Two-hour drive, all my belongings, my family and my car. It was time to take the next step in my life and become a Cavalier.
Looking at the transfer rate and the GPA required to be accepted into Cabrini, I didn’t think I was going to be accepted. Having a 2.5 GPA coming out Howard Community College, I was nervously waiting for some type of letter to come from Cabrini. Seeing if I was going to add to the 37.5% of students that transfer colleges. Either I got accepted or I had to keep searching for colleges but now I’m here.
Coming to Cabrini from Baltimore was an interesting change of scenery but nothing I couldn’t adjust to. Mostly white school, great environment, welcoming people and food. The first things that caught my attention were the number of trees the school was surrounded by. I felt like I was in a force field and protected from all outside noise. The school was nice, dorms were nice at first and it helped that my roommate was my cousin so I didn’t have to get used to anybody new.
The basic college foundation was already embedded in my system. Make sure I keep my grades good, stay on top of my assignments and never let my social life affect my school life. However, the one thing that took getting used to was not waking up in my own bed.
The food was great the first week, better than the college I was at before. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, all great. Never was a breakfast type of guy, but being considered a first-year student and not being able to pick your classes first semester, you end up with a couple of 8:15 a.m. classes.
The only negative aspect of Cabrini was that I was considered a sophomore but got treated like a freshman. Having to explain to teachers that I’m not a freshman and that I wouldn’t have chosen this 8:15 a.m. class if I had a choice but that didn’t matter; I just had to deal with it.
Managing wasn’t hard though; it was fairly easy. It could have been because I had the basketball team helping me get used to certain stuff and having my coach willing to help with anything, I needed. However, the friends I started to make who were other transfers seemed to be struggling with making friends and getting used to their class schedule. This made me feel some type of way, like “Dang, I’m really in a blessed situation.” New school, new teammates, new culture and I had so many people willing to help me feel conformable.
I had my lows though. Dropping one class just because I couldn’t keep waking up at 8:15 a.m. for class after practice and still get homework done. Then picking up another class where the teacher didn’t let me catch up one work in time and almost falling off the basketball team. Taking away the one thing that kept me going throughout the year. Then changing majors in the spring and having to start completely over in my major. It was rough, but I got through it.
Looking back at it, it was an interesting year. I had my highs and my lows. I had times where I just wanted to come home and times where I loved every second of Cabrini. I don’t regret anything though. Cabrini is home, I love the friends I’ve made and bonds with teachers I have made as well. If I could tell a new transfer student one thing, that would to never give up. The same reason you fell in love with the school is the same reason you will continue to love it here.
