One Way Or Another

Hello University of Michigan-Flint! My name is Floyd and I’m going to tell you a little about how I ended up at UM-Flint. I’m a native of Flint, so I have always known about the university. It is literally ten minutes from my childhood home. When I was a wee lad, I remember seeing the aqua green roof of the University Pavilion and thinking it was the strangest building I had ever seen. I also remember swimming at the Recreation Center with my Dad after we visited the Flint Public Library. The university has been a staple in this community and, in turn, a staple in my life.

So with that being said, perhaps UM-Flint should have been one of my first options when it came to choosing a college to attend. But it wasn’t. During my senior year, I had my eye on art schools. Specifically, art schools outside of Flint. I had been here my whole life, so I was determined to see what else was out there. With all of that in mind, I got accepted to an art school in Grand Rapids. I packed my bags and was off to live on my own for the first time, leaving the comfort of Flint behind.

Obviously I somehow ended up back here at UM-Flint. Grand Rapids was a great city and the school I went to was fun, but after my freshman year I had an inkling something was off. The field I had chosen wasn’t what I wanted. The cost of living was too high. I missed my friends and wanted to be closer to them. Despite my desire to get away and be independent, I decided the summer after my freshman year that I would be returning home and deciding what to do from there.

I had a few options in front of me.  One of those was UM-Flint. There was a world-class university minutes from my home. So I applied and was accepted the summer of 2009. Since then, a lot has changed. I’ve figured out what to do with my life and have become an important part of my campus community. Through the people I’ve met, the classes I’ve taken, and the organizations I’ve joined, I have realized so much about myself and what motivates me. So my journey to the university was not an intentional one, but it has been incredibly influential. Despite having grown up in the area, I didn’t realize how much I could gain from the place that I passed by every day going to summer camp. I’ve learned not to underestimate what your community has to offer and have since realized what it means to be open to the opportunities in front of you.

This year I am going to do my  best to  share my experiences and reflections on the university with anyone who is willing to read. My time here has been amazing and now, instead of saying I live a few minutes from campus, I can say campus is my home. The faculty, staff, and students are all my family and I hope to give a glimpse into what that means to me as a University of Michigan-Flint student.

Go Blue!