The Good and The Bad

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The past four years at SMU have been the best and worst of my life so far. I have made friends and enemies. I have aced classes and failed some. I have changed my major three times and finally found a career that I want to pursue. I am ready to graduate but at the same time, I am not. What happens now? Should I stay in Dallas or adventure to a new city? I do not know what the future holds for me as I begin my job search but I do know that through the good and bad experiences, SMU has pushed me to be the best I can be. 

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I graduated from a small Rhode Island high school as a big fish in a little pond. I knew all of my classmates and everyone knew me. My friends wanted to stay in town and attend the same college. However, that was the last thing I wanted to do. I did not even apply to schools in New England. I knew I wanted to get as far away from home as I could and Texas seemed like the best destination- totally different from where I grew up and a new place to call home. Living as a Texan at SMU for the past four year has taught me two important lessons.

One, I have a greater appreciation of my family and home. I am proud to call myself a New Englander because we are one-of-a-kind. Texas is a very different place, but not in a bad way, it is just simply different and I am so fortunate to have experienced the SMU lifestyle.

Two, SMU, like I imagine any college would, has helped me become a more confident person. I have made lifelong friends who support me everyday but I have also lost a few people I thought I could trust at the same time. Living so far away from home has helped me develop an independent mentality and has forced me to trust my instincts. I know who I am, what I want out of life, and how to get it. Yes, I will continue to face hardships in the future but that is just life. After my education and experiences at SMU, I now know how to face those hardships head on and come out in front of the race.

So, thank you SMU. I appreciate you.

Paige Stenberg
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