Diamond in the rough: Being a Shocker

As I walk across campus nowadays, I am no longer burdened by class schedules, paying tuition and taking the right classes. I’m a senior, and graduation is roughly three weeks away. So, as I await that day with great anticipation, I figured I would share the reason that while I am excited to start a new chapter in my life. I will greatly miss my time as a Shocker.

I’m from Texas. At least, that’s what I tell people. I was born in Salina, lived the first five years of my life in Wichita, then moved to north Texas where I lived until I was an incoming junior in college. To me, majority rules, therefore I’m “from Texas.”

I visited many colleges as I got close to graduating high school, and again as I neared the end of my tenure at my local community college. As the amount of visits continued to increase over time, I felt myself stuck and unable to make a decision on a college. Each place I visited made me feel like just a number. More than that, I felt like I would just be looked at as a source of income.

It got so bad that I even considered several online colleges at one point. Nothing against those of course, but it is difficult to get the same “real-world experience” that you would find attending a bricks and mortar university.

Then there was Wichita State. I visited Wichita many times over the years to see family, but never spent much time on — or even near — WSU’s campus. Until one day, a family member gave me a personalized tour. From that day on, I was hooked.

Despite many trials and tribulations in the ensuing months, I knew I was destined for WSU. I eventually came here as a transfer student in the fall of 2014. Moving here was not easy, and it is still difficult getting used to life in Wichita versus what I had grown so used to. But the amazing thing is, it has been so worth it.

I have had many blessings come my way both within the university, and outside of it in the “real world.” And in addition, I think coming from another state has given me an outside perspective on the university that most people may not share.

Working in news has been a thrill and to be honest, I don’t think I would have the job I do without this school. In fact, I could probably write a whole other story on things this campus has afforded me. 

I say all of this to try and share a message. WSU is a special place. Sure, it has its issues — try to find a college that doesn’t. But, in my opinion, the school has so many things going for it that outweigh the bad.

A new student center, a forthcoming parking garage and Innovation Campus, to name a few. There is so much good coming for underclassmen in the next few years, it can make your head spin (and a senior classman perhaps a little jealous). It is a shame more people don’t take advantage of the on-campus activities, and I hope that changes with Innovation Campus.

The bottom line: Don’t take this school for granted. There’s a lot going on both within the school, and without. Much like its basketball team, WSU is a school not highly spoken of, yet has so much going for it. It is a diamond in the rough, and I’m thankful to have attended it.