I graduated from high school with mixed emotions.
Although I was excited about starting a new chapter in my life, I was skeptical about college life. Not only would I be in an unfamiliar city without family or friends, I would also be 500 miles away from home, which means that I could not “run home to mama” if things became too difficult to handle.
Also, coming from a relatively small high school graduating class, I wondered how, or if, I would adapt to a much larger population of students.
Although it happened 26 years ago, I can still remember my first day at Dillard University.
As we drove onto the campus, multiple students called “peer counselors” greeted us with broad smiles and open arms.
Their shirts read, "WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU" in bold and bright letters, and their faces displayed looks of sincere enthusiasm and genuine kindness.
My fears quickly subsided and I exhaled a sigh of relief.
I knew that I was in the right place. What I did not know was that I was about to experience the best years of my life.
I will always be grateful to Dillard University.
Attending this school fostered independence, leadership, and responsibility, which ultimately helped to mold me into a driven, focused, and goal-oriented person.
Most importantly, this school provided me with the opportunity to have a prestigious career that I adore, provided me with vital lessons I would need to succeed in life, and created unbreakable relationships that will last a lifetime.
When I entered my freshman year, my major was biology. I decided that I would become a researcher, possibly working in my hometown of Atlanta at the Centers for Disease Control.
There was a brief thought in my mind about becoming a physician, but I dismissed it because I did not know enough about the process or the profession. And I did not have the desire to learn about either.
One of my college instructors informed me of a summer program for upcoming sophomores and juniors.
The purpose of the program was to give college students a glimpse of medical school life so they could decide if they really wanted to attend medical school with the end goal of becoming a physician.
The program would be hosted by the University of South Alabama College of Medicine in Mobile, Ala., and the participants would take medical school courses taught by authentic medical school professors.
I did not think that the program would benefit me because I did not have aspirations of becoming a physician. Since I excelled in biology, my professor encouraged me to submit an application.
I knew that my chances of being selected were unlikely because they were only choosing 8-10 people out of hundreds of exceptional applicants. To my surprise, I was accepted, and as the familiar phrase goes, “the rest is history.”
I received an award for having the best overall average in my class. I went on to attend and graduate from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and I am currently a board certified practicing physician in family medicine in Atlanta.
Ironically, if it were not for Dillard University, I would not have known about my hidden desire to become a physician. Now, I can't see my life as anyone else.
Attending Dillard University also taught me many lessons in life that were vital to being successful and that I still use daily.
One of the most important lessons I learned was from my organic chemistry teacher. He taught us that being “on time” was unacceptable and that being early was the only option.
I can still hear the words that he said multiple times a day: “If you are not five minutes early, you are ten minutes late!”
I didn’t appreciate his advice at the time because it did not make sense to me.
“How can I be late if I am on time?” Then I realized that being “on time” is subjective to whichever clock someone is viewing, and it is impossible for two clocks to operate simultaneously. If I am always five minutes early, the time will never be misinterpreted and I will never be accused of tardiness.
I also learned vital interviewing skills, expectations of professionalism, and that it was acceptable to ask questions about things that you did not understand.
I had a difficult time grasping the latter concept because I did not feel comfortable asking a question about a subject that everyone else seemed to understand.
Soon, I realized that other students would be grateful that I asked the question because they did not understand either.
My professors actually encouraged us to ask questions and they made themselves available for those who needed extra assistance. All of these lessons have helped to pave my exciting journey and are still vital aspects of my life.
Dillard University also created long lasting friendships and relationships that are still significant elements of my life. One of my best friends is someone that I met at Dillard University. She has provided me with limitless and unconditional support and encouragement. We talk almost daily and I am the godmother of her child.
It was also at this university that I was initiated into my beloved Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which was founded on Christian principles and emphasizes public service, academic excellence, sisterhood, and love.
Mere words will never be able to adequately describe my experience at Dillard University.
I am also unable to show sufficient gratitude for a school that seemed to know me better than I knew myself.
It exposed my suppressed desire to become a physician, taught me essential life lessons, and established long lasting alliances and relationships.
I can only pray that others are able to seize the opportunity of attending such a life altering institution, because those four years at Dillard University were the best years of my life.
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