The Freshman Perspective

My first week as a college freshman is coming to a close. (Disregarding the fact that I still have a ton of home work as it is my life now, or so I've heard). Strangely enough, this week was all I expected it to be and more. I'm nineteen years old so most of my friends are in college, and when I previously asked them what it's like they were very... truthful. With their truthfulness came negativity and sometimes even discouragement. "Dude, don't go to college" or "you're lucky you're not in college" and so on. Now, my opinion on school may be subject to change, but right now I am on cloud nine. I sincerely enjoyed my first week of school. I graduated in May of 2014 from White County High School with plans to attend Volstate Community College in the fall. I had heard they had a wonderful radiology program from reliable sources and personal relations, and at the time, I was very interested in becoming a Radiology Technician. After job shadowing a few people I knew in this career, I ultimately decided it wasn't for me but also that I would follow through with Volstate for at least the first semester. Well, like the Radiology Tech idea, Volstate was a bust. In June, not a month after my graduation, I fell in a ditch due to lack of coordination or balance and tore the meniscus ligament in my knee. One can imagine how difficult it is to share that story with others. I made a trip to the doctor, received an MRI, and found out that the cartilage in my knee was also shredded to pieces. In result, I had knee surgery scheduled for August 18th. It was that day that I decided I would be taking the semester off; note that this was two days before school was scheduled to commence. I made this choice due to my post surgery state of being which was non-weight bearing. I.e. crutches only.

I am unsure as to what people think of when they imagine the difficulty of life on crutches, but I speak with experience when I describe it as a challenge. I was on crutches for two months, and I say now that it was the longest two months of my short-lived life thus far. I didn't want to go anywhere or do anything really. It's the experience of going from completely independent to completely dependent in a short matter of time. It's the fact that one can't open doors, carry a purse, or go shopping without assistance. Those are the little things that got in my head and upset me, made me angry even. Granted, this is most certainly not the worst thing that could happen to someone, but as a teenager it puts a serious damper on things. I kept thinking, "I'm young, I want to be out living my life". However, there is always a silver lining. (Bradley Cooper said it best). My silver lining was my education this spring. I applied at Motlow and gave myself something to look forward to. Here I am, experiencing it, and thanking my God for putting me on those crutches. Had that not happened, I may not have the positive attitude and perspective I relish in right now. I am overjoyed and want to share with others that learning and being here now, it's such a privilege. It is a luxury beyond our comprehension as students. We must come together and encourage one another and others.  That is my goal, and I hope it motivates others to make the same choice.