A Black Girls Journey…
Coming to Shaw University from the suburbs of Charlotte NC, was very different for me. Growing up in a home where I didn’t share because I was the youngest in the house and also the only girl. Coming to Shaw made me realize that everybody didn’t grow up the way that I grew up; everybody wasn’t as nice and friendly. I was being introduced to the real world.
As I quickly learned that I had to share my space with another young lady, I had to adapt to sharing bathroom with a floor full of other ladies. I didn’t like it at first and I still don’t like it now. Me, sharing my room with another female was my biggest adjustment; having to only have one side of the room as your “personal” space. I can admit, when I first realized that this is what college was about I slowly said to myself, “I can’t stay here”, but as things got a little better I began to see that this change was good and it was going to make me a better person in life.
I had been cheer leading since I was about three years old, so cheering was something I planned to do in college. When I found out that Shaw University was having cheer leading tryouts I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to cheer, if I made the team. As I got ready to do my routine to be able to be a cheer leader, the more I got nervous. When I finished my routine, I waited for about thirty minutes and they told us if we made the team or not. I made the team! I was so excited and ready to tell everyone about me being a Shaw University cheerleader.
My first football game approached fast and I was really nervous. I saw how serious cheer leading was taken in college because my coach didn’t play any games. We won our first home game and the pressure was over. I felt like I could overcome being nervous for cheer leading, and I did. Now I cheer without any hesitation and I’m not nervous like I was when I first started cheering in college.
Homecoming was right around the corner and I was looking forward to experiencing an HBCU homecoming. I say that because at my high school, we didn’t enjoy our homecoming. It was always boring so I couldn’t wait to come to an HBCU and enjoy the fact that you love your HBCU.
This homecoming I learned something very special about Shaw University. This year is Shaw’s 150th anniversary. This is outstanding and makes me look at this university very differently. What I see through this university is that Shaw can stand through anything, the good or the bad. Shaw is a school to help and motivate and it’s not just a school where you’re just a number in your classes. Being at Shaw University has opened my eyes to the real world. I’m currently learning how to budget my money and how I have to depend on myself; it hasn’t been easy and there has been plenty of times where I thought about giving up and just going home, but I don’t want to be a quitter and I actually want to do something with my life. I still have some growth I have to do, but for right now I love the person I am becoming and I thank Shaw University for this great opportunity.
