In 1999, when I graduated from high school, it was expected of recent graduates to go straight into college. In fact, if you didn’t follow the pre-paved path that was already mapped out, you were considered a statistical outlier and were to some extent shunned (at least this is how I felt). Needless to say, I enrolled in my local community college and gave it a shot. However, after two failed attempts, I could not find the motivation to continue. I was lost in a world of predestined paths with no internal guidance. So I walked away. But I did so knowing that one day I would return, once I had gained some valuable life experience and direction.
The path I ended up taking led me to find love, commitment, self-development, and self-worth. Along the way I cultivated knowledge and personal strength from the people I’ve met and the places I’ve lived and visited. Because of these experiences, I’ve struggled, I’ve succeeded, and I’ve developed a better understanding of myself and what I wanted to achieve in my future.
This is where FSU Panama City fits in my story. In 2013, we moved to Panama City on military orders. Upon arrival, something inside told me that this was going to be the time to finish what I had started so many years ago. Not knowing what to expect, I waited patiently, until one day I found myself on the FSU PC campus talking with an advisor. I immediately knew that this was where I was meant to be. That my goal of achieving a college degree was about to come to fruition.
At FSU Panama City, I found what I was looking for, I found a home. I was accepted and embraced for my unique qualities, my status as a returning student, and as a military dependent. The small class sizes made it comfortable for me to speak up, ask questions, and develop relationships with both my fellow peers and professors. Simply put, FSU PC goes beyond a traditional college experience by catering to students who are on a time constraint (i.e. military members and dependents), enable creative and applicable academic instruction, and support students in and out of the classroom.
Although I was originally disappointed in my personal decision to put college on hold as an inexperienced young adult, I can now tell you that I am content with the decision I made years ago. The way I see the world, and myself, has evolved; and I now know with confidence that I was not developmentally flawed for not conforming to the ideal standards that many high school graduates are expected to meet. Instead, I feel that I can justifiably say that the path that I was meant to take had turns, bends, and at times forks-in-the-road, which has helped to shape me into the person I am today. A wife, mother, world traveler, advocate for life, and a damn proud Seminole!
At FSU Panama City, I found what I was looking for, I found a home. I was accepted and embraced for my unique qualities, my status as a returning student, and as a military dependent. The small class sizes made it comfortable for me to speak up, ask questions, and develop relationships with both my fellow peers and professors. Simply put, FSU PC goes beyond a traditional college experience by catering to students who are on a time constraint (i.e. military members and dependents), enable creative and applicable academic instruction, and support students in and out of the classroom.
Although I was originally disappointed in my personal decision to put college on hold as an inexperienced young adult, I can now tell you that I am content with the decision I made years ago. The way I see the world, and myself, has evolved; and I now know with confidence that I was not developmentally flawed for not conforming to the ideal standards that many high school graduates are expected to meet. Instead, I feel that I can justifiably say that the path that I was meant to take had turns, bends, and at times forks-in-the-road, which has helped to shape me into the person I am today. A wife, mother, world traveler, advocate for life, and a damn proud Seminole! — Sabrina McAslister
contributing writer
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