Rising to a Better Story: Visiting Vandy

This weekend was my first official visit to Vanderbilt as an accepted student.

I was a little nervous but mostly excited... excited to meet the professors, meet my classmates, get questions answered, explore where I'll be living, etc.

Last night was SO much fun! It was a trivia night put on by the graduate student association.

I was the only prospective student who showed up from my program because the social was an optional event. This meant I got the undivided attention of my team, 5 current students who were a wealth of stories and advice and housing suggestions.

There was pizza and candy, laughter and high fives. Loud music. Bonding.

We even won a prize.... for coming in last place. Real life.

It was a really promising start to graduate school ;)

But seriously: I couldn't have asked for a better beginning to my time here.

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Then today was the big day: 9am - 5pm... full of meetings and people and information.

Honestly, it was all a little overwhelming. Even for me, an extreme social butterfly.

The reality of this next season of life hit me like a brick wall.

Finding housing.
Finding a roommate.
Figuring out financial aid.
Realizing I'm probably about to have to take out several loans and go into debt.
Realizing I'm about to have homework and reading and papers and classes again.
Realizing I know ONE PERSON in all of Nashville.
Realizing I'll be away from all the people I know and love back home in SC.

BUT also realizing:
- There is so much opportunity ahead of me
- I'm going to learn and grow so much
- I will get to meet and make new friends here
- I get to make this place my new home

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Then, I read this post today from the SheLoves website I told you about in my last post.

When you get past the lady's pretty pictures, you get to what she is really talking about. She came to a decision point in her life where she lost her job and had to choose to go for her dream and take a leap of faith that it would work out.

Vandy and this degree and where it will take me are my leap of faith. 
So is leaving my home and comfort and community.

I loved what the lady said in her post:

Fear had a hold of me.

But for once this wasn’t the “What if I never create something awe-inspiring, profound or useful?” kind of Fear.

This was the “What if I leap and actually make the world a better place?” kind of Fear.

To be honest, right now after this long day with an information-and-new-face-overload, I feel more fear than excitement or peace.

But, I think I feel that fear because I am realizing I might could leap and make the world a better place.

And that is not to say that I'm not already/that I couldn't make the world a better place back in Charleston. It is just that this awesome-slightly-intimidating opportunity to go to Vandy is now a reality so I feel like I should take it.

I also love how the lady described that in her post. She said it was a chance to "Rise to a better story:"

Our hearts were filled with fear. But not the usual bullying kind. This was the good kind. The kind of fear that straightens out all the feathers on your wings before you make the jump. The kind of fear you feel before you rise to a better story.

Well, fear has straightened out all the feathers on my wings and I'm going to prepare to make the jump.

The jump to figure out housing and finances and roommates and my future life direction.

I have officially accepted my acceptance to Vandy.

I'm rising to a better story :)