I left the Governor’s Scholars Program well over a month ago. So why am I writing for the Governor’s Scholars Post now? Well, truth be told, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye earlier. At the time that everyone was saying their goodbyes, I still hadn’t accepted that my GSP experience was at its end. Even up until we graduated from the program, I had not fully established in my mind that it was about to be over. It took me until I got home, back to “basically Cincinnati”, to truly understand and appreciate the 50,400 minutes I spent at Centre College this summer.
I came into this program having zero clue what to expect. I had friends tell me about how incredible their experience was, but I was not a huge fan of losing a large part of my summer in a completely unfamiliar place. I had considered turning my acceptance to the program down, for fear of missing out on a more “relaxed” summer. In the end, I decided the scholarship benefits were just too much for me to deny. While I had trouble settling in the first couple of days, the initial two weeks went fairly smoothly for me. I made friends, and I tried a few new things, but overall, I held back. I’d describe myself as a bit of an introvert, and I’ve always been worried about other people's perceptions of me. Because of this, I kept myself from truly taking any risks early on. I didn’t try to join any friend groups, I didn’t attempt to join any games people were playing, and I rarely initiated conversations with others. I was spending far too much time in my dorm room, sometimes even making excuses to go there rather than spend time with friends. I was having a good time, but I wasn’t having the experience so many people promised me I would have. When we hit the middle of week 3, I recognized that my time left in this program was running short. I decided I needed to step out of my comfort zone, or I would regret it. Easily the best decision I made this summer. I found a friend group, which gladly accepted me. I tried all kinds of clubs that I was too scared to join earlier, like CD painting, baking, and volleyball. I soon came to realize that my fear of others judging me was completely unwarranted at GSP. By Week 4, I was forming incredible friendships that I’m certain will not fade. Whether it was through having deep conversations at tables outside Northside, editing videos after class in JVAC, or playing games of Codenames in the basement of the library, my experience shifted from just good to life-changing. I finally recognized and understood the inviting nature of the GSP community. As the final weeks turned to days, and the days turned to hours, it became harder and harder for me to imagine saying goodbye. Before I had arrived at GSP, I had imagined a “perfect experience”, the way that I was dreaming it would go. My experience at GSP did not end up being that perfect experience. Instead, my experience was so much better. I met so many incredible people, learned valuable life lessons, and made memories I will never forget. And while I already miss GSP, there isn’t a thing about my experience that I think I would change. Michael F. Zechella
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By Jack Jurjans
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance” -James Madison In recent years, I’ve gotten a lot better at goodbyes. Every great story needs an ending, and GSP is no exception. I have been provided unmatched opportunities, and I now feel as if I have legitimate experience in Journalism. Undoubtedly, this all will make me more confident and more capable in my search for a career. Working with this incredible group has given me hope for the future and has made me realize more value in differing viewpoints. If we are the future, then the future looks bright. Go break some eggs, Jack Jurjans I started my GSP experience stressing myself out. On the 45-minute drive over, all I could think about was if I would like my roommate. I was so worried that we wouldn’t get along - or worse, that she would be blatantly mean - that I completely missed my first look at Centre’s campus. My roommate was not, in fact, evil or out to get me, but that same theme persisted my entire first week of GSP. I would go up to people I met briefly and spend time with them but the whole time I was stressing about forging the friend group of a lifetime. In a way, I was more social than I ever had been, but the whole time I was wondering what I was doing wrong that all the connections I made fell flat. And every time the conversation died in the make-shift group I tried to force, I got more and more anxious. Still, I went to clubs, I kept asking near-strangers if I could sit with them, and I spent a lot of time reading. And then I sat with a girl from my general studies class in community meeting one day and she introduced me to her friends. I was a little late, but I asked to sit with them at lunch and they welcomed me with open arms. I started to find the connection that I didn’t find with other groups and soon realized I had found my people. The group grew after me and we had more people every week join us for card games in Yerkes basement, pie and board games nights (shoutout to Berkes), meals at Cowan, and mandatory weekly events. With my friends to fall back on, I started to take more risks. I took on more adventurous writing projects in journalism, actually contributed to the discussion in leadership seminar, and let myself take assignments less seriously in general studies. I started to get back to my dorm just minutes before hall meetings and take 10-minute showers afterward. But it was so worth it. The last few weeks, I’ve been trying to branch out more socially, making commitments to continue clubs after GSP and talking more to people I don’t feel close to. I know I’ll take both the lessons I learned and the friends I made home with me and I hope that plunging myself into the social deep end will help me feel more comfortable with people when I get back home. To future scholars: do what feels right to you. If your group or the person you’re trying to be is making you feel wrong, make a change. The great thing about GSP is that nothing is set in stone here; you really do have the time to find what you’re looking for, because there’s no permanence here and no pressure. So take a deep breath, take your time, and get as much out of this experience as you can. By: Kaylin Lafferty
When I arrived at the Centre campus on opening day, I had extremely high expectations for the five weeks to come, while also not knowing at all what to expect. The first few days were equally thrilling and exhausting. I’d never gotten so much satisfaction meeting new people and making friends in such a short amount of time. When I first applied to GSP, I didn’t understand at all how much I would benefit from this program. I didn’t comprehend how spending 5 weeks surrounded by people I didn’t know would “change my life” as so many people had said before. But looking back at the past few weeks, being forced out of my comfort zone brought me substantial personal growth. GSP helped me understand my own priorities and how to push myself to achieve goals in the future. However, more importantly I grew in my ability to connect and interact with people. I’ve become friends with people both very similar and completely different from me. I would struggle through the awkward small talk all throughout the first week many times again to keep the connections I did. I’ve become more open-minded, outgoing, and even more confident since spending my time here. I hope to leave GSP on Saturday and not revert back to old habits, but instead be more willing to meet people I’ve never talked to and lead in inclusive ways. Not only did GSP exceed my expectations coming in, but it did become the life-changing experience that I needed.
By Jaleia Hatchett The past five weeks have truly been a blast. I spent most of my time hanging out with my friends, and have also enjoyed learning new things about journalizing, space, the mind, myself, and many other things. I loved going to all of my classes and had a great time with my classmates. I learned new sports such as spike ball and pickle ball (old person tennis) and had tons of fun playing them. Although the food in Cowen wasn't the best I've ever had, the meals I shared there were always awesome.
GSP has been one of the best experiences of my life, and I'm very happy I worked to get here. I'll never forget these last five weeks, and can't wait to continue to engage in this lifetime community. Reese Bizzell I have always thrived by living in a routine. When I am familiar with my environment, I am comfortable. When I’m comfortable, I thrive. However, during my first few days at GSP, I was in an unfamiliar environment. I was uncomfortable. It was then that I decided on my primary goal for the summer: to thrive in an uncomfortable environment.
Five weeks later, I have met a ton of people from many different parts of the state. I have attended classes that gave me experience and knowledge on several subjects and concepts. I have watched classic films that have opened my mind in new ways. I have heard people speak on life from their perspective. I have seen people perform talents that I had never seen before. This program has opened my eyes in ways I did not know was possible. However, most importantly, I have grown a sense of confidence and independence that I did not have before. I have succeeded in new ways. I have thrived. However, I’m not sure I can claim that I reached my goal, because I didn’t thrive in an uncomfortable environment, but rather I became comfortable in the environment that I was in. By Cameron McCullough I plan on starting and ending this program the same way. Crying in a Taco Bell. Of course, at the end, I will be crying for an entirely different reason. As of April, I had been telling myself that I wouldn’t go to GSP even if I got in. But between talks with my mom and teachers, I was convinced to attend and received the news that I had been accepted. The days leading up to the program I spent sulking and packing. I was dreading leaving behind my home, my friends, and my family. After check-in on opening day and the necessary Walmart visit, my family and I had lunch at the nearby Taco Bell. I cried over a soft taco because I couldn’t imagine spending five weeks away from everything I’ve ever known. But as the weeks passed I truely had the time of my life. The last 50,400 minutes have flown by and I cannot imagine leaving. I have made lifetime friends and memories that I will have forever. So, this Saturday, after graduation, I will be at the Danville Taco Bell, crying about leaving this program behind.
By Amber Bean GSP has really been a transformative experience for me. I came to the program nervous about what the next five weeks were going to look like. I challenged myself to be social and meet new people, and I'm glad I did. I have met so many individuals from across the commonwealth and shared so many experiences with them during my time here. I've learned so much about myself, through classes and my interactions with others. I am eternally grateful for these last five weeks and I will treasure these memories forever. By Tyler Wayman
I never truly believed that GSP would be the seemingly otherworldly experience everyone stacked it up to be. I disregarded the promises of life changing experiences and friends that I would remain close to 30 years down the road, thinking that GSP would simply be a five week long summer camp where I would learn a few things, hopefully have fun, and then move on with my life. Normally, I hate being wrong.
I have loved writing for the GSPost. I am passionate about journalism, and I have never had the opportunity to work alongside people who are as excited about it as I am. So many people in journalism were driven to do everything they could for each edition, and to make it as amazing as possible. It was really inspiring to see people care so much. Leadership Seminar-something else I was originally less than certain about-was also an eye opening experience. What I expected to be a list of traits that leaders should have, and instructions on how to gain them in order to look up to this ideal was actually an examination on how we could better understand our preexisting values, personality traits, and strengths in order to use them to better our community. This seminar forced me to ask questions about myself that I would normally disregard or ignore, and I ended up learning more about myself than I thought I could. For the first time, I can envision myself someday becoming a leader. Outside of classes I have met people that I feel like I can talk to about anything, which rarely applies to people I’ve known for almost 5 weeks. It is amazing, and almost unbelievable, how easily I clicked with my hall, or people in my focus area and general studies. Whether we were talking about cool rock collections or finding meaning in a seemingly meaningless universe, I’ve gotten to have conversations here that I couldn’t imagine having anywhere else. No one’s GSP eperiance can be perfectly placed into, or be given justice by the statement “GSP changed my life, I met some of my best friends here.” For me, GSP has been a beginning-a wonderful beginning where I have made connections with scholars that are worth continuing to develop later in my life, and have learned what I need to do to become a more confident, happier person. Even if I hate how much I am going to miss being here, I am leaving with new friendships, goals, and a love for this community that I will carry into the future. Amelia Lanier I had heard so much about GSP before coming here but nothing could have prepared me for the amazing experience here. I feel more confident about myself and my actions wherever I am. I loved meeting other people from opposite corners of the state who I could relate to so much despite being from a big city (GO CARDS!). Of course I will miss all my friends dearly, but a phrase I've been thinking of recently has been "Don't be sad it's over, but be happy that it happened", and that's how I feel about GSP. I wish I could write a blurb to every single amazing person I met here, including my teachers and RAs. I LOVE GSP.
Peace, Yessenia <3 |
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