Prompt: How I Came to be at Southern?
In a small town, nested in a corner of East Tennessee is where our story all starts. A young girl embarks on journey of life 18 years ago as she's born at the local hospital....... Well, that was a little "pie in the sky" as my comp teacher once said. Well, let's get on with this story in a more realistic way.
It did start out in a small town, in my defense. I was born and bred in Collegedale, TN. I went to Cradle Roll, Spalding, CA, the whole nine yards, and naturally the next step in the Collegedale Adventist system,(if you're not going to be a missionary) is to attend Southern. That was essentially the start of why I wanted to attend. It was "just what you did." However, as I got older, learned the value of money and did some inclusive discovery, I began to realize that to do something "just because" was not enough. (especially at Southerns costs)
Over the years I had mulled over the careers I would like to do and Nursing just always came up. Now don't get me wrong I had my phases. I wanted to be (like everyone at one point) a musician, an artist, a detective, and a paleontologist (don't even get me started on dinosaurs, I must have watched every Jurassic Park movie like 5 times, in addition to reading the books). I had visited the hospital a few times in my day (kidney stones will do that to you) and I enjoyed the atmosphere. Well, not necessarily with me a patient (kidney stones= NOT FUN), but rather I would like to work there. My mother is a nurse and basically threw metaphorical wood onto my metaphorical fire called nursing. I had always loved medical shows, everything form House to Mystery Diagnosis, as many do. However, I could see myself doing stuff like that and enjoying it thoroughly.
My love for all things medical is an all encompassing aspect of my personalty. I even loved learning bones and muscles in A&P class (how odd is that?!). The doctor career path was thrown out the window as that is expensive, a lot school and it just wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to have more patient interaction, but also more time to have with my family and friends (doctors don't get that as much). Southern is a great school for Nursing, so I put a proverbial coin in the scale for SAU.
I think one of the more important reasons I wanted to attend SAU was, and still is, the privilege to attend school with peers who share my same beliefs (so we can discuss them) and to have teachers who genuinely care about me succeeding in this life and eternally. As a naturally outgoing person, making friends is as essential as eating to me, and as my beliefs are a big part of me I wanted to be able to share that part of myself with others without fear of confrontations or exclusion. I also wanted a place that would allow my faith to flourish so I would be prepared to share it with others. More coins for SAU on the proverbial scale!
There are also all the help and activities Southern offers as compared to other schools, and they are things I would love to perticipate in. At other school there are sorieties and other organizations, but that's just not me. The things SAU offers are aimed at what I want to do, especially spiritaully (which you're not going to find many other places.
Let me tell you a little about the atmosphere that I love. Over the years I have grown to love the little Collegedale community and the school systems here. The fact that I can walk into the VM and see at least 3 people I know is just something that I love. This close knit community has stolen my heart a little, not to mention the South in general. I absolutely love the beautiful nature around here and all the "country-ness." Also, don't tell anyone, I LOVE country music. The good stuff though. I don't know how to describe how much I love it here. One more coin for Southern!
One thing I really, really wanted, and still want to do, is do mission work. Where better than a school of my religion that offers tons of opportunities to do just that. I can help my local community and share my faith in an organized way. I can also go to a far away country and minister in a new way I have never experienced. This is also one reason I choose my career as I could mission to people and heal them.
So it was decided that I wanted to attend for my own reasons and not just to go with the flow. I filled out the forms and took the leap. I studied and worked hard on getting scholarships and grants and, as of today, I have most of my first year at SAU paid for.
You may wonder where God was in the entire process, well the answer is He was there, hopefully guiding me. I'm still open to ideas obviously if He tells me to do something different;however, I think this is where I'm supposed to be right now.
This is how I came to be here at Southern, enjoying the rigorious Smart Start. And so far, I'm convinced this was the right choice.
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