Tomorrow, I am impacting a journey to Charleston, SC. I know it's not too far, but it's the furthest I'll ever be living. Over Christmas Break when I was attending Columbia College, I decided to change majors. I went from wanting to be a high school math teacher to wanting to be a professional photographer and hopefully a photography teacher. I've ALWAYS enjoyed math and photography, and I felt like God was pushing me towards become a math teacher and with the help of a very special woman in my life, that's what I decided to do. From my junior year of high school to my "going into 2nd semester" of my freshman year of college, that's what I wanted to do with my life. Once I got into college, it was hard I'm not going to lie but with my seizures, it made it even harder for me. I would have a seizure, be sent home for 2 days, get behind in my classes, try to get caught up, have YET ANOTHER seizure, and that's how the cycle ran all throughout my time at C^2. And no matter how many hours I put into doing my work I had missed, I could never get caught up. I was going to take a leave of absence for the 2nd semester but after Christmas Break, I was determined to take on another semester; BUT during Christmas Break, I decided to change my major to photography. I felt like after everything I had been through 1st semester, God was pushing me away from my math education major and pushing me towards a major in photography. I walked back into C^2 ready to kick 2nd semester's BUTT, and I was determined to slow down and take it easy which Dr. Hopkins (the head provost) was willing to help me take an easier semester without overloading myself like I did 1st semester. The 2nd week of me being back, I collapsed out of nowhere in the hallway of my classroom when I was heading to the restroom. I sat lying in the floor for the longest time having a seizure until someone realized I wasn't back from the restroom yet. Same ole', same ole' happened: got stuck in an ambulance (which was understandable because I had hit my head and they thought I broke my neck or something), spent the whole day in the hospital, and was sent home for 2 days. Came back, then the next week it happened again...but this time it was worse. I was on my way to class one morning and I woke up feeling so weak, tired, and dehydrated; but I was determined not to miss my classes. So I got ready, ate breakfast and headed out the door. Something was telling me to go get water, so I turned back, went into my dorm, and grabbed a water bottle. I was planning on just getting water in my classroom building but something kept telling me I needed to get water at the fountain that was right down the hall from my dorm, so I did. I got at the middle of the hallway and collapsed into a seizure, again out of nowhere. The staff at Columbia College and myself decided that it would be best for me to take a leave of absence because I could no longer put myself through this anymore. I could no longer put myself in a unfair position where I'd miss classes and do poorly in them because I would never be there when I know I can do SO MUCH better in my classes if I was able to go. I was very upset to leave and I was an emotional wreak the whole week. I didn't tell anyone but my professors and the Dean of the school that I was moving because it hurt too much to talk about it. All of my friends at C^2 figured it out on their own or through my professors who actually cared about me. I didn't want to leave, but I knew I had to in order to get better...
So here I am: I've been home and taking a leave of absence since the beginning of February and it has driven me BONKERS! Over Christmas Break, I changed my majors like I said. During that time, I researched art schools in the area that I might be interesting transferring for the Fall of 2010. I came across The Art Institute of Charleston and applied. After I took a leave of absence from C^2, I decided I wanted to go to AI of Charleston. I felt like it was something God was pushing me towards so badly, and I wasn't about to give up the opportunity. On February 16th, I got accepted to AI and I haven't wanted something so bad in my life than THIS!
A lot of people ask me if I'm ready for this because of my seizures, and I know they're not saying that I can't do this; they're just looking out for me and they care about me....but I BELIEVE in heart that I am ready for this because if I wasn't, God wouldn't be pushing me so hard to go for this. I don't know how my seizures will be once I'm down there, but I don't think I'll be in as much of a stressful environment like I was at C^2. I'm ready for this! My family and friends have supported me throughout this whole thing, and God has truly blessed me with the best family and friends I could have EVER asked for! And I thank each and everyone of them for always loving me, always supporting me, always being there for me, and always giving me such helpful advice! I learn things from them everyday, and everything they have taught me will always be close to my heart always and forever!
