrified because I had never shared anything I’ve written, and I’ve never been confident in my work, but I got up there anyway. I read my essay and afterward Mortag hugged me, held my elbows, and said, “You are exactly where you need to be.” That’s when I started to believe that maybe I was good enough to be here.
I not only believed in me, but it seemed like everyone did too, that felt good. Before I knew it my professors were sending letters of recommendation to Dr. Kalmar to get me into the honors program. They thought I would do better on the honors track rather than going through Core, and I think they are right. I get to advocate for the community and research topics that I am interested in. I don’t like being boxed in, and honors takes the walls of the box away and lets me explore what the world has to offer. Dr. Miofsky was overjoyed when I told her I was an honors student now, and she said, “I’m excited, I’ve heard great things about you.” Again, that just confirmed I belong here, and now I don’t doubt whether that’s true.
As my first semester ended and my second started, I got to know more of the professors and develop relationships with them. I’m not going to lie, this year has been really hard, and I’ve had to push through things I never thought I would have to, but the writing department was always there for me. I was given room to write and talk about what made me human, my struggles, accomplishments, personal growth, and new relationships. I can truly say if I stayed a Psychology major, I wouldn’t have as many opportunities and options as I do, and I don’t think I would be as happy as I am. I’ve always felt like there was more for me somewhere, and I’ve already accomplished more at Lakeland than I have in my entire life. Instead of feeling like I needed to be finding the next thing to change the world, I can just exist for a while, and when it’s my time to contribute to something, I’ll know. Lakeland University and floor three of WAK have given me more than I could have ever expected.
