From PHC to GCC

I'm going to kick back and write this as if everyone who reads it has been eagerly waiting for me to post an update on the current happenings of Christina Fortini. (I realize this may not be the actual reality of those who will glance over this post, but hey a girl can dream.) So what'd been going on? Answer: SO MUCH I CANT EVEN DESCRIBE. But I'm going to go ahead and describe. (Irony?)

As most of my readers probably know already, I transferred schools. Yes, I got up and left Patrick Henry College, my full time school of three semesters, to continue my education at Grove City College. For a while now I've been mostly keeping the reasoning behind my decision on the down low because I really wanted to make this huge decision free of judgment aside from those who I trust and depend on. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm sure anyone I told about my reasoning would have had tons of great things to say but the reality was I was afraid of what it would be.

When I decided on Patrick Henry College, I REALLY wanted to be a lawyer. I wanted to go to a prestigious law school, practice law, be great and powerful and successful in everything I did. Then I went through a year of killing my self in academics to come out on the other side barely accomplishing anything. I wondered if I really wanted to pursue law, if I really wanted to continue the personal expense to say that I did 'well' in school. I got to the point where I had to ask myself, "Are you still going to be the same person on the other side of this while you destroy your mind and your body working this hard?" Eventually I had an answer: no. While I loved Patrick Henry, and its mission and academic rigor, it was not for me. Sure, I could get the grades, and I could write the papers, and I could study hard just like the next person, but it took its toll on me.

It has taken me a really long time (obviously) to be able to come out and say that publicly. I know very well the opinion of the student body at PHC, and how they find their identity in succeeding at a school that is one of the hardest, and expects the most. While at first I thought that I was one of these students, I realized that I could not go on finding my worth in grades (or lack thereof). Now don't take this the wrong way: I did not transfer because PHC was too hard, but the result of the 'hardness' caused me to reevaluate my life goals. I decided I wanted to do something else: graduate school.

While this change from law school plans to grad school did not really change my short term goals (a BA), I did want to go to a school that had a better turnaround rate for students going into good graduate programs, so I chose a college that had already accepted me years ago back in the day when I was a little high school senior applying for 'real college.'

It was definitely not easy to uproot my life of a year and a half, and move to my least favorite state in this country (where it is COLD ALL THE TIME and is also 4 hours away from Justin

There are upsides, though. I have accomplished so much in my short month here that I never could have somewhere else. I can look forward past just this current week and think, "Yes, I can do this." I have gotten the incredible opportunity to study in Nantes, France for an entire semester this fall, something that never would have happened at PHC. Heck, I can eat in the dining hall without dry heaving.

Do I miss it? Of course. I miss my old roomies, Purcellville, McDonald's being open 24/7, dances, and all of that. I am happier here though, with my classes, my major, and hey, Sheetz is pretty ok, too. I know I did the right thing.

Wow, that was a really big thing to write to all of you! I hope you enjoy reading, and I'll probably be writing more often, now that I'm all settled into my new school! (Haha, I always say I'll write more and then never do. Oh well.)

And so we go.

P.S. I know a lot of my colleagues from PHC will read this and think "Aha! She wasn't smart enough for this school so she ran away!" My answer to you: Whatever dude, I'm going to live in France this fall, what are you plans?