Saturday, June 27, 2009
Home
On a Tennessee road windin' down
From the hills of my hometown
Runnin' straight from,my heart to my soul
Where every son and daughter knows
One lane comes and one lane goes
So hold my dreams 'til I come home
Tennessee road
--"Tennessee Roads" Melonie Cannon
I've always been one of those people who has to watch at least one newscast per day. Like most households, my parents maintained a loyalty to one particular channel: we watched the local NBC station, WBIR, which is based out of Knoxville. I can't really explain "why" I love WBIR so much, but I think it has a lot to do with their dedication to representing east Tennessee so well. Their message, "Straight from the Heart" has always struck me as a different, sincere type of mantra in comparison to the other local stations. The first time I heard the song "Tennessee Roads" was during a WBIR commercial (see the Youtube video). As an avid country/bluegrass fan, I had to have it. I looked everywhere, iTunes, Amazon, music stores...no one had the song or the album. One day last week, during a visit to Mckay's Used Books and CD Store in Knoxville, I found the album and almost freaked. The song is what I think of when I think of Knoxville, UT, and my home. It sort of brings everything I've experienced in the last year full circle.
When I went home for the summer, I wanted to wait a while before I posted a year-end blog. Well, that hiatus lasted a bit longer than I had hoped, and I apologize. BUt, I'm going to blog about what I've wanted to for the last few months... This is such an exciting time for incoming Freshmen....Orientation, dorm shopping, roommate reveals. This time last year, I thought I was so prepared for college. But, I wasn't. I wasn't prepared for the grueling amount of studying, the small amount of space I had to live in, and the sudden lack of home-cooked food. But, on the other hand, I wasn't prepared for the amazing amount of information I would be absorbing, the relationships created with friends and professors, and the sense of Independence I gained.
One of the first good decisions I made coming into UT was applying for a learning community. Learning communities are groups of students with similar majors or majors within the same academic program. The students live in Morrill Hall (the best dorm, in my opinion...but I'm biased!), take classes together, and form friendships. Since I am a student within the College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources (CASNR), I was able to apply for the CASNR Learning Community, and live on the same floor as other girls in Animal Science, Food Science, Ag Econ, etc. We took two 1 hour courses that were designed for team building and leadership skills, and the class gave everyone an opportunity to have FUN and relate to one another. We would ride the bus together, eat together, and hang out. I loved out late night study sessions in the lobby on the 10th floor...someone would order pizza and we would all stress over the Animal Science test the next day. Having this automatic group of people I had similar interests with was an amazing way to start out at such a big school. Other learning communities cater to students in the Honors program, engineering, architecture, public policy, and even undecided majors. If you are even remotely interested in it, sign up!
I experienced lots of ups and down, too. General Chemistry was a huge challenge....it seemed like no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't understanding the concepts. So, I had to ask for help. I got a tutor, who just so happened to be one of my best friends and biggest influences during the year, Kari. She was a super senior in Food Science in CASNR, and she took me under her wing. With Kari's help, along with attending a few Supplemental Instruction sessions , I was able to do well and finish out my first semester with good grades.
All four years of high school, I was a member and officer in Student Council, our student government that helped make changes for the school and coordinate events. I wanted to do something similar to that in college, and the SGA was definitely the answer. I applied to be on Freshmen Council, a group of 45 Freshmen designed to represent our class by writing and passing bylaws to improve campus life. Freshmen Council gave me a new group of friends and a way to make a difference on campus. After applying, I had go to through two rounds of interviews, which is great practice....if you want to get involved with the bigger organizations on campus, you usually will have to interview.
The first time I took a UT campus tour my Junior year of high school, I knew that I wanted to be a "tour guide" while in college. My guide, Hillary, was so enthusiastic and I could tell that she really enjoyed showing the prospective students around campus. At some point in the year, I found out that these students were referred to as Ambassador Scholars, and they do more than just give tours. I applied to be an Ambassador in the Spring, and once again had to go through several rounds of interviews. Over 300 students applied (including fellow blogger, Nate!), and I knew that it was incredibly competitive...there were only 15 spots available . I made it through 3 rounds of interviews, and I was totally surprised and ecstatic. After the final round, I was cut...but I was so happy to have made it that far as a Freshman, I didn't see it as failing. It showed me that there are plenty of opportunities, and I get to decide where and how I want to spend my time. I plan on applying again next year...and maybe you'll see Nate and I sporting the orange polo's in a few years!
Moving out of my dorm in early May felt like saying goodbye to a friend. My roommate, Kelsey, and I had made out dorm a true home. We had rugs, Christmas lights, and loads of posters and color. I never thought I could fit so much stuff in my car...
My experiences with CASNR and the Animal Science department has been more than rewarding...the Ag campus is my favorite place at UT. I've gotten to take part in fun labs (including sticking my arm into a cow's rumen!); study at a smaller, quieter library; and interact with several professors and advisors willing to sit down with me any time to work out a problem.
To all of you coming to UT this fall: get ready for an amazing, tumultuous, and life-changing year.
To all of you considering UT in the future: do your research, visit lots of schools, and realize how awesome it is to have choices!
The University of Tennessee is a home to me.
Who knows....maybe it could be a home to you, too.
Keep smiling, readers. Love to you all!
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4 Comments:
awww... i will miss you! you definitely kept me on top of my gen chem game! and look how many pics my clinic vols shirt is in!
Hi, my names emily and im a junior in high school. Im really interested in going to UT and doing something with animal science. Do you think you could tell me more about the school? my email is ememglass@aim.com
Hi, my name is Kira. & I'm really interested in UT Knox. I've already submitted my application and everything. BUT the only thing i'm missing is my ACT score. it's reallyyyy low. but i'm so determined to get it up. i think i would be crushed if i didn't get into this school. could you tell me more about the school & your experience in getting into UT Knox? my email address is kiraharris91@yahoo.com
hi ;) my name is Alonna and i would love it if you told me all about your school :]] please email me! wall_alonna@yahoo.com
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