Coming into college, I thought I had everything figured out. I was ready for it; I was ready for more independence, I was excited to explore a new city, declare my major and figure out what I truly want to do for the next four years, and ultimately for the rest of my life. I’ve always been someone who’s been excited to move to a new place and find new adventure in my life. But it can get difficult when you are a long way from the place you call home.
South Africa is my home, which means I usually only get to go home once a year during the summer. Even though I’ve been living away from home for a while, I still have moments when I wonder why I decided to go to school so far away from home. I could have stayed back in South Africa, gone to a college that was closer to home, and had a decent college experience. The problem that I had with that path, however, was if I would have stayed in South Africa, and closer to home, I would have stayed my sheltered, closed off self. Being away from home can be challenging, but it can also teach you so much more about yourself. Gonzaga has done that for me!
I was so sure that had everything figured out when I first got to Gonzaga. I thought I knew where everything was, knew how to work Zagweb and Zagmail, and I thought I was ready for college level academics. I thought I knew it all, and I didn’t think that I needed anyone’s help.
That was until everything hit me. Towards the end of my first semester, I had so much on my plate and I just broke down. In that moment, I just wanted to pack up my room and fly home. At that moment, two of my friends sat down next to me, and let me vent my feelings. By the end of the night, my friends had left my room and I had completely forgotten about wanting to leave. Because my friends were my support system, cared about me, and wanted me to succeed. That’s what Zags are all about!
Tough moments like the one that I described can happen throughout college. There are times when you can get overwhelmed academically and socially.
However, there is always hope, and a chance to discover yourself. If you surround yourself with people who will be there for you during the hard times, those difficult moments seem to fade away a little faster. We really don’t exaggerate when we talk about the “Zag Community.” Zags will always help Zags. My friends were there for me, and I decided to stay. Whether your hometown is 50 miles away or 5000 miles away, the people you meet at GU quickly become your family. You can never have enough family!
Tshiamo Moloko is the Saturday/Monday Program GUide on GUide Core. Meet Tshiamo next week during New Student Orientation!