Ready, Get Set, Let's Go!

I do not know exactly how to describe my emotions at the moment—I believe it is a blurred medley of excitement, angst, and, particularly, hope.

I have just finished the last of my packing, after having gone through the arduous task of stuffing the last item, my pillow, into my brimming suitcase. Everything seems ready and set to go; all that is left is a few more hours of sleep to prime us for the long day ahead.

I will admit that I am nervous—this is the first time that I will be absent from home and my family for such a period of time. However, I truly hope that this experience, being away from the comforts of all that is familiar to me, will allow me to mature and develop into the independent, perceptive young woman that I long to be.

I want to learn about college—what I am looking for, which one I want to attend, what I want to get out of it, and who I want to become.

I have been struggling with determining whether I ought to study humanities or science when I attend to college in two years, and this trip, I suspect, will aid me in my decision. Analyzing and comparing the world's major religions at a prestigious university such as Vanderbilt will allow me to explore my interests and assist me in my search of the things I am most passionate about.

I have high hopes for our trip, and I hope we all take away something invaluable from it so we may bring it back to share with our schools and community. It is genuinely an honor to be the ambassadors of the West Contra Costa Unified School District, and to be the first ever from the ILC to travel to Vanderbilt University.

I have five more hours of sleep until I, along with my cohort, must beat the sun to Georgia.

Ready, get set, go!