When I first came to Creighton, I didn’t feel like I belonged here.
It wasn’t always that way, though. I’ve known since I was in elementary school that I would be going to Creighton, and I’ve always been fine with that. My mom has worked for Creighton for years so, therefore, I get the opportunity for tuition remission.
As a high school senior, I was really excited to finally be going to the college I’ve always talked about. I tested my luck and only turned in one college application because no other school mattered.
When I got to Creighton, however, things felt different. I chose not to stay on campus. My friends were off with their newfound freedom, and I felt I was left behind. My classes were more difficult than I thought they would be, and I felt I had to work harder than the other students around me. As other students started to find out about the opportunities on campus, I never heard about any of them because I had decided to live at home.
Although things were bad, I didn’t feel I had another choice besides Creighton, so I stuck it out.
After taking all core classes my freshman year, I decided this year to explore other options and to find my major, which is when I found the journalism department. As I took a few classes, the work started to come more naturally to me, and I got to know the professors.
I don’t think I’m the only person on campus who ever felt out of place at Creighton. As Creighton students, we all hear about the same clichés about our school: how personal our professors are, how many opportunities Creighton gives us and what a great experience Creighton is versus other colleges.
It was not until this year that I realized that all these clichés about Creighton were true.
For example, I’ve been feeling pretty ill recently, so I emailed one of my professors with a doctor’s note, to which he immediately responded. Not only was he understanding with my assignments and absences, but he was also genuinely concerned about me.
Last week I also stopped in to a different professor’s office. Although I had figured out what department I belonged in, I still couldn’t figure out which major path I belonged to. I asked for her advice and, even though she’s not my advisor, she was more than willing to help.
I’ve found through my time at Creighton that my professors really are personal. Not only that, but I’ve also found they want to help me start and figure out the rest of my life, and that they care about my dreams and my hopes. Now that they have figured this out about me, they are able to set me up with the opportunities and the great experiences Creighton has to offer.
Looking back, I’m so glad I stuck through the hard time college life gave me at the beginning of my journey. I found professors that genuinely care for me, a department that makes me want to attend class and accomplishments I believe I never would have found at another college. Creighton University has easily been the best decision I could have made.