So just how did I end up at Texas Tech University? Wearing red and black, throwing my "Guns Up!", saying "y'all", and becoming an honorary Texan? (That's an official title y'all. When your Texas born friends tell you you're an Honorary Texan, that's as serious as it gets. New citizen status! Do I need another passport?)
This is going to a bit of a story. I say, "Weird, Romantic Comedy," because there's love involved, some parts were kind of funny, and it's odd how life works sometimes. (And that, boys and girls, is how titles for blog posts are made.)
First, we toured Kansas State. We stayed with Beth (aka crashed her apartment ;) ), toured campus, and visited the Landscape Architecture Department. It was awesome to say the least! Beth was there for another 1.5 years to finished her Master's degree, it's my birth state, the campus was gorgeous, and everyone we talked to was very nice. It seemed like an awesome place to be!
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| We took over her living room... |
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| ...And kitchen ;) |
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| President's House |
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| Rain Gardens! :D |
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| Dinner time! Homemade Lasagna :) |
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| Big, spinning globe in Beth's apartment complex. |
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| Touring campus :) |
Then, due to circumstances completely out of my control, knowledge, or future predicting capabilities...
I went and fell in love with Texas Tech.
I know. I'm difficult. :P But hear me out!
When I first started applying for schools, I never really thought that I would have that "feeling." You know, that feeling they say you get when you find the right school? The one in your gut that makes you go, "Oooooooh I get what they were talking about!" and you feel like something just settles into place? The stars align, angels sing, and you get the pony you've always dreamed of owning?? (Um... ignore that last part.)
But in all seriousness, that feeling hit me almost right away. I still remember turning to my dad and saying,
Me- "Dad, I REALLY like it here."
Dad- "Sarah, you've been on the tour for two minutes."
Me- *Smiles* "I know."
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| Entrance to campus |
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| The English/ Philosophy Building |
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| Memorial Circle :) |
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| My church! :) St. Elizabeth's |
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| Plant and Soil Science Building. Many of my classes are here! |
Now, for any of you who know me well, you know that I have a hard time making decisions. As in, I can't even decide which pair of socks to wear most mornings. (They're all identical and they never see the light of day because I put boots or tennis shoes on and completely cover them up. Yep.) But for some reason, I just KNEW. Of course, there was the traditional decision making mess for a few days:
-A pros and cons list.
-Hours of hashing out all information the tour guides and pamphlets had crammed into our brains.
-Calling Beth for the 50th time to make sure me leaning towards Texas Tech was indeed ok and she wouldn't hate me forever.
- Badgering Dad about feeling bad, not wanting to make a decision, wanting to know what his choice would be etc. on the plane home while he probably just wanted me to zip it so he could sleep.
- Dreams about a Matador and a Wildcat duking it out on a football field. (Kidding)
But it was tough. I cried. I was scared. I had two amazing options and I could only pick one. Not only that, a huge pro for Kansas State was Beth! Because all of us Gorney girls are apparently dead set on going to school anywhere BUT Virginia, I know my parents would've been able to sleep more soundly had I picked the same out- of- state school as her. But more than that, it would've been fun! We could have sibling dinners and sisterly bonding. She knew the campus and could show me the best places to go. We wouldn't have to travel alone and I would know someone as soon as I got there. (After being away for so long now, I know that sometimes you just need family to not feel so lonely.) The campus was beautiful and had a wonderful community feel. The students, staff, and tour guides I had met were extremely nice and welcoming.
But in the end, Texas Tech's Landscape Architecture program was more of what I was looking for. One, it was located in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources as opposed to the College of Architecture. This was (and still is) very important to me, as Landscape Architecture is NOT, "shrubbing up buildings." It is the design and stewardship of the land, well outside the scope of Architecture in many cases. Being in this college brought the program closer to the environmental and horticultural side of the profession so often forgotten under the shadow of the "all powerful" Architecture.
But I digress. (Before I get on my Landscape Architecture soap box ;) )
The other reason I chose TTU was that it just felt right. Those feelings I mentioned earlier, the campus environment, the location, the people I met; I felt like I was where I was supposed to be. They were similar to the feelings I had at Kansas State, but different somehow; stronger. Not just because I was excited to be there, but because I felt I was supposed to be there. Trying to explain that eloquently would probably be the writing equivalent of a face plant, so I'll spare you
It has been a lot of hard work, plane flights, homesickness, and hours on the phone, but I really am so blessed to have been able to go to TTU. I love it as much as I did that first tour day, and I literally get butterflies every. single. time. I see crop circles outside my plane window when I'm flying back to school! (That means I'm about 15 mins. away from landing in Lubbock :) ).
So for all those people who ask me how I ended up in Red Raider country, I say I fell in love. Which is true! But the messiness, outside factors, and the big decision were also what really lead me to Texas Tech. I can't wait to tell y'all more about my time there, so look for more posts soon! :)
<3
Sarah (Aka, Medium- Well)
P.S. Another funny factor in this story. My junior year in high school, we had to take a, "Career Interest," exam that gave you degree programs based on your hobbies, interests, likes and dislikes. I put things such as, I liked being outdoors, I liked animals, and I like being hands on etc. Well, the NUMBER ONE career choice they gave me was...
Taxidermy.
http://bisonworld.org/taxidermy
Yep.
Because, apparently, if I like animals and being outdoors, I must like shooting said animals and stuffing their dead bodies. By golly, this program had me all figured out! (My family still has not stopped laughing about this. It will go down in history.)
Anyway, I already knew I wanted to be a Landscape Architect, so I began looking up schools that had the program. Texas A&M I knew for sure, but UT only had the graduate program. Then, I saw Texas Tech. Interested, I clicked their link, went to their homepage, and thought, Wow, this is gorgeous! I want to find out more! So I kept combing through their website. That day, I went home and said to my dad, "Dad, I want to go to Texas Tech University to study Landscape Architecture." He said, "Ok, Sarah. That's nice." This exchange was promptly forgotten in the coming days, only to hit me two months AFTER I had already moved into my dorm at Texas Tech!
Funny how things work out, isn't it? ;)
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